The Italian section of the Global Sumud Flotilla on Friday defended its decision to expel La Stampa journalist Francesca Del Vecchio before departure.
Del Vecchio said she was simply trying to do her job. She called the expulsion “a defeat for me, and not just a personal one.”
“It always rings out of tune when a journalist becomes part of the story, rather than a narrator of other people’s experiences,” she wrote on social media.
“But I believe this story deserves to be known for what it tells us about the role of journalism and its tasks, and about the perception of the profession – including by those who call themselves libertarians.”
The flotilla is preparing to join boats from other nations. They are seeking to break Israel’s blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Removal justified
Maria Elena Delia, spokeswoman for the flotilla’s Italian section, said the group had “utmost respect” for press freedom. She argued, however, that the journalist’s removal was justified.
“We are the first to thank the media, who are the greatest form of protection we have,” Delia said. “We would be crazy not to respect journalists, but the journalists on board are also passengers, so they will be on a boat with a real crew. We have established rules to protect ourselves, which apply to everyone.”
Delia explained that Del Vecchio failed to follow those rules, resulting in what she called a loss of trust.
“It’s a high-risk mission. In the first few days, we had asked for the location of the boats and our training sites not to be revealed. She wrote it, and the other passengers were disorientated by it. These were the instructions given to everyone, not just journalists, in order to maintain a secure perimeter on such a complicated mission.”
She added that Del Vecchio’s case was not unique and that non-journalists would have faced the same sanction.
The flotilla should set sail in the coming days to join the wider mission.