PORTLAND, Oregon — A Portland resident is back in Oregon after spending six weeks at sea as part of a flotilla that attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza — a journey that ended with Israeli forces detaining hundreds of activists.
Paul Reid traveled to Spain in August to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, which included Greta Thunberg and activists from around the world. He said he felt it was his duty to try to deliver food and supplies to Palestinians.
“I’ve been tracking Palestine for a long time, the occupation, the apartheid, the ethnic cleansing,” Reid said.
The group, made up of nearly 500 people from 40 countries, packed food, medicine and other supplies onto dozens of boats. Many vessels, Reid said, had to be retrofitted to make them seaworthy.
“It was a humanitarian m