Freedom Flotilla II sets sail for Gaza
http://www.veteranstoday.com
The Palestinian message on the ground is clear, but no one’s listening. They won’t accept surrender for peace. They want nothing less than freedom and justice in their own unoccupied land.
Illustration: Carlos Latuff
by Debbie Menon
The aid flotilla is being organized by a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups, most of them based in Europe, the Associated Press reported.
The mission is named after the first Freedom Flotilla, which Israeli naval commandos attacked on May 31, 2010, in international waters, killing nine Turkish activists and injuring around 50 others.
Huwaida Arraf, was on board The Challenger, a U.S.-flagged ship that was part of this international effort to break Israel’s cruel illegal blockade of the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
Huwaida recounts : “Israeli commandos grabbed me by my hair and rammed my head into the deck. They then stepped on my head in order to cuff my hands behind my back and then put a sack over my head. Worse yet, the commandoes killed nine of my fellow passengers, including 19-year old U.S. citizen Furkan Dogan, on the Mavi Marmara.”
An international fact-finding mission of the UN Human Rights Council concluded that Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is “collective punishment”–a war crime–and that its May 31, 2010, attack on the flotilla in order to enforce its blockade was “illegal.” The mission found that six passengers, including Furkan, were killed “in a manner consistent with an extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution,” and that survivors were subjected to “torture.”
Rather than put pressure on Israel to end its illegal blockade of Gaza, investigate Israel’s killing of a U.S. citizen and attack against a U.S. ship, and sanction Israel for misusing U.S. weapons to attack the flotilla, the Obama Administration shamefully has tried to shield Israel from accountability for its actions.
On Saturday, Egypt permanently reopened its border crossing with Rafah. This is an important step toward ending Gaza’s isolation. But because Israel is still illegally blockading Gaza by land, sea and air, and because my country–the United States–is still enabling Israel to get away with it (in April, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice even publicly pressured governments to block future flotillas), in June I plan to sail for Gaza again with “Freedom Flotilla II–Stay Human.”
Four women Nobel Peace Laureates have sent an open letter calling on United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to support the safe passage of the Freedom Flotilla II. The flotilla will be bringing much-needed humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza in late June.
Mairead Maguire, Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, and Rigoberta Menchú Tum have asked the Secretary General to “support the people of Gaza with two key actions:
First, by appointing a representative to inspect and seal the cargo of the boats of the Freedom Flotilla II—thus assuring the Israeli government that the boats are carrying humanitarian supplies…”
and to “call on all governments to support the safe passage of the Freedom Flotilla II.”
- Download the open letter here or read the full text below.
Nobel Women’s Initiative An Open Letter to Ban Ki Moon
10 June 2011 | Nobel Women’s Initiative
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 USA
RE: Inspection and sealing of Freedom Flotilla II cargo
Dear Mr. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
We are writing to urge you to use your good offices in support of the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.
In our view, you can support the people of Gaza with two key actions. First, by appointing a representative to inspect and seal the cargo of the boats of the Freedom Flotilla II—thus assuring the Israeli government that the boats are carrying humanitarian supplies such as toys, medical supplies, cement and educational materials. Equally important, we strongly urge you to use your authority to call on all governments to support the safe passage of the Freedom Flotilla II. We are disappointed to learn of your recent efforts to persuade member governments from stopping the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza on the Freedom Flotilla II. We urge you to reconsider and instead encourage member states to lend support and ask Israel not to use force against legitimate humanitarian initiatives undertaken by civil society to help ease the suffering of the people of Gaza who are facing a humanitarian crisis of devastating scale.
The Freedom Flotilla II, organized by 14 national groups and international coalitions and carrying approximately 1500 ‘freedom riders,’ is set to sail to Gaza this month. Sailing in the spirit of promoting human rights, prosperity, and social responsibility, the aim of the Flotilla is to alleviate the humanitarian crisis faced by the citizens of Gaza. The blockade in Gaza is clearly having a harmful impact on the people of Gaza, and indeed UNDP and other agencies report high levels of malnutrition and other disturbing health problems.
According to a report by the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization, the level of “abject poverty” among the Palestinians of Gaza has tripled since the imposition of the blockade, with 61 % of households not having enough food.
The blockade has crippled the Gaza economy and destroyed Palestinians’ livelihoods and homes.
We believe our requests to you are in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 1860 of January 2009 as well as the 2010 UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission on the attack on Freedom Flotilla I, which are calling for a lift of the blockade to allow humanitarian assistance. We urge you to do all you can to support this nonviolent international humanitarian effort, to provide UN representatives to inspect and seal the cargo, and to appeal to all governments to allow safe passage of the Freedom Flotilla II.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your positive response.
Sincerely,
-Mairead Corrigan Maguire
-Rigoberta Menchu Tum
-Jody Williams
- Shirin Ebadi
A short promo video edited by Adam Shapiro, co-founder of International Solidarity Movement, for Freedom Flotilla 2: Message in a Bottle.mp4
- Contact: Adam Shapiro, +30-694-781-5798, adamsop@gmail.com
- Huwaida Arraf, +30-694-781-5798, huwaida.arraf@gmail.com
- Greta Berlin, +33 607 374 512, Iristulip@gmail.com
Greta Berlin one of the early pioneers of the flotilla initiative and founder of Free Gaza Movement wrote: “Instead of pressuring countries to stand in our way, or coming up with ways to bribe governments to stop our ships, the United Nations, the United States and the rest of the international community should recognize the power of this non-violent civilian effort to pressure Israel to change its policy.”
The world community must force Israel to back off and world public opinion and people of conscience must demand that it does so.
The inability of the world community and the United Nations to challenge Israel only frustrates hopes for a stable and peaceful world.
The US government being the primary negotiator for peace and security between Israelis and Palestinians should bear the responsibility for the Zionist regime’s massacre of Palestinian women and children in their homes and territories. Peace and security will be realized only through the establishment of true justice. How can sustainable peace and security be reached by provoking and humiliating others?
Gaza remains under siege, Palestinians in Gaza remain deprived of basic amenities, provoked and angered, the West Bank is also terrorized, Palestinians are being evicted from their homes daily, settlements continue being built, Palestinian land keeps being taken, more innocent lives in the territories are being lost, suffering remains unbearable, and hope for the beleaguered people are dashed. More Sanctions are being imposed on Israel’s perceived enemies in the region, crippling their economies further. Israel does all this without offending anybody!
The Palestinian message on the ground is clear, but no one’s listening. They won’t accept surrender for peace. They want nothing less than freedom and justice in their own unoccupied land. Israel won’t leave them in peace, so the struggle continues.
The United States is not being part of the solution, and appears as a great part of the problem.
I believe the only conclusions to the problem is for Americans to force their Government and Congress to stop supporting Israel diplomatically, militarily and financially.
But, first, and above all, someone is going to have to conduct a spinal implant in the US administration and the Congress!
“America’s inability to resolve the question of Palestine is one of the gravest tragedies of our times. This is primarily because the US administration and the US Congress have succumbed to the demands of the Zionists in America, the Zionist regime in Telaviv and its various Lobbies, AIPAC (American–Israeli Policy Action Committee) and ADL (Anti-Defamation League). There exists a coordinating agency called “The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations,” Their website (www.conferenceofpresidents.org) is worth exploring (and AIPAC is just one of literally dozens of organizations under its umbrella). This is a lethal ailment that afflicts the United States. The American politicians have fallen captive to this Zionist network.”
Nothing has changed in Egypt : ‘Spirit of Rachel Corrie’ bound for Gaza
http://www.presstv.ir

The MV Finch, which carries humanitarian aid, was attacked by Israeli naval forces last Monday when the vessel was about 400 meters (yards) from Gaza and was forced into Egyptian waters.
Activists on board the ship say since being forced into Egyptian waters, Egyptian authorities have prevented the ship from docking at El Arish port.
“We have pulled our anchor and are now en route to Gaza. We had given the Egyptian authorities an ultimatum to let us dock by 2:00pm (1200 GMT) or we would set sail for Gaza but they did not respond,” Matthias Chang, who is heading the mission for the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, told AFP by phone from the MV Finch
“We are now on the way to Gaza, and will face whatever the consequences,” Chang said.”We are almost out of food and water and have been stuck on this ship since last Monday, we have no choice”.
The activists also accused Cairo of collaborating with Tel Aviv to prevent aid ships from reaching Gaza.
“The Egyptian Navy is forcing us out of their territorial waters and has asked us to go to international waters. One Egyptian patrol boat is coming very fast from behind with a gun pointing at us. Everyone is calm and steady. We are okay,” activist said.
The MV Finch, which left Greece on May 11, is carrying plastic pipes to help restore the sewage system in the tiny Palestinian territory.
Perdana Global Peace Foundation, headed by former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, was also involved in the 2010 Freedom Flotilla trying to breach an Israeli naval blockade on Gaza, which ended in disaster after Israeli commandos attacked the aid flotilla, killing at least nine Turkish activists on board the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships in the flotilla.
Gaza has been under an all-out land, aerial and naval Israeli blockade since 2007, when Hamas, the democratically elected ruler of Gaza, took control of the coastal sliver.
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Updated Report: Israel’s Attack on Humanitarian Ship to Gaza
http://www.sott.net
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie (officially known as FINCH) carrying a humanitarian cargo to Gaza was attacked by an Israeli naval patrol within the so-called Palestinian Security Zone on May 15, at 10.54pm EDT.
In the course of the last few hours, Global Research has communicated several times with the Rachel Corrie vessel en route to Gaza. What is provided below is a detailed update. An earlier article was posted at 12.30am EDT
The vessel left the Greek Port of Piraeus, on Wednesday, May 11. The humanitarian initiative is sponsored by the Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), chaired by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad.
Participating in this mission are anti-war activists and journalists, consisting of 7 Malaysians, 2 Irish, 2 Indians and 1 Canadian. The Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) is a partner in this endeavor. Global Research’s Julie Lévesque is on board the Rachel Corrie:
The cargo ship The Spirit of Rachel Corrie (officially known as FINCH) is carrying 7.5 kilometers of UPVC (plastic) sewage pipes to help restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza. The ship was named after the courageous American activist who was crushed and killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003 while trying to prevent the demolition of another Palestinian home. She died at 23. ( Perdana’s Second Press Release, Nakba and the Spirit of Rachel Corrie: Humanitarian Ship Attacked by Israel now within 1.5 nautical miles of Gazan Waters, Global Research, May 16, 2011)
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie entered Gazan waters without being detected.
The Israeli navy with its radar equipment and advanced communications technology was unaware of the Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission.
They were unprepared. They had received no prior information of the Rachel Corrie Mission, which had been planned for several months, scheduled to arrive off the coast of Gaza on the day of the “Nakba” commemoration.
Ironically, Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency was unaware of this mission. The Israeli navy vessels acted in an improvised fashion, without prior knowledge or intelligence. There was no indication that they had received precise instructions from the Israeli government.
At the time of the attack, the passengers on board were under the impression that the ship was still in international waters, when in fact is was one mile inside the “Palestinian Security zone”, namely in Gaza territorial waters, within a short distance of the Gaza coastline. This was an important accomplishment.
Indicated below is the initial report sent to Global Research by text message:
At 10.54 pm Eastern Time (EDT), the Spirit of Rachel Corrie was intercepted by an Israeli ship and a Egyptian ship in international waters [correction: within Gaza Territorial waters]
10:54pm EDT, Gaza 5:54am: We have been intercepted by Israeli ship and Egyptian ship. We are disobeying the orders and sailing ahead to Gaza.
10:57pm EDT, Gaza 5:57am: One Israeli warship coming to us very fast! We are in international waters, therefore they have no right to attack us. We are still sailing ahead.
10:59pm EDT, Gaza 5:59am: They are opening fire across our ship! We are still sailing ahead.
11:09pm EDT, Gaza 6:09am: They are shooting all over the place. We can’t continue …
11:35pm EDT, Gaza 6:35am: They circled our ship twice and fired across our ship. Machine guns. No one was injured. One of the fishing nets caught the propeller, so we can’t move now.
11:37pm EDT, Gaza 6:37am: The Israeli ship was coming from one end and the Egyptian ship was coming from another end. Firing. We are just stalled now. Everybody is okay. No one is injured.
Two Israeli naval vessels initially launched a “warning attack” on the Rachel Corrie, indicating that if the ship did not change course, they would shoot at the crew and the passengers. One of the passengers was almost killed as a result of the attacks. (See Bernama, May 16, 2011)
The following exchange took place between the Israeli navy and the ship as reported by the Free Malaysia Today journalist on board the Spirit of Rachel Corrie:
Israeli army: This is a warning shot. Turn around.
Captain Jalil Mansor: We are unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission to Gaza.
Israeli army: This is a closed military zone. It’s a violation. Turn around.
Mansor: We will continue (the mission).
The Israelis then headed to the back of the aid vessel and released a second warning shot into the air.
Graham: This is a violation (of international law). We are on a peaceful mission and unarmed.
Israeli army: Turn around. We will fire again.
Graham: You are firing towards unarmed civilians.
Israeli army: We didn’t fire towards unarmed civilians.
Graham: Looks like firing towards us.
Israeli army: We didn’t fire towards you. That is only a warning shot.
Following that conversation, the Israeli army fired two more shots and threatened: “Next time, we will land on your ship.”
Then the Egyptian navy was heard telling the Israelis on the radio: “Stop firing. They are in Egyptian waters.”
Upon realising the presence of Egyptian naval forces, the Israelis departed.” (Free Malaysia Today, May 16, 2011)
The Egyptian navy guard was initially unaware of what was occurring. The Israeli navy contacted the Egyptian navy and initially got no response.
Our earlier report (filed at 12.30am) following communication with the ship shortly after midnight (March 16) pointed to cooperation between the Israeli navy and their Egyptian counterparts. While there was cooperation, the Egyptians played a supportive role, which served to appease the Israeli attacks. They also ensured the escorting of the Spirit of Rachel Corrie into Egyptian territorial waters.
The Israeli Navy had contacted the Spirit of Rachel Corrie. They were informed regarding the nature of the cargo and that the crew and passengers were unarmed civilians.
The warning attack was aggressive using automatic weapons. Two Israeli naval patrol boats armed with machine guns were deployed. The Israelis also opened fire on a Palestinian fishing boat which was within Gazan territorial waters.
Following the initial “warning attack” they ordered the Spirit of Rachel Corrie to turn back. “Turn around or we’ll shoot”. However, once the ship changed course as demanded by the Israeli commando, they continued firing on the ship: “They started shooting to kill”
The Egyptian navy ship while communicating with the Israeli Navy was instrumental in escorting the ship to safe haven. The crew of the Egyptian ship was supportive in ensuring the safety of the crew and passengers of the humanitarian vessel.
There was communication between the Israeli and Egyptian ships and the Israeli’s “thanked” the Egyptian ship for having intervened.
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie, its crew and passengers are now in Egyptian territorial water, anchored off the Egyptian port of Al Arish, within a short distance of Gaza territorial waters.
It is essential at this stage to mobilize Worldwide in support for the Spirit of Rachel Corrie, break the blockade, open up Gazan territorial waters to aid and trade and also use this opportunity to open the land border between Egypt and Gaza.
The humanitarian convoy is of significance in the process of rehabilitation of Gaza’s public health infrastructure including its sewage system which was partially destroyed by Israeli bombings under Operation Cast Lead:
On 27 December 2008, the Israeli military launched Operation Cast Lead, which not only killed some 1,400 Palestinians, but also destroyed vital infrastructure leaving the Gazans with critical water and sewage problems. Repair of the infrastructure has proved impossible as Israel has prevented the entry of construction materials and fuel to resolve this dire situation.
According to a report from the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH), “the release of 80 million litres of untreated or partially treated sewage into the environment and Mediterranean Sea each day is primarily a result of the Israeli imposed blockade on the Gaza Strip.”
Gaza, one of the world’s most densely populated areas, is currently dealing with serious health issues such as the blue baby syndrome, diarrhea and other waterborne diseases like typhoid and hepatitis A. The World Health Organization is warning of a possible cholera epidemic if nothing is done rapidly to resolve this sanitation crisis.
According to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel: “Between 90% and 95% of the aquifers in the Gaza Strip are not safe for drinking.” The primary cause of the current problem originates from the destruction, during Operation Cast Lead, of “20 kilometers of water pipes, 7.5 kilometers of sewage pipes and 5,700 mobile water tanks”.
While the Gazans are experiencing the dramatic environmental impacts of the sewage and water crisis, the effects have already reached the Israeli shores, and could spread further affecting neighbouring countries. This severe health and environmental issue needs to be dealt with urgently. The international community must demand that the illegal Israeli blockade be lifted.
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission stemmed from PGFP’s participation in the Freedom Flotilla in 2010, in which 9 activists were killed by Israeli commandos. Following a fact finding mission conducted in Gaza in October 2010, PGPF decided to continue its efforts to assist Palestinians and shows this project as the most immediate of all priorities. See Perdana’s Second Press Release, Nakba and the Spirit of Rachel Corrie: Humanitarian Ship Attacked by Israel now within 1.5 nautical miles of Gazan Waters 0777 646 2379, Global Research, May 16, 2011)
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We Sail Again: The History of the Free Gaza movement
Written by Free Gaza Movement | 31 March 2011
Posted in News
March 31, 2011
If Israeli authorities thought that their attack on Freedom Flotilla 1 last year would break our momentum and scare us away from sailing to Gaza again, they were wrong. The brutality of the assault on our flotilla has led to an increase of support for our kind of nonviolent, direct action. We are now organising Freedom Flotilla 2, scheduled to set sail in late May 2011, with twice as many vessels as we had last year. We are bigger and stronger now as dozens of new organisations and thousands more people have joined our efforts. We sail not just for Gaza, as what’s happening in Gaza is not separate from the human rights abuses, racist laws, and oppressive policies perpetrated by Israel in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and even inside the 1948 borders. We sail to confront and challenge an entire apartheid regime that must be dismantled through citizen action.
We have proven that civil society’s non-violent actions against Israel can be as powerful as the governments who refuse to hold the state accountable for its crimes against the Palestinians. This article traces the history of the Free Gaza movement and our efforts to open Israel’s illegal blockade on 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza.
http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=3382&ed=193&edid=193
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Libya/Iraq : Washington’s precious catch: the oil and the bank accounts
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28 March 2011 All the versions of this article: |
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http://www.voltairenet.org
International affairsEditorial: Washington’s precious catch: the oil and the bank accounts The Americans have reaped hundreds of billions of dollars after having frozen Mubarak’s, Ben Ali’s and Gaddafi’s bank accounts. This enticing sum which has become under the control of the American administration and some of its European partners met an urgent need in the ranks of the major industrial countries in these times of crisis, in which their governments are forced to issue treasury bonds to fund their growing expenses, to activate the economic wheel and resist the suffocating stalemate. In addition to this economic and financial dimension, the availability of hundreds of billions of dollars is alleviating the industrial states’ need for Chinese help, at a time when the Chinese government is demanding costly political prices that are making the American empire feel the retreat of its international influence even further. Real gains reside in these frozen billions as they are compensating for the loss resulting from the fall of rulers who had offered major services to the American and Western hegemony over the Arab countries. During the next few years, the new governments in these countries will find it difficult to liberate and restore these frozen assets, while the proof for that is what was seen in Iraq whose debt was multiplied by the Americans following the occupation, without them returning anything from the funds they froze throughout twenty years. In that same context, they have hijacked Iraq’s oil which is still underground for the next twenty years. The Arab affairsEditorial: Plan to sabotage Al-Assad’s reforms The timing of the transfer of the infection to Syria and the fueling of the turmoil in it through the payment of funds and the mobilization of a massive Lebanese, Arab and foreign machine to serve the current campaign targeting the country, point to a blunt attempt to block the way before president Bashar al-Assad’s reform project. The proof for that is the continuation of this campaign following the announcement of the decisions of the Baath Party command on Thursday. Indeed, what is required is turmoil and the mobilization of parts of the Syrian youth to serve the project of chaos which has turned into a chapter of terrorist violence exercised by outlaws and infiltrators, some of whose sources of financing and armament were exposed following their involvement in the Daraa events. This campaign did not undermine Al-Assad’s determination to fix the relations between Syria and Lebanon, as he adopted a series of measures including the ending of Abdul Halim Khaddam’s and Ghazi Kanaan’s control over the so-called Lebanese file, while completely turning his back on the deals offered to him by Jacques Chirac and Western envoys dispatched by Bush’s administration to trade Syrian military presence in Lebanon with the pledge to disarm the resistance. Throughout the past years, President Al-Assad and the Syrian command placed the deterrence of the American-Israeli project in the region at the top of their list of priorities and the Syrian efforts focused on redrafting the Middle Eastern map outside the circle of imperialistic hegemony. Syria thus engaged in partnerships across the border, enhanced the alliance with Iran and secured harmony with Turkey. Al-Assad’s strategy drew up the facets if the independent Middle Eastern bloc that is cooperating economically, politically and on the security level. This consecrated the embracing of the resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq on stable grounds and proved its efficiency following difficult tests in the Lebanon and Gaza wars. The plan to transfer the protests infection to Syria, aims at blocking the way before the reform project of President Al-Assad who announced his determination to implement it as a first response to the Arab popular revolutions. The denial of calm in Daraa and the attempts to give the impression that demonstrations are being staged through fabricated reports spread by Syrian dissidents abroad and adopted by Western and Arab media outlets participating in the plan to sabotage Syria, aim at saying that the situation in Syria is unstable and that the reforms are not perceived seriously, although popular protests were launched on Thursday night and Friday morning in more than one location in the Syrian capital and provinces in support of President Al-Assad and the decisions which he promised to implement. The Arab fileSyria Yemen Libya Egypt Palestine The Israeli fileThe bombing which targeted a bus in the occupied city of Jerusalem, the Israeli military escalation which followed it against the Gaza Strip and the threats of Israeli military leaders – at the head of whom is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu- were the main headlines tackled by the Israeli press this past week. A few hours after Netanyahu made his threats, Israeli war planes launched a series of raids on several areas of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian resistance launched a number of Grad missiles on the Israeli settlements. The papers also focused on the Iron Dome system which will obstruct the missiles launched from the Gaza Strip towards the Israeli settlements. On the other hand, the Israeli papers extensively tackled the decision to imprison former president of the Hebrew state, Katsav, against the backdrop of sexual crimes. In regard to Libyan affairs, the papers addressed the international dispute over the nature of the participation in the military attack on Libya, the goals behind the Western intervention and the United States’ role in the military campaign. The Lebanese fileHezbollah secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a celebration organized to express solidarity with the Arab revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain and Libya, that the new majority’s accountability started since the Bristol meeting when the March 14 forces announced they will not participate in the government. Nasrallah pointed to the presence of “massive pressures exercised on Mikati by ambassadors and states. They are saying to him: do not form a government which only includes the new majority. But how can he do that? It is a new majority which has the right to form the government. There are discussions over the color of the government, its formula, its ministerial statement and its future policies.” He added: “There are calls to summon foreign powers and I know as well as you that the Americans, the French, the West and the Arab world are being sought out to pressure the prime minister-designate. And if a day comes when we will need to reveal the details, we are ready to do that.” Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said to An-Nahar in response to a question about the outcome of his contacts and efforts: “There is slow progress.” Regarding the veracity of what was said about disputes between him and certain sides in March 8, he stated: “There are different viewpoints and I am seeking a government formation that will be comfortable to all the sides… Quite honestly, I have not yet lost hope. I never did.” In response to another question, he assured: “Syria has never interfered at this level,” adding he was not pessimistic. Prime Minister of the caretaker government Saad al-Hariri said: “The other team made a mistake when it thought that we were negotiating to resolve the crisis due to our insistence on maintaining power and thus tried to annul us politically.” He added: “We do not want to annul anyone. However, we will do our best to eliminate the tutelage of the arms over the Lebanese state and people, because it is affecting the state’s action, economic development and Lebanon’s progress on all levels. It has started to pose a threat on the interests of the Lebanese abroad after it turned into a tool to export the Iranian revolution to the Arab and Islamic states.” News analysisThe United States and the Arab revolutions The American fileA few days following NATO’s launching of the military campaign against Libya and the strongholds of Muammar Gaddafi, the American papers pointed to the clear divisions in the ranks of the alliance and tackled the existing dispute over who should be running the military operations and command. Moreover, the Washington Post indicated there was no proof for the fact that the attacks launched by NATO had prevented the regime’s forces from killing civilians or had turned the balance of power in favor of the revolutionaries. As for the Los Angeles Times, it assured that President Barack Obama was facing increasing criticisms inside and outside the US due to the military campaign in Libya. Also in the context of the Middle Eastern events, the papers talked about the retreat of the support of the Yemeni tribes toward President Ali Abdullah Saleh and about five army generals having joined the anti-regime protesters. This will further weaken the Yemeni president’s grip over the authority, the papers said, although he has been in power for over thirty years. The Washington Post thus wondered about the nature of the developments in the Arab world, but also about the nature of the revolution and whether it aimed at achieving democracy against a tyrannical rule or was a mere tribal confrontation. The British fileThe British papers issued last week tackled the repercussions of the events in Libya, NATO’s assignment to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and the dispute regarding NATO’s role in the military operation. They also addressed the renewal of the confrontations between the Palestinians and the Israelis against the backdrop of the Jerusalem explosion and the Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip. Moreover, they talked about Saudi Arabia’s motives to interfere in Bahrain and play on the strings of sectarianism, the fears of seeing Al-Qaeda’s further infiltration in Yemen if its president were to insist on staying in power and the air campaign launched on Libya under the hegemony of American aircrafts. Saudi interference in Bahrain fuels sectarianism and hypocrisy behind Arab interference in Bahrain, especially that of Saudi Arabia
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Calls to protect upcoming Gaza aid Flotilla as Israel hints to attack
http://www.freegaza.org
Written by Free Gaza Team | 26 March 2011
- Saturday, 26 March 2011
London – Despite the Israeli government’s escalating threats of violence and attempts at diplomatic strong-arming, the organizers of a new international “Freedom Flotilla” – more than 15 ships that will set sail in late May to force an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip – says it is proceeding as planned. To assure that its passengers are unharmed, the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG), one of the flotilla organizers, is calling on all governments representing participating citizens to take concrete steps to protect their safety
“There is nothing Israel – or our own governments — can do to frighten us into abandoning the 1.6 million ‘prisoners’ of Gaza,” said Rami Abdo, spokesperson for the ECESG. “Throughout the past – in the United States during its fight for equal rights for blacks, and in South Africa during the campaign against apartheid – it is only civil actions like this that eventually forced an end to government-imposed oppression. We stand on the right side of history. If they continue their campaign of tyranny, however, we will only become more determined.”
Abdo added that the flotilla is particularly urgently needed at this time due to Israel’s escalating military attacks on Gaza, leading some to fear that another invasion – similar to the deadly war on the Strip that left more than 1,400 Palestinians dead in early 2009 – is planned.
Israel has controlled the Palestinian people for 63 years, since more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes or fled out of fear following the creation of Israel in 1948. That control intensified in 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. Although Israel withdrew its settlers from Gaza in 2005, it has continued to control the inhabitants’ lives; since 2007, it has prevented most human traffic in and out of the densely populated Strip, while restricting imports and banning virtually all exports. The impact: More than 75 percent of Palestinians in Gaza live under the poverty line.
The Freedom flotilla, of which Free Gaza and ECESG are founding members, is a human rights coalition that was organized after the 8th voyage by the Free Gaza movment. Free Gaza has sailed since August 2008 to break Israel’s illegal stranglehold, successfuly arriving in Gaza five times: however, the past four voyages were violently intercepted, and on May 31, 2010, the Israeli military killed nine of the passengers during the first Freedom Flotilla.
A 10th flotilla – promising to be the largest, with 15 ships carrying passengers from 12 European states as well as Latin America, Africa, Asia, Canada and the United States – is now being organized for a late May departure for Gaza. The passengers will include hundreds of peace advocates from around the world, including parliamentarians and human rights activists, and representatives of more than 40 media institutions.
Israel has responded by threatening to once again use deadly force to stop the new flotilla, including snipers and attack dogs. According to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi is on record as threatening that “if the IDF is faced with a similar situation in the future, there may be no alternative to deploying snipers to minimize troop casualties.” Likewise, the Jerusalem Post has reported that the IDF will deploy attack dogs from its Oketz canine units.
Meanwhile, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, is summoning foreign diplomats to Jerusalem to urge them to work with Israel to stop the flotilla from taking place. According to the Irish Times, he justified his call for cooperation by claiming the flotilla would violate international law, and that “if anyone of goodwill would like to send anything to Gaza, he has ample ways to do it through our ports or Egyptian ports.”
Abdo, however, described the Israeli government’s claims as “total fabrication.”
“There is nothing in international law that supports Israel’s four-year-long blockade of Gaza, or its attacks on humanitarian shipments in international waters,” he said. “In fact, as stated last year by the normally neutral International Committee of the Red Cross, Israel’s collective punishment of the residents of Gaza is itself a clear violation of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
For more details:
E-mail: friends@freegaza.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information
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Israel’s Knesset Passes ‘Nakba bill’; MK Tibi Invokes Nazi ‘Final Solution’
| http://redactednews.blogspot.com
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MK Rotem: Proud toprotect state Photo:Noam Moskowitz |
Arab, left-wing MKs fume as bill allowing small communities to reject residents also approved. MK Tibi invokes Nazi ‘final solutiion’ while ACRI files petition with High Court saying bill sanctions discrimination against Arabs, haredim
Roni Sofer | ynetnews
The Knesset passed two controversial bills late Tuesday night, infuriating many MKs from Arab and left-wing parties, who claim the bills are racist and run counter to democratic values.
The bill, which was reworked before its final passing, states that the finance minister will be charged with deciding when to withdraw funds from various groups after considering the opinions of the attorney general and a professional team comprised of members of the ministries of finance and justice.Thirty-seven MKs supported the bill in its final form, while 25 opposed it.
‘Thought police in Israel’
But critique against the bill was harsh. “On this day the thought police is being established in Israel,” said Isaac Herzog (Labor). Herzog added that the bill had been formulated in contrast with the attorney general’s recommendations. “It will exacerbate tension in Israel,” he said.MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) called it “another dark night”, adding that “this bill will greatly contribute to Israel’s de-legitimization in the world”.MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) was also outraged. “You are creating a monstrous state that will enter the thoughts and emotions of citizens. Is accepting my history considered incitement?” she asked. “The Nakba is a historic truth, not a position or freedom of expression.”
ACRI: Bill sanctions discrimination
Arab and left-wing MKs claim the bill, which was proposed by MKs from Yisrael Beiteinu and Kadima, is aimed at preventing Arabs from residing in the communities that choose to adopt admission committees.
‘We will make sure world boycotts towns’
“The Knesset is broadcasting a message that was received by the rabbis in Safed, who prevent Arab students from residing there. Imagine if Britain or France had made a law preventing Jews from living in certain communities,” El-Sana added. “This is a racist law, a law against Arabs.”MK Hanna Swaid (Hadash) announced “the clinical death of the State of Israel.” He added that although the law prohibits denying anyone residence based on his race, it was still possible to do so on cultural grounds. “We will make sure the towns, local authorities, and communities that adopt the law are boycotted in the world,” he said.
MK Tibi: Read Jewish history
“When 14 representatives gathered in Berlin, they discussed which policy to use against the Jews. It was then they discussed pushing them aside and limiting their living space…”
At this point MKs from other parties interrupted Tibi, yelling at him to leave the podium. MK Uri Ariel (National Union) refused to let him continue, yelling out, “Go back to Ramallah.”Tibi was eventually allowed to continue, and said Arabs felt as though they were being pushed aside. He said he was not comparing the law to the final solution, but that he had brought it up in order to stress the level of hatred.
West Bank : The village is under siege as punishment Awarta is denied food and medicine for the fourth consecutive day
http://www.uruknet.info
By Suleiman Bisharaat
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| Islam Online, March 15, 2011
Nablus “The children are out of bread and milk…even the water is almost gone. Electricity has been cut off from several homes…ambulances and medical staff are denied entrance into the village”; a cry for help reported by Salah Awad from the village of Awarta, east of Nablus in the West Bank, that suffers, for the fourth consecutive day, a curfew imposed upon them by the occupation, resulting from the death of five settlers in the settlement areas surrounding the village. With words that carry with them great anguish, Awad sends out a plea through Islam Online to all human rights institutions, and the National Red Cross to interfere in the situation as soon as possible before a humanitarian crisis takes place in the anguished village. This is in addition to the raids and searching of homes carried out by the occupation forces, as well as the detention of dozens of civilians. The five settlers were killed at dawn on Saturday March 12th, after their settlement area, “Itamar” was raided. Due to the incident, the occupation forces established the siege on the area. Settler groups also began to target Palestinian vehicles and homes in nearby cities. Collective punishment Awad describes in a statement to Islam Online that what is happening within the village: “the occupation today is exercising collective punishment against children, women, and the elderly. No one, since Saturday, is allowed to enter or leave the village. Even the ambulances and the Palestinian Red Crescent were not allowed to come near the village.” Awad continued by saying: “the village’s only bakery has been closed for the past four days. The civilians are almost out of bread, and there is no other way to get it. All stores are closed as well; therefore, basic groceries are also running out.” According to Awad, the suffering is not only limited to adults, but children as well, are experiencing a shortage in milk that became almost nonexistent in village homes. The residents did not have the chance to replenish their food storage, because they were oblivious to the fact that the village may be under siege. Awad sends out a plea to all international organizations, especially the International Red Cross committee, to interfere and to provide basic food supplies to the village residents, especially milk for the children and medical supplies. According to him, the longer the siege takes, the more anguish the villagers will suffer. Awad points out, that roughly one thousand soldiers are deployed throughout the village, where they seized several homes and transformed them into military barracks, detaining the original residents of the homes to a single room, not allowing them to leave or providing them with basic needs such as food or water. The population of Awarta is roughly 7,000 people, where its residents depend mainly on agriculture. Due to this, not only is the siege implicating their daily living, but the settlement of “Itamar” already took up about 3,000 acres of their farmlands. Arrests and detentions On his said, Qais Awad, President of the village council, said that the occupation forces announced that all residents between the ages of 15-40 must report to the village’s girls’ high school. He explained that the soldiers told the residents that the police will come to take their finger prints. He said that the soldiers physically abused those who do not act as they are told, while they detained 5 residents and declared Awarta and close military area. Qais described the situation as tragic, pointing out that the residents are experiencing a shortage of bread, and milk for the children, along with several basic food supplies. He stated that the occupation forces also deny the residents access to healthcare facilities in nearby cities, such as Nablus. The settlers’ actions On the other hand, vigilante settler groups conducted a series of operations targeting Palestinian villages. Since the morning of March 14th, several Palestinian cars have been reported burnt, as well several resident homes that have been raided and vandalized. In the village of Jinsafut, in the Qalqilya governorate, the settler group raided the village and burnt two cars, as well as hurling stones at a resident’s home and then retreated without harming any residents. In the governorate of Ramallah, the settlers of Beit El burnt two cars in the agricultural area of Al-Dahieh in the village of Dura Al-Qar’. The settler groups also closed the roads surrounding and leading to the governorate of Hebron and vandalized the residents’ vehicles with stones. At the same instance, armed settlers raided the home of one of the residents, harming him, as well as a number of surrounding homes. Israeli exploitation The ousted Palestinian government in Gaza warned from the Israelis exploiting the death of the settlers to justify “acts of aggression” against Gaza, at a time when the occupation decided to build 500 settlement areas in the West Bank. The government stated in a press conference that it is “closely following the Israeli escalation against the our Palestinian people and their push to raid Gaza as a result of the killing that occurred in the Itamar settlement as a means to justify aggression acts against Gaza.” It added that “the Palestinian opposition and Hamas denied any involvement with the Itamar incident, and we do not underestimate that there might be a criminal background to this incident.” On his side, Mahmoud Abbas described the incident as “inhumane, immoral, and must be punished.” Abbas also said in an interview conducted by the Israeli radio Monday morning: “no human can commit such an act. I cannot see a four-month-old infant killed. No human can see such a thing without feeling sorrow for what they see.” He clarified that “the Palestinian authority would have prevented such an aggression if it had previous knowledge,” pointing out that he agreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with regards to an investigation of the incident. No Palestinian group took responsibility for the incident so far, while others believed the likelihood of the incident having a criminal background.
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:: Article nr. 75895 sent on 16-mar-2011 04:42 ECT
www.uruknet.info?p=75895
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Qatari grant of $10 million to support Gaza fishermen
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk
Tuesday, 08 March 2011 16:00
A Qatari donation of ten million dollars to support the fishing sector and fisheries in the Gaza Strip.
The Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and Chairman of the Commission on Presidential Aid, Mahmoud Habash, announced a Qatari donation of ten million dollars to support the fishing sector and fisheries in the Gaza Strip. This is part of a number of development and humanitarian projects carried out by the Qatar Charity Foundation (QCF) in Palestine, in coordination and cooperation with the Office of the President.
Habash clarified, in a press statement on Monday (7th March), that this project aimed to ease the adverse consequences of the Israeli siege, and to help improve the living conditions of the fishing community and their families. The financial aid will also support efforts to develop the fishing industry in Palestine, despite the blockade. Habash commended the State of Qatar and the Qatari Charity Foundation for their donation and for their continued support of the Palestinian people. Ramadan Assi, the Director QCF in Palestine, added: “This project aims to empower the families of fishermen to access equal opportunities in the sustainable development of the fishing industry, and increase food security in the Gaza Strip, through increased fish production, distribution and marketing, as well as creating rewarding job opportunities and improving the capacity for fishermen and their families to reduce their poverty.”
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US veto in UN led to 60% increase in settlement activity
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk
Tuesday, 08 March 2011 12:55
America’s use of its veto in the UN Security Council last month has led to a rise in the rate of settlement construction.
A Palestinian specialist in settlement affairs has claimed that America’s use of its veto in the UN Security Council last month has led to a rise in the rate of settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories. It has, said Abdul Hadi Hantash, increased by more than 60%.
“The US veto gave a green light to the Israelis to push ahead with their illegal settlement policy and to escalate the attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians and their property,” he added.
According to Mr. Hantash, America’s use of the veto in a Security Council vote on Israel for the first time under President Obama has become “the basic support for Israel to impose new settlement facts on the grounds”. He pointed out that the settlers do not bear sole responsibility for the escalation; the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be blamed as well, because of its systematic coordination between the settlers and the occupation forces to raise the pace of settlement activities.
The Central Bureau of Statistic in Tel Aviv issued official data stating that since the partial settlement freeze came to an end nearly five months ago, the pace of settlement construction in the West Bank increased four times compared to the period of the supposed halt in such activity.
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Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters: My Journey to BDS
http://www.voltairenet.org
In a world where, from Palestine to Iraq via Afghanistan, so many innocent people are brutalized by barbarian armies, humiliated, bereft of hope, freedom, and human dignity, the voice of artists with the integrity to lend their talent and signature to say no to savagery, is a beacon of hope. Roger Waters is one such artist. He tells the story of his commitment to the Palestinian cause and his support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
6 March 2011
From London (United Kingdom)

Roger Waters spraying paints graffiti against Israel’s separation barrier surrounding the West Bank town of Bethlehem in 2006.
By Roger Waters
In 1980, a song I wrote, “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” was banned by the government of South Africa because it was being used by Black South African children to advocate their right to equal education. That apartheid government imposed a cultural blockade, so-to-speak, on certain songs, including mine.
Twenty-five years later, in 2005, Palestinian children participating in a West Bank festival used the song to protest Israel’s apartheid wall. They sang “We don’t need no occupation! We don’t need no racist wall!” At the time, I hadn’t seen first-hand what they were singing about.
A year later in 2006, I contracted to perform in Tel Aviv.
Palestinians from the movement advocating an academic and cultural boycott of Israel urged me to reconsider. I had already spoken out against the wall, but I was unsure whether a cultural boycott was the right way to go. The Palestinian advocates of a boycott asked that I visit the occupied Palestinian territory, to see the Wall for myself before I made up my mind. I agreed.
Under the protection of the UN I visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw that day. The Wall is an appalling edifice to behold. It is policed by young Israeli Soldiers who treated me, a casual observer from another world with disdainful aggression. If it could be like that for me, a foreigner, a visitor, imagine what it must be like for the Palestinians, for the underclass, for the passbook carriers. I knew then that my conscience would not allow me to walk away from that Wall, from the fate of the Palestinians I met, people whose lives are crushed daily in a multitude of ways by Israel’s occupation. In solidarity, and somewhat impotently, I wrote on their wall that day: “We don’t need no thought control.”
Realizing at that point that my presence on a Tel Aviv stage would inadvertently legitimize the oppression I was witnessing, I canceled my gig at the football stadium in Tel Aviv and moved it to Neve Shalom an agricultural community devoted to growing chick peas and also, admirably, to cooperation between people of different faiths, where Muslim, Christian and Jew live and work side by side in harmony.
Against all expectations, it was to become the biggest music event in the short history of Israel. 60,000 fans battled traffic jams to attend. It was extraordinarily moving for me and my band, and at the end of the gig I was moved to exhort the young people gathered there to demand of their government that they attempt to make peace with their neighbors and respect the civil rights of Palestinians living in Israel.
Sadly in the intervening years, the Israeli government has made no attempt to implement legislation that would grant civil rights to Israeli Arabs equal to those enjoyed by Israeli Jews, and The Wall has grown, inexorably, illegally annexing more and more of The West Bank.
I had learned that day in Bethlehem in 2006 something of what it means to live under occupation, imprisoned behind a Wall. It means that a Palestinian farmer must watch olive groves centuries old, uprooted. It means that a Palestinian student cannot get to school because the checkpoint is closed. It means a woman may give birth in a car, because the soldier won’t let her pass to the hospital that’s a ten minute drive away. It means a Palestinian artist cannot travel abroad to exhibit work, or to show a film in an international film festival.
For the people of Gaza, locked in a virtual prison behind the wall of Israel’s illegal blockade, it means another set of injustices. It means that children go to sleep hungry, many chronically malnourished. It means that fathers and mothers, unable to work in a decimated economy, have no means to support their families. It means that university students with scholarships to study abroad must watch the opportunity of a lifetime slip away because they are not allowed travel.
In my view, the abhorrent and draconian control that Israel wields over the besieged Palestinians in Gaza, and the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem), coupled with its denial of the rights of refugees to return to their homes in Israel, demands that fair minded people around the world support the Palestinians in their civil, nonviolent resistance.
Where governments refuse to act, people must, with whatever peaceful means are at their disposal. For some that meant joining the Gaza Freedom March, for others it meant joining the humanitarian flotilla that tried to bring much needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.
For me it means declaring my intention to stand in solidarity, not only with the people of Palestine, but also with the many thousands of Israelis who disagree with their governments racist and colonial policies, by joining a campaign of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, until it satisfies three basic human rights demanded in international law.
1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands [occupied since 1967] and dismantling the Wall;
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
My conviction is born in the idea that all people deserve basic human rights. My position is not anti Semitic. This is not an attack on the people of Israel. This is, however, a plea to my colleagues in the music industry, and also to artists in other disciplines, to join this cultural boycott.
Artists were right to refuse to play in South Africa’s Sun City resort until apartheid fell and whites and blacks enjoyed equal rights. And we are right to refuse to play in Israel until the day comes — and it surely will come — when The Wall of occupation falls and Palestinians live alongside Israelis in the peace, freedom, justice and dignity that they all deserve.
Roger Waters on BDS and the walls of division:
English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. He is also known for championing the cause of the Palestinian people for freedom and justice.
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Libya and Imperialism
| http://www.globalresearch.ca
by Sara Flounders
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Global Research, February 24, 2011
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Of all the struggles going on in North Africa and the Middle East right now, the most difficult to unravel is the one in Libya. What is the character of the opposition to the Gadhafi regime, which reportedly now controls the eastern city of Benghazi? Is it just coincidence that the rebellion started in Benghazi, which is north of Libya’s richest oil fields as well as close to most of its oil and gas pipelines, refineries and its LNG port? Is there a plan to partition the country? What is the risk of imperialist military intervention, which poses the gravest danger for the people of the entire region? Libya is not like Egypt. Its leader, Moammar al-Gadhafi, has not been an imperialist puppet like Hosni Mubarak. For many years, Gadhafi was allied to countries and movements fighting imperialism. On taking power in 1969 through a military coup, he nationalized Libya’s oil and used much of that money to develop the Libyan economy. Conditions of life improved dramatically for the people. For that, the imperialists were determined to grind Libya down. The U.S. actually launched air strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi in 1986 that killed 60 people, including Gadhafi’s infant daughter – which is rarely mentioned by the corporate media. Devastating sanctions were imposed by both the U.S. and the U.N. to wreck the Libyan economy. After the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 and leveled much of Baghdad with a bombing campaign that the Pentagon exultantly called “shock and awe,” Gadhafi tried to ward off further threatened aggression on Libya by making big political and economic concessions to the imperialists. He opened the economy to foreign banks and corporations; he agreed to IMF demands for “structural adjustment,” privatizing many state-owned enterprises and cutting state subsidies on necessities like food and fuel. The Libyan people are suffering from the same high prices and unemployment that underlie the rebellions elsewhere and that flow from the worldwide capitalist economic crisis. There can be no doubt that the struggle sweeping the Arab world for political freedom and economic justice has also struck a chord in Libya. There can be no doubt that discontent with the Gadhafi regime is motivating a significant section of the population. However, it is important for progressives to know that many of the people being promoted in the West as leaders of the opposition are long-time agents of imperialism. The BBC on Feb. 22 showed footage of crowds in Benghazi pulling down the green flag of the republic and replacing it with the flag of the overthrown monarch King Idris – who had been a puppet of U.S. and British imperialism. The Western media are basing a great deal of their reporting on supposed facts provided by the exile group National Front for the Salvation of Libya, which was trained and financed by the U.S. CIA. Google the front’s name plus CIA and you will find hundreds of references. The Wall Street Journal in a Feb. 23 editorial wrote that “The U.S. and Europe should help Libyans overthrow the Gadhafi regime.” There is no talk in the board rooms or the corridors of Washington about intervening to help the people of Kuwait or Saudi Arabia or Bahrain overthrow their dictatorial rulers. Even with all the lip service being paid to the mass struggles rocking the region right now, that would be unthinkable. As for Egypt and Tunisia, the imperialists are pulling every string they can to get the masses off the streets. There was no talk of U.S. intervention to help the Palestinian people of Gaza when thousands died from being blockaded, bombed and invaded by Israel. Just the opposite. The U.S. intervened to prevent condemnation of the Zionist settler state. Imperialism’s interest in Libya is not hard to find. Bloomberg.com wrote on Feb. 22 that while Libya is Africa’s third-largest producer of oil, it has the continent’s largest proven reserves – 44.3 billion barrels. It is a country with a relatively small population but the potential to produce huge profits for the giant oil companies. That’s how the super-rich look at it, and that’s what underlies their professed concern for the people’s democratic rights in Libya. Getting concessions out of Gadhafi is not enough for the imperialist oil barons. They want a government that they can own outright, lock, stock and barrel. They have never forgiven Gadhafi for overthrowing the monarchy and nationalizing the oil. Fidel Castro of Cuba in his column “Reflections” takes note of imperialism’s hunger for oil and warns that the U.S. is laying the basis for military intervention in Libya. In the U.S., some forces are trying to mobilize a street-level campaign promoting such U.S. intervention. We should oppose this outright and remind any well-intentioned people of the millions killed and displaced by U.S. intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. Progressive people are in sympathy with what they see as a popular movement in Libya. We can help such a movement most by supporting its just demands while rejecting imperialist intervention, in whatever form it may take. It is the people of Libya who must decide their future. |
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| Sara Flounders is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by Sara Flounders
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The arab revolutions against US and Israel
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Tahrir4Gaza – Liberation for Gaza – Ken O’Keefe
http://dprogram.net
As the Arab people continue to exercise unarmed yet mighty power, there is one place above all others that remains at the heart of the struggle, Palestine. Despite all the money, propaganda, weapons, false imprisonment, ethnic cleansing, torture and mass-murder wielded against them, they have endured, and they remain, unmovable, they are the people of Palestine. This Global revolution will never be complete until Palestine is free, and in this moment in time, we can listen to those who call for “calm” and “restraint”, or we can listen to our hearts, use our heads, and carry on to the next and most obvious step in this revolution, Palestine.
The most powerful thing of all that has occurred in the ongoing uprisings is this, people have begun to believe, that ANYTHING is possible. I have lived with that knowledge for many years, I have seen, smelled and touched a better world. I have felt rage and I have cried, watching as my fellow human beings remained imprisoned within the chains of mental enslavement. And yet I knew, we were just one catalysing event away from massive acceleration in human consciousness and direct action. And in these days I have cried yet again, with tears of joy as I watched my Egyptian brothers and sisters what would have been considered impossible less than a month ago. And together we know, ANYTHING is possible.
There are those who fear Israel, the Egyptian Military, or simply the unknown, but such people remain in the time when we were slaves. Well we are slaves no more, and for those of us absent of fear and powered by love of justice, we are going to Gaza. And as we march we shall not be alone, we shall carry with us the will of the people of the world who know what we know, Palestine will be free. We the people, we are the ultimate power, and we can do ANYTHING!
2,000,o00 Egyptians Chanting Free Palestine!
We are going to march to Gaza, we are going to liberate Gaza, to support the march go to;
Source: Ken O’Keefe’s Blog
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INTERVIEW IDF : ‘OPERATION CAST LEAD’
INTERVIEW YOU WILL NOT SEE IN ZIONIST CONTROLLED AMERICAN MAINSTREAM MEDIA
They were told:
“ENTRY WOULD BE DIS-PROPORTIONATE”
The orders were to:
“CLEANSE THE NEIGHBOURHOOD”
“Every house gets a shell, that was our job…”
“We were to shell the top and shell the bottom…”
“The moment the tank hit the second shell, we see processions of the family walk out with children, with babies, with white flag on a stick….”
“We entered the city in a big hullabaloo…”
“The squadron… with a lazer marked clearly the houses that had to be shelled….”
Alex Thompson has their story here…
Channel 4 News – Dispatches from Gaza – 26 January 2011
Enough of Hamas Rocket fire ?
After Sabra & Shatila, Jenin, Nablus, Rafah, and Gaza massacres. Sixty years of brutal ‘Israeli Defence Force’ ?
Can someone arm Hamas with modern weapons to defend themselves, perhaps we can then witness a real war?
Also see:
Journalist Robert Fisk who had been one of the first on the scene, returns 15 years later to the Sabra & Shatila Palestinian refugee Camp in Lebanon…
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Two Years Ago: Israel’s Deadly Offensive in the Gaza Strip
| http://www.globalresearch.ca
by Kourosh Ziabari
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Global Research, January 3, 2011
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On the eve of New Gregorian Year, the international community commemorates the second anniversary of Israel’s deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip in the wake of the continuous blockade of the coastal sliver which has paralyzed the lives of more than 1.5 million impoverished Palestinians living there.
Two years ago and during the final days of 2008, Israel launched an all-out military attack on the Gaza Strip which, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, claimed the lives of 1,417 Palestinians, the majority of whom were innocent women and children. The military assault of the Israel Defense Forces also wounded 5,303 Palestinians, destroyed more than half of the basic infrastructure of the strip and displaced tens of thousands of defenseless civilians.
According to a report published by PCHR, “tens of thousands of Gaza residents continue to live a life of displacement.”
“While the United Nations (UN) agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have had the willingness and resources to support the re-construction of the houses Israel destroyed during the war, Israel continues to restrict the entry of construction materials, denying the victims from meaningful relief and from their right to adequate housing,” the report continues.
As said by the PCHR report, the “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” is a grave breach of the 147th article of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
“The Ministry of Housing and Public Works in Gaza announced that 51,553 homes were destroyed or damaged [during the Operation Cast Lead]. Of those 3,336 homes were destroyed completely and 4,021 sustained major damages,” the report adds.
Moreover, the statistics published by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) indicate that 2,276 Palestinian homes were destroyed completely during the Gaza offensive of which 1776 sustained major damage.
The same report adds that due to Israel’s prevention of the entry of construction materials into the Gaza Strip, 93.3% of the families whose homes were bombarded during the 22-day war have not received assistance and humanitarian aid to reconstruct their homes and thus live in displacement.
Since June 2007 and following the victory of Hamas party in a democratically-administered election in the Gaza Strip, Israel imposed an extreme siege on the coastal sliver and severed its connection with the outside world in a brutal manner. Since then, the people of Gaza have been deprived of the most rudimentary necessities of their daily life including electricity, foodstuff, fuel, hygienic water, construction materials, stationery and even toys for their children. The deafening silence of the Western governments concerning the Gaza blockade served as a green light to Israel to go on with its aggressive, inhumane policies and exacerbated the pains of the people of Gaza growingly.
According to a December 2010 report by the PCHR which was released a few weeks ago and published on the website of Malaysian Humanitarian Sail, the Gazan citizens are illegally denied the right to travel inside and outside the enclave and their students are not allowed to attend university programs abroad. To one’s utmost surprise, the Gazan businessmen and entrepreneurs are prohibited from exporting their goods and productions to the neighboring countries and this has deteriorated the economic situation of the Gaza Strip, leaving thousands of people unemployed and a number of enterprises bankrupt and closed.
Moreover, Israel has been continuously violating the UNSC Resolution 1860 since 2009, failing to open the borders of Gaza and end the crippling blockade of the strip.
However, Despite the fact that the Western governments have turned a blind eye to atrocities and felonies of the Israeli regime and the anguish and suffering of the Palestinian citizens, hope still glimmers in our hearts for the future of Gaza Strip and its innocent people who are in dire need of assistance, sympathy, compassion and above all, understanding.
When Israel launched its first rockets into the Gaza Strip in the early 2009, several international organizations and a number of countries whose leaders have refused to bow down to the pressures of Zionist lobby and remained conscious and independent categorically condemned the barbarity of the Zionist regime and called on the Tel Aviv leaders to end the dangerous game which they had started.
According to the statistics, 34 countries condemned Israel’s attacks exclusively and backed the rights of Palestinian people to defend themselves. Remembering the courageous action of the governments of Qatar, Bolivia, Venezuela and Mauritius in severing their diplomatic ties with Israel and the valorous protests of the leaders of 34 countries from the four corners of the world against the butchery of the Zionist regime revitalizes the hopes that consciousness and morality is still alive in the world.
During the first days of the Gaza offensive, almost all of the world countries reacted to the collective punishment of the Palestinian citizens by the murderous Israel Defense Forces and called on Tel Aviv to withdraw from the occupied territories and end its military operation.
One of the most remarkable reactions to the war came from Havana where the Cuban Revolutionary Government called the Israeli military operation “criminal”, considering it as “the bloodiest attack Israel has ever launched against the Palestinian people.
The Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip was so extensive and unexpected that even the European allies of the United States as the biggest supporter and proponent of the Zionist regime dared to criticize Israel and its outlandish policies. On January 7, 2009, Denmark summoned the Israeli ambassador in Copenhagen in protest to attacks on clinics run by a Danish charity in Gaza.
The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh called the Israeli offensive a holocaust that was unleashed on the helpless Palestinians. The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan outspokenly blamed Israel and said that “Israel’s bombardment of Gaza shows disrespect to the Turkish Republic. We were planning to schedule peace talks between Syria and Israel. Whatever the reason is, killing innocent civilians will damage peace in the world.” A few weeks later and during a World Economic Forum panel discussion with the Israeli President Shimon Peres, Erdogan stated that “the high tone of your voice has to do with a guilty conscience,” and “When it comes to killing, you know well how to kill.” He consequently walked out of the session in protest to the Israel’s massacre of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The African Union published a statement and blamed Israel’s onslaught on the Gaza Strip: “The Commission of the African Union (AU) is following with great concern the prevailing situation in the Gaza Strip. The Commission strongly condemns the ongoing air raids on the Gaza Strip by Israel, since 27 December 2008, which has resulted so far in the death of more than 300 Palestinians, while about 1,000 others, including women and children, have been injured.”
In a separate statement, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza expressed his “absolute rejection” of the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip and urged its immediate halt. He also called for restoration of the cease-fire, an end to the embargo on the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a new peace initiative
The Non-Aligned Movement, the largest bloc of nations after the UN General Assembly also criticized Israel sharply and issued a communiqué, calling upon the Zionist Regime to end its hostile and aggressive policies in the Gaza Strip and the collective punishment of the Palestinian citizens.
Anyway, Israel couldn’t escape the grave consequences of the bloodshed which it staged in the Gaza strip. It lost its few allies at the four corners of the world and helped the people around the world to recognize the reality behind the suffering of the Palestinian nation.
Now, two years have passed and we still remember the pains and quandaries of the Palestinian nation and the people of Gaza. As the Syrian-American musician Michael Heart narrated in his song, “we will not go down, for the Gaza tonight.” We, the conscious citizens and freemen around the world will stand by the suppressed people of Palestine until they realize the ultimate victory in their path toward freedom and liberty. |
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| Kourosh Ziabari is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by Kourosh Ziabari | |||||||
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related : Two Years after “Cast Lead,” we demand accountability. |
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Coming soon – The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict
http://mondoweiss.net
by Philip Weiss and Adam Horowitz on December 1, 2010 ·
You’ve heard the controversy -
Now read the report for yourself
We are excited to announce the publication of our new book – The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict (Nation Books). We were very lucky to work with New York-based independent journalist Lizzy Ratner on the project, which explores the political, legal and social legacy of the Goldstone Report and the Israeli attack on Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009. The book includes an edited version of the report along with 13 essays from some of the leading commentators today on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict including: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Naomi Klein, Raji Sourani, Jules Lobel, Moshe Halbertal, Jerome Slater, Brian Baird, Rashid Khalidi, Henry Siegman, Ali Abunimah, Noam Sheizaf, Letty Cottin Pogrebin and Laila El-Haddad.
The book will be available on January 11, 2011, but you can pre-order it today to make sure you receive it as soon as possible. Also, be sure to stay tuned to Mondoweiss for excerpts from the book as well as other exciting news.
Pre-Order The Goldstone Report
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Viva Palestina Convoy Breaks Siege and Enters Gaza to Jubilant Crowds
http://dprogram.net
(PressTV) – The Viva Palestina convoy of almost 150 vehicles, 370 people from 30 different countries and $5 million of aid has entered Gaza.
Amidst scenes of jubilation from thousands of Palestinians there to greet the convoy, Kevin Ovenden, the convoy director, expressed his joy at being in Gaza once again. “We have driven more than 3,000 miles to bring this essential aid and to break this illegal siege of Gaza. We have been joined by supporters from Morocco and Algeria and from the Gulf States and Jordan, to make this the biggest convoy ever to break the siege of Gaza. We are absolutely overjoyed to be here and to bring with us the soil from the graves of those who were massacred on the Mavi Marmara which will be used to plant trees as a memorial to their sacrifice.”
The convoy set out four weeks and five days ago from London. It travelled through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Syria. Everywhere the reception was fantastic and the generosity of well-wishers unsurpassed. Towards the end there was a frustrating delay in Syria whilst negotiations at the highest levels were conducted with the Egyptian authorities. In the end it was all worth it as the Egyptian authorities decided to allow passage of the whole convoy, sadly excluding just 17 members of the convoy including George Galloway.
The convoy will be handed over in its entirety to the relevant bodies tomorrow and the members of the convoy then expect to leave Gaza and return home in the next 48 hours after celebrations and formal thanks are given.
The Viva Palestina convoy of almost 150 vehicles, 370 people from 30 different countries and $5 million of aid has entered Gaza.
Tuesday 19th October
CONVOY FINALLY SETS SAIL FOR GAZA
After a wait in Syria lasting sixteen days, the convoy of 150 vehicles and 370 people is just setting sail from Latakia, Syria, on the final leg of the epic journey to deliver aid to Gaza. The last formalities have been completed and the vehicles are on board.
Convoy members are jubilant that their objective of bringing medical aid to the besieged people of Gaza is finally in sight. Some 30 of the human rights activists, including survivors of the Mavi Marmara, will make the voyage to Al Arish in Egypt, passing the place at which the Mavi Marmara was attacked.
A memorial ceremony will be held at the exact spot where the massacre was carried out. The convoy will reach Al Arish tomorrow evening.
The bulk of the activists from Britain, Northern Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Qatar, Malaysia and more than a dozen other countries will be reunited with their vehicles there, having flown the final leg of the journey into Egypt. Convoy leaders are now hopeful that the convoy will enter Gaza on Friday.
For more details go to: http://www.vivapalestina.org/home.htm
Source: Veterans Today
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On the boat to Gaza – Glyn Secker
http://www.maannews.net
Published yesterday (updated) 01/10/2010 21:18

The following is an excerpt from the written testimony of Glyn Secker, captain of the Irene, the latest boat to attempt the breaking of Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The weather was still very kind to us and we made better progress than expected. Not wanting to time the encounter with the Israeli navy in the dark we slowed down and when the morning had warmed up I suggested that a good way to de-stress would be to stop the boat and for us all take a swim in the sparkling deep blue water.
We put out a long line with a fender on the end and in we all plunged – a swim to remember. Reuvan, our 82-year-old holocaust survivor, was amazing, confidently swimming away from the boat and me trying to keep him within reach of the safety line! I think I was the only one who had any breakfast – home made muesli (wonderful almond nuts).
And then finally after all these days and weeks of anticipation we identified a frigate on the horizon. It shadowed us for some considerable time, keeping on our port side about five miles off. Then we saw a number of smaller craft lined up and realized that the encounter was approaching. We rehearsed our strategies and waited, with adrenalin levels slowly rising. Shortly there came a call on Ch 16 over the VHF from the frigate asking us our intentions and the flag of the boat. I informed them that we were heading for Gaza port, that we were in international waters and had no intention of entering Israeli waters. They replied that Gaza was within a prohibited area and that we should change our course.
I responded by stating that that did not accord with international law, that we were unarmed, had no materials which could be put to military use, that we carried a consignment of aid for Gaza and that we expected safe passage. They then warned us that they would intercept us, that this could be dangerous for the crew and damaging for the boat.
I reiterated that as a British flagged boat they had no legal right to intercept us and that we intended to maintain our course to Gaza. There was no reply and we continued on our passage for perhaps another 20 minutes – presumably they were waiting for us to cross the boundary of their unilaterally declared prohibited zone.
There then developed a sight which will remain with me for the rest of my life – with the frigate in the background, two gunboats, two landing craft and four high powered ribs spread out in a semi-circle speeding towards us at perhaps 35 knots, with their bow waves and wakes flashing in the sunshine. It was surreal, it was like an action movie, and entranced by the sight I had to remind myself this was actually happening – this overwhelming force for a 9.7 meter 40-year-old boat, the majority of its Jewish occupants over 60 years old, with no weapons and a publicized policy of passive resistance.
The next we knew there were two ribs very close alongside with the commander on a megaphone again warning us of the dangers if they boarded us. I reiterated our legal rights, and for what it was worth I accelerated, just to make a point that outpacing them was fantasy. Then as planned Itamar addressed the commandos in Hebrew and English, calling on them not to obey the orders to take actions which are illegal under international law. The ribs closed in, and the boarding commenced.
All the crew and passengers (apart from myself as I was steering) held hands.They boarded us simultaneously from both sides. At that moment we cut the engines and sat over the access points to the cut offs to prevent them restarting the engines. The wheel is on the starboard side of the boat. I was surrounded by three commandos, I held on to the wheel as hard as I could. It reminded me of being on violent picket lines with the police trying to break through. One grabbed my left arm, another my right arm. The third stood by with a Tazer gun. After a struggle they managed to prize my hands from the wheel and threw me down on the floor. I managed to crawl behind them and remove the engine starter keys but one of them saw me and prized the keys from my hands.
On the opposite side of the cockpit Yonatan Shapira [a former officer in the Israeli Air Force] and his brother Itamar had been identified by the naval commander in charge. He sought to separate them from the others. Yonatan clasped Rami in a hug to prevent himself being removed. The senior officer then moved one side Yonatan’s lifejacket covering his left breast, placed a Tazer gun in contact with his clothing and fired it directly into his heart.
Yonatan let out a dreadful scream and the force of the Tazer caused him to lose control of his muscles. He was pulled off Rami and across the cockpit to the middle. He was then hit twice more by the Tazer gun, screaming out again. Both he and Itamar were forcefully pulled off our boat onto the Israeli naval rib on port side.They were driven at very high speed over the waters, which had now become moderately rough (the wind had increased to a F4) and it would have been very uncomfortable especially for Yonatan still recovering from the Tazer shocks. They were taken to the frigate where they were treated normally, then to shore and released on bail without charges.
Meanwhile I had turned off the fuel supply to the engines. After some time (the engines only burn 1 1/2 liters per hour) when the fuel in the pipes had been used up the port engine started to fail. (The starboard fuel shut-off failed to work). After many attempts to restart the engine the officers took the boat in tow. The boat is designed to go through the water at a maximum speed of about 8 knots. They towed us through the rough waters at 12 – 14 knots.
The boat was bouncing about violently, it was dangerous for the remaining passengers and crew, including Reuvan. We all sustained bruises and the passage to Ashdod was exhausting. There were something like eight commandos on the boat in addition to ourselves so it was grossly overloaded. It was surprising that the boat did not begin to break up, the whole structure was groaning and making cracking sounds. It was clear that they intended to seriously mistreat the boat. During the passage they tore down all the banners and flags – including the red ensign (the UK flag) which legally has to be displayed in all foreign waters.
As a gesture of defiance I decided to cook lunch! Not easy in the circumstance but I managed to produce omelet (with garlic) sandwiches which Reuvan, Lillian and I think Eli and I shared. Whilst in the galley I took the opportunity of chucking out of the window the carving knife, the bread knife, a chisel and two hammers from the tool box, remembering that similar items had been photographed as evidence of weapons on previous boats.
I’d like to point out that in the US it is illegal for the police or the army to fire Tazers directly into the heart as there have been a number of cases of heart failure and death as a result of such targeting.
The fact that Yonatan was released without charge makes it very clear that the use of the Tazer on him was purely malicious.
Contrary to Israeli military reports, there was therefore, considerable resistance, be it non-violent, to the army’s illegal hijacking of our boat, and there was considerable, unprovoked and very dangerous violence perpetrated by Israeli forces.
Glyn Secker is a British human rights activist who participated in the Jewish Boat to Gaza in September 2010. His full testimony can be found here
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Jewish Boat to Gaza boarded by Israeli forces and taken toward Ashdod port
http://www.uruknet.info
September 28, 2010
For immediate release
The Irene, a boat carrying nine passengers and aid for Gaza’s population has been taken over by the Israeli navy and denied access to Gaza.
The boat is flying a British flag and its passengers include citizens of the US, the UK, Germany and Israel. Two journalists are also on board.
Last contact with the boat’s captain, Glyn Secker, was at 0937 GMT, when their path had been cut off by a Destroyer. Recent reports from other news sources indicated that the boat has been surrounded and boarded. At this point they were less than 20 miles from Gaza’s shore. Since then all phones went dead.
The occupied Gaza Strip’s territorial waters end 12 nautical miles from shore, but the Israeli blockade is enforced at 20 miles from shore.
Israeli attorney Smadar Ben Natan who is representing the passengers has asked to see her clients immediately.
Local group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel has asked for permission to send an independent doctor to visit the passengers immediately, after hearing from organizers that at least one passenger suffers from serious chronic health problems and is in need of medical care.
Speaking from London, a member of the organizing group, Richard Kuper of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, has condemned the Israeli army’s apparent action and said that this boat and its fate are a symbol of the chances for peace in the region. The way it is being treated by Israeli authorities indicates that they have no real intentions of reaching peace, he said. He called for worldwide support for the boat and its message of protest against the siege of Gaza and the occupation.
European Jews for a Just Peace, Jews for Justice for Palestinians (UK), Juedische Stimme fuer einen gerechten Frieden in Nahost (Germany), American Jews for a Just Peace (USA), Jewish Voice for Peace (USA), Jews Against the Occupation Sydney.
Visit www.jewishboattogaza.org and join us on Facebook and Twitter.
related Uruknet posts:
Nobel Peace Laureate denied entry to Israel
Israeli Raid on Gaza Flotilla: A Revealing UN Rights Council Report
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‘Largest flotilla yet’ en-route to Gaza
http://www.ynetnews.com
Ships from Britain, Morocco, Qatar to rendezvous in Syria, sail toward el-Arish Port in northern Sinai Peninsula; activists plan to enter Gaza through Rafah Crossing, deliver humanitarian aid
Ynet reporters
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| Four months after being injured on board the Mavi Marmara ship, one of the participants of late May’s Gaza-bound flotilla on Saturday joined what organizers are calling “the largest flotilla yet.”
Kevin Ovenden set sail from Britain Saturday morning along with 30 other activists on a voyage they dubbed “Viva Palestina.” Their goal is to reach the Gaza Strip through Rafah Crossing – after docking in Egypt’s el-Arish Port at the northern Sinai Peninsula.
At the same time, activists from Qatar and Morocco are making last arrangements before heading for Syria and joining the locals en route to the Gaza Strip. “Our mission last time was to take aid in and to highlight the siege,” Ovenden told CNN. “That’s our mission this time.” Ovenden also denied claims that activists aboard the Mavi Marmara carried weapons that were used against the soldiers during the raid. “I witnessed the man one meter in front of me being shot in the leg, a man 50 centimeters to the right of me being shot through the abdomen,” Ovenden said of the experience. “Neither of them had anything in their hands. There were no Israeli commandos within the immediate proximity. They were shot from above, so it was simply unfeasible — in that incident I saw – for anyone to claim they were in fearing for their lives when they rang out those shots,” he added. |
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Kenneth O’Keefe: Veto power is an insult to the international community
from : http://www.intifada-palestine.com
Kourosh Ziabari

Kenneth O’Keefe is a world citizen. As an anti-war activist and social entrepreneur, he renounced his U.S. citizenship on March 1, 2001 and burned his American passport on January 7, 2004 in protest to the United States’ Imperialism and called for the immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. O’Keefe is a former U.S. Mariner who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and subsequently revealed the use of depleted uranium by the United States as a crime against humanity.
O’Keefe has taken part in a number of substantial anti-war movements and served as the director of Human Shield Action to Iraq. He founded a group of activists who traveled to Iraq to act as human shields to prevent the U.S.-led coalition troops from bombing certain locations during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In 2004 O’Keefe established an association known as the “P10K Force,” a group of 10,000 Westerners intended to act as international observers in the occupied Palestinian territories and help bring peace with Israel
In the fall of 2008, he served as a Captain and 1st Mate with the Free Gaza Movement, a direct action in which 46 people successfully challenged the Israeli siege of Gaza
O’Keefe was one of the international peace activists onboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that was intended to end the Israeli siege of Gaza Strip.
Kenneth O’Keefe joined me in an in-depth interview to answer my questions on his anti-imperialistic viewpoints, the prospect of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the continued international controversy over Iran’s nuclear program, the chronic hostility between the United States and Iran and his experiences in the Freedom Flotilla mission.
Kourosh Ziabari: as an anti-imperialist activist, what’s in your view, the source of America’s enormous imperialistic power? America is a country with less than 400 years of history; however, it has successfully transformed the international order, dominated the less powerful countries around the world and revolutionized the global political equations. How is it possible for the United States to do so?
Kenneth O’Keefe: The world is full of illusions that are used by the rich and powerful to manipulate and control the people. The greatest illusion, and the one with the most devastating consequences, is that the American people and the Israeli, and the British, and numerous others, vote in their governments and hold them to account. Those who really control the governments are those powerful few who control the banking systems, the major multi-national corporations and, of course, the mass media. If you look beyond the faces of the presidents, prime ministers and politicians you will see that these governments’ policies remain virtually the same, no matter who is ‘leading’ these countries. These ‘leaders’ do not answer to the people they have pledged to serve; they answer to those who remain behind the scenes.
These powerful people and entities have key strategic needs in order to maintain power:
1) They must keep the people ignorant and disempowered.
2) They must keep the people divided. They conquer by dividing the people, never giving people the chance to unite; constantly fostering war by pitting the masses against each other
This system has been controlled by the same families for millennia, and people have been manipulated into a collective state of insanity throughout. Over the course of this tragic situation, empires have come and gone, each one giving way to the next. America is simply the latest in that repeating pattern, and it will fall like all empires do. However, the powers behind it, those controlling the banking, the governments and the propaganda, they will remain in place and prop up the next empire and the pattern will repeat.
We are constantly looking at the faces that these powers present to us, the puppets in effect. The powers themselves remain hidden, with many layers of separation between themselves and the people, and an intricate and complex legal system to protect and hide them. In the west this conspiracy has been called a theory, and everything is done to try and marginalize and ridicule the people who speak correctly about the way the world works. Until this system and those behind it are exposed, we will continue our cycle of self-destruction and continue marching towards a nuclear Armageddon. The most powerful weapon we have is the truth, and until we yield its full power, we will never have justice and peace in this world.
KZ: how is it possible to resist the American Imperialism while the absolute majority of powerful, wealthy states in the world are the stalwart allies of Washington and the other developing, underdeveloped countries are starving of insufficiency and poverty? Even the Non-Aligned Movement which consists of 118 countries isn’t capable of dictating its will to the United States and its European allies. One clear instance is Iran’s nuclear program which is favored and supported by the 118 members of NAM, but fails to prosper due to the objection of some 5, 6 European countries plus the United States. What do you think?
KO: I believe the process of destroying American imperialism is already in place. The truth is the most powerful weapon of all, and the rise in popularity of international news stations like Press TV, Al Jazeera English and RTTV is evidence that people are hungry for the truth they are denied. Despite a huge effort by the western/Zionist controlled media to keep people ignorant, and thus divided, they are losing ground to such important journalistic endeavors that disseminate a truthful version of world events.
The truth is on our side and it shall set us free. There are many creative ways to expose the truth, and we must use them to educate people about how they are being used to maintain the Zionist/Imperialist agenda that makes the rich richer, and the masses more impoverished. If we persevere, we can teach those in the west that the portrayal of Muslim peoples engaged in violent resistance as lunatics and fanatics is simply a means adopted by the Imperialist propaganda machine to divide and conquer. If people understand that the only beneficiaries of war are those who propagate it, we will break free from the tyranny of war, occupation and the monetary system that enslaves us all.
The people of the world, billions of us, can demand the transformation of the UN, or replace it with a genuine system that actually does the job the UN has failed to do since its inception. If we dedicate ourselves to the task, we can end the five permanent member state system that neutralizes any power this institution may wield.
The Non-Aligned Movement is important despite its inability thus far to effect the greater change required. The NAM is a solid foundation that we can build on.
The hypocrisy of Israel having undeclared nuclear weapons in the hundreds while an open nuclear program in Iran is grounds for war is beyond absurd. War can only take place if the propaganda machine is successful in keeping people ignorant. I believe that the pre-planned attack on Iran was scheduled to take place at least a year or two ago. The reason it has thus far not transpired is that those agents of the truth have worked tirelessly and effectively to expose the pending attack as the final confirmation of America’s monstrous imperialism and the use of Israel as its vicious attack dog. If America, Israel and Britain, the true ‘Axis of Evil’, attack, I believe the world will unite against them in a sufficient manner. Nonetheless, attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Gaza remain very possible; hence more and more investment in exposing the truth must be made.
Confronting the tyrants responsible for the blockade of Gaza is in my opinion a priority. That is why I am working with a brilliant team of people on organizing a massive flotilla, with large ships and thousands of passengers representing every nation on Planet Earth, to break the blockade. As well as the Turkish people, I see the Iranian, South African, Irish, Venezuelan and colonized, aboriginal peoples playing a substantial role in that mission.
When all is said and done, we have a choice between surrendering to our enslavement or fighting for a just and peaceful world. I feel that the only way to honor myself, my children and the generations yet unborn is to fight, with the truth as our ultimate weapon, until justice prevails.
KZ: Iran and U.S. have been at loggerheads over the past 30 years hostilely. Do you know of any way to bring the two nations closer together, increase the mutual understanding and promote peace, friendship between the two adversaries?
KO: The primary means of fostering a mutual understanding and friendship between these two hostile nations is no secret. I repeat my conviction that the truth is the ultimate weapon, and anything we can do to propagate the truth is our only option. The American people are a hard-working, idealistic and honest people who have been gravely deceived, to their own detriment. We must strive to educate them, not in a condescending, patronizing way, but with empathy, understanding that we too once believed the lies of those we trusted, and were misguided into actions that caused grave harm to others. Paying taxes is an example. We must teach them the true history of their nation, including its part in the formation of Israel. We must understand that arriving at and accepting the truth is a slow and often painful process, especially when the realization of the damage caused by our own actions dawns. Most importantly, we must be there to welcome those who have traversed the painful road to the truth, and embrace them as our brothers and sisters.
KZ: some analysts suggest that the reason behind the United States’ unconditional support for Israel lies in the fact that Washington wants to maintain its interests in the Middle East through a proxy representative. Some others believe that United States supports Israel on an ideological basis. What’s your viewpoint?
KO: This ties into my last answer. Israel is simply another face, or front, if you like, that the hidden powers that be present to the people. Israel’s primary function is to maintain perpetual conflict in the Middle East. Soon enough, Israel will be spreading this conflict on a global level. I have no doubt that the pending attack on Iran is intended to take us straight into World War III, with a regional nuclear war very likely. This is quite obviously a disaster to any sane human being.
However, to those who see their power threatened by the spreading of truth, 9-11, Zionism, the banking system, etc, this is a very necessary act to help them maintain their grip of control over peoples of the world. This ‘divide and conquer’ strategy has served them well for millennia. On the surface, war is catastrophic, and it seems incomprehensible that anyone could stand to benefit from war. In truth, however, the powers that be become even richer and more powerful as they gain a foothold in yet another peoples’ territory, and afford themselves access to their resources, just take Iraq as an example. The looming death and destruction serves to further divide people and divert them from the truth. What these powers fear more than anything is people coming together in the spirit of humanity. Thus, war is the ultimate tool to prevent the union of the people.
KZ: Israel’s lawlessness is troubling the international community seriously. Israel continues to possess nuclear weapons in violation of the UNSC resolution 487. It is also keeping up with its despotic policies in blockading the Gaza Strip and West Bank. How is it possible to hold Israel accountable for the crimes it commits while the United States is standing by Israel unreservedly?
KO: I believe that Palestine hits at the heart of all injustice, and that the issue of justice for Palestinians threatens to flagrantly expose the powers that have made this situation so. The Zionist project has been invested in heavily, and the powers that be will not relinquish it lightly.
As I stated earlier, there is an intricate and sophisticated legal system that protects the powers that be and enables them to continue their domination over the peoples of this earth. Two such institutions that are being used to enable and perpetuate Israel’s lawlessness are the UN and the International Criminal Court. I strongly advocate the abolition of the UN in its present form.
Giving five permanent member states veto powers over all other states in the world is an insult to the international community and an affront to the cause of justice. Universal Jurisdiction and full accountability for every nation can and will be achieved when we as a people make it so. Until such time, the United Nations is a cruel joke and the International Criminal Court is a sham. Both are fronts presented by the powers that be to convince the people that justice is being administered.
We as people must use our finite resources and come together if we are to effect meaningful change. We are too scattered, fighting each other on minor details and continually resisting and protesting. We must take a proactive approach to effecting justice, and do so in a focused, intelligent, disciplined and fearless way.
KZ: tell us about your experience on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. You were among tens of activists who were brutally beaten and tortured by Israel while trying to breaking the Gaza blockade. What happened first when they boarded on your ship? How did they treat you? What was your reaction? What will be the prospect of Freedom Flotilla?
KO: The Israeli attack began under cover of darkness at about 3.40 in the morning. Within the first five minutes of the attack, even before the commandos dropped down from the helicopter and boarded our vessel, we were taking casualties, and the first man was murdered with a gunshot to the head. Percussion grenades, tear gas, smoke bombs, paintball rounds and live ammunition were all being used. It was like a combat situation, except that one side was not armed with combat weapons.
About one hour after the onset of the attack, I had seen at least five men murdered and dozens of bloody injuries.
Twice during the course of the attack, I was directly confronted by a commando. In both cases, myself and another defender disarmed them. During the first confrontation, I took possession of a 9mm pistol, the same weapon used to kill eight out of the nine men that morning. During the second, the other defender took possession of the commando’s sub-machine gun. A third commando was also disarmed. These three completely disarmed commandos were taken below deck and treated for any injuries they might have sustained. Nevertheless, the bravado and audacity they exhibited while in possession of their lethal weapons vanished. While in our custody, they looked like frightened little children.
Soon after the commandos were captured and subdued a group of about 7 IHH members escorted the soldiers from the main cabin to the bow of the ship, released them and walked away.
The captain of the ship eventually announced via the PA system that the Israelis had taken control of the ship’s bridge. He then instructed us to stop all resistance which we did.
Over the next several hours, we surrendered to the Israelis one by one. Each one of us was searched for weapons and then handcuffed. Most of the men, including myself, were kicked or punched without provocation while restrained.
From this point forward we were treated like dogs. Elderly people were physically abused, women were sexually abused during bodily searches, we were all denied water and food, as well as access to a toilet, one elderly man consequently urinated on himself, and any communication with lawyers was not allowed. We were lied to incessantly, and had our personal possessions stolen, including cash, credit cards, laptop computers, cameras and footage. Of crucial importance, they stole all of the video and photographic footage that without doubt shows them murdering people in cold blood.
It was clear to all of us in Israeli custody that we were being held captive by a force that had completely lost the ability to see others as human beings. These people are thoroughly brainwashed to believe themselves God’s ‘chosen ones’, and thus they believe they have the right to treat all others as animals. Many of us were beaten while in their custody on land, after being beaten on the ship.
On our arrival in the Port of Ashdod, I handed them my Palestinian passport – I had previously hidden my Irish passport on the ship. Many of the Israeli soldiers knew of me from my previous activities, so this just incensed them. I refused to sign any deportation papers, or any statement that I would never attempt re-entry to Gaza or the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I demanded to appear before a judge in court. My internment was illegal, and I wanted to be repatriated to Gaza. Eventually I was deported from Israel, I was one of the very last to go.
Two days after my deportation the IDF spokesperson issued a press release identifying me as a “terror operative” who was traveling to Gaza to “train a commando unit for Hamas.”
These charges are beyond ridiculous, and it seems to me they were made to gloss over the IDF’s embarrassment at having one of the most elite forces in the world disarmed and humiliated.
It is the nature of the Zionist Israeli propaganda machine to levy such grave charges on those who resist their aggression. War crimes, mass-murder, piracy, lying, torture, organ theft, Apartheid, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity are justified at every turn, and the blame shifted to those who defend themselves.
It was a real honor to be aboard the Mavi Marmara with my Turkish brothers and sisters. The Turkish people have the kind of strength and courage required to face a force such as the Israelis and defend their mission as if they were defending their own children. Fearless resistance of proactive measures is what is needed to face the Israeli monster that is killing, maiming and destroying the lives of countless people, including over 800,000 children in Gaza. We must see those children as our children, and we must defend them as such.
I appreciate all efforts put forth to bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinians at the hands of the Israelis. However, I do not believe that the flotilla leaving this month or next has either the scale, or the courageous elements, namely active resistance by the participants, essential for success. I cannot see the blockade being broken unless we as people of conscience from around the world do everything in our power to neutralize the might of the Israeli military. I know this is possible, and soon a plan will be revealed for a flotilla in 2011 that has the potential to achieve the goal of breaking the blockade once and for all. This plan will require several large ships and most definitely a strong Turkish presence. A delegation representing this plan will soon be arriving in Iran as well as numerous other countries to put this plan to the people, and we shall see if the people of the world decide to make it a reality.
KZ: how do you assess the prospect of Israeli regime? Given its continued violation of the international law and its aggressive subjugation of the Palestinian nation, is Tel Aviv going to survive politically?
KO: No. The Zionist regime will not survive any more than the Nazi regime or the South African Apartheid regime. The Zionists will go the same way. God is God of all people, not one group, one way or the other the Zionists will learn this. The people of conscience will ensure that justice prevails. Gaza will rise from the ashes and be a thriving metropolis once more. Palestine will be united and reborn because the will of the people, and their cogent action, will have made it so. It is vital that we envision, and never cease working for, that day. Palestine hits at the heart of all injustice, and when we solve this problem we set the stage for a world worthy of handing down to our children. This is our ultimate worldly calling.
See Also:
Exclusive Intifada Interview with Ken O’Keefe: “Israel Executed People in International Waters”
Kourosh Ziabari is an Iranian freelance journalist and media correspondent. His articles and interviews have appeared on a number of media outlets and news websites including Tehran Times, Press TV, Global Research and Foreign Policy Journal.
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