Hasnain Jafer, a Birmingham activist originally from Balsall Heath, has credited former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with playing a pivotal role in his rescue after being detained on a flotilla bound for Gaza. Jafer was aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aimed to deliver aid including food, school supplies, and medicine to Palestinians, when Israeli forces intercepted it in international waters on May 18.
Detention and Release
The flotilla was seized, and Jafer, 23, was held for several days before being released on May 21 along with hundreds of others. The vessel was subsequently redirected to Turkey. Jafer and his father, Jeff Jafer, have praised Corbyn and other MPs for their efforts, stating they will 'never forget' the support.
Corbyn's Involvement
Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, met with families of the Global Sumud Flotilla detainees last month. Reports from Reuters detailed sexual assault allegations made by several activists during the interception. Corbyn condemned the incident as 'an assault on our common humanity' and called for an end to the siege on Gaza. On Instagram, he wrote: 'People sail to Gaza with one intention: to save the lives of Palestinians being starved to death. Their abominable treatment is an assault on our common humanity. End the genocide — and lift the siege.'
Recognition from the Jafer Family
Jeff Jafer expressed gratitude to Corbyn and Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, who co-signed a statement with other politicians urging government intervention. 'I thank everybody who has helped and everybody who has assisted,' Jeff told BirminghamLive. 'Even the honourable Jeremy Corbyn MP, the honourable Ayoub Khan MP and the other MPs who signed a joint statement. They fought a continuous battle for us and were the backbone. They spoke up for us and made other politicians aware to gather support. They have helped tremendously.'
'Monumental' Effort
Hasnain Jafer highlighted the cross-constituency support, noting that Corbyn and Khan aided UK participants beyond their own electoral areas. 'For them to speak out and help, it's monumental and we'll never be able to forget that,' he said. Jeff added: 'That group of MPs, I can't thank enough with the honourable Jeremy Corbyn MP and honourable Ayoub Khan MP in particular. They asked for no accreditation which is so respectable and decent of them. There's been many other people behind the scenes who have helped get the message across. I thank them all. If there weren't good people in the world, the world will cease to exist. I pray, I wish and hope in my lifetime that we see this goodness cover the whole globe.'
