Israel abducts human rights activists

[Magda Hassan]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 June 2009

For more information contact:
Greta Berlin (English)
tel: +357 99 081 767 / friends@freegaza.org

Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):
tel: +357 99 077 820 / sahara78@hotmail.co.uk
www.FreeGaza.org

[23 miles off the coast of Gaza, 15:30pm] - Today Israeli Occupation
Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF
HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries,
including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman
Cynthia McKinney (see below for a complete list of passengers). The
passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.

"This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our
boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission
to the Gaza Strip," said Cynthia McKinney, a former U.S. Congresswoman
and presidential candidate. "President Obama just told Israel to let
in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that's exactly what
we tried to do. We're asking the international community to demand our
release so we can resume our journey."

According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report
released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in
despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier
during Israel's December/January massacre are still without shelter
despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses
to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The
report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of
their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.

"The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza,
hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to
transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools,
hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of
"Cast Lead". Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we
stand by them and that they are not alone" said fellow passenger
Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in
Northern Ireland.

Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza
Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage,
stated that: "No one could possibly believe that our small boat
constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and
reconstruction supplies, and children's toys. Our passengers include a
Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat
was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port
Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach
Israeli waters."

Arraf continued, "Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on our
unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand
our immediate and unconditional release."
###
WHAT YOU CAN DO!

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Justice
tel: +972 2646 6666 or +972 2646 6340
fax: +972 2646 6357

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
tel: +972 2530 3111
fax: +972 2530 3367

CONTACT Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
tel: +972 5 0620 3264 or +972 2670 5354
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il This e-mail address is being protected from
spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CONTACT the International Committee of the Red Cross to ask for their
assistance in establishing the wellbeing of the kidnapped human rights
workers and help in securing their immediate release!

Red Cross Israel
tel: +972 3524 5286
fax: +972 3527 0370
tel_aviv.tel@icrc.org
Red Cross Switzerland:
tel: +41 22 730 3443
fax: +41 22 734 8280

Red Cross USA:
tel: +1 212 599 6021
fax: +1 212 599 6009
###

Kidnapped Passengers from the Spirit of Humanity include:

Khalad Abdelkader, Bahrain
Khalad is an engineer representing the Islamic Charitable Association
of Bahrain.

Othman Abufalah, Jordan
Othman is a world-renowned journalist with al-Jazeera TV.

Khaled Al-Shenoo, Bahrain
Khaled is a lecturer with the University of Bahrain.

Mansour Al-Abi, Yemen
Mansour is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera TV.

Fatima Al-Attawi, Bahrain
Fatima is a relief worker and community activist from Bahrain.

Juhaina Alqaed, Bahrain
Juhaina is a journalist & human rights activist.

Huwaida Arraf, US
Huwaida is the Chair of the Free Gaza Movement and delegation co-
coordinator for this voyage.

Ishmahil Blagrove, UK
Ishmahil is a Jamaican-born journalist, documentary film maker and
founder of the Rice & Peas film production company. His documentaries
focus on international struggles for social justice.

Kaltham Ghloom, Bahrain
Kaltham is a community activist.

Derek Graham, Ireland
Derek Graham is an electrician, Free Gaza organizer, and first mate
aboard the Spirit of Humanity.

Alex Harrison, UK
Alex is a solidarity worker from Britain. She is traveling to Gaza to
do long-term human rights monitoring.

Denis Healey, UK
Denis is Captain of the Spirit of Humanity. This will be his fifth
voyage to Gaza.

Fathi Jaouadi, UK
Fathi is a British journalist, Free Gaza organizer, and delegation co-
coordinator for this voyage.

Mairead Maguire, Ireland
Mairead is a Nobel laureate and renowned peace activist.

Lubna Masarwa, Palestine/Israel
Lubna is a Palestinian human rights activist and Free Gaza organizer.

Theresa McDermott, Scotland
Theresa is a solidarity worker from Scotland. She is traveling to Gaza
to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Cynthia McKinney, US
Cynthia McKinney is an outspoken advocate for human rights and social
justice issues, as well as a former U.S. congressperson and
presidential candidate.

Adnan Mormesh, UK
Adnan is a solidarity worker from Britain. He is traveling to Gaza to
do long-term human rights monitoring.

Adam Qvist, Denmark
Adam is a solidarity worker from Denmark. He is traveling to Gaza to
do human rights monitoring.

Adam Shapiro, US
Adam is an American documentary film maker and human rights activist.

Kathy Sheetz, US
Kathy is a nurse and film maker, traveling to Gaza to do human rights
monitoring.

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led
non-violent resistance movement committed to ending Israel's illegal
occupation of Palestinian land. We call for full compliance with all
relevant UN resolutions and international law.

For specific media inquires such as interview requests, photo usage,
etc. please email the ISM Media Office at media@palsolidarity.org

[David Guyatt]

Talk about piracy on the high seas.

I may be wrong, but I can't really see that Israel would've jumped upon McKinney without a nod and a wink from someone in the Obama Administration.

[Peter Presland]

Talk about piracy on the high seas.

I may be wrong, but I can't really see that Israel would've jumped upon McKinney without a nod and a wink from someone in the Obama Administration.

Piracy it most certainly is. Not sure about the nod-wink from Obama though - Not that I am any apologist for him you'll understand. It's just that the Israelis have long since learned the boundaries of their behaviour - such as they are (ie for most practical purposes non-existent). They are very much akin to thug policemen who know they will be given the benefit of any doubt when injuries or deaths result from their behaviour. They therefore feel free to beat the shit out of people (or shoot them dead) then obfuscate and whine about how difficult their lot is.

McKinney was on the last boat (The Dignity) that attempted this a couple of months ago. That was rammed in the middle of the night by the Israelis. Taking on water and no longer sea-worthy, it put into Tyre for temporary repairs before returning to Cyprus where it sank. There's an account of it from the retired English surgeon David Halpin who was also on board here.

So long as Israel suffers no consequences for this sort of thing, they will just keep right on doing it. Simple as that; and the prospect of consequences serious enough to give them pause right now appear slim to non-existent from where I'm sitting

Don't forget the USS Liberty incident either. A long time ago but still a good illustration of what Israel is capable of when they feel that way inclined.

[Peter Lemkin]

Talk about piracy on the high seas.

I may be wrong, but I can't really see that Israel would've jumped upon McKinney without a nod and a wink from someone in the Obama Administration.

I certainly hope Israel pays dearly for this action!...in condemnation worldwide!.....but they seem immune to what others think. If Obama won't call them on this one, I give up 100% [from the 98% I've already given-up] on his Administration and Presidency....:banghead:

[Mark Stapleton]

Talk about piracy on the high seas.

I may be wrong, but I can't really see that Israel would've jumped upon McKinney without a nod and a wink from someone in the Obama Administration.

I don't think Israel even bothers about a nod or wink. They have proven they are a law unto themselves.

For decades Israel has been allowed to behave like a spoiled brat nation so it's going to be tough persuading them to behave responsibly now. They've never had to do this before. The US has provided unconditional funding, the media has ignored Israel's past indiscretions and the US has obligingly vetoed UN resolutions critical of Israel for years. Other suckhole nations like Britain and Australia have played their part in creating this monster by following the script and excusing Israel's many war crimes by blaming it all on acts of terror by Israel's enemies.

But Israel is mostly a result of US foreign policy. The US must take prime responsibility for the fucked up situation which now exists. Obama must do the right thing by the rest of humanity and pull them into line pronto, otherwise he's just another chicken shit coward.

[David Guyatt]

To the extent that all nation states will do things which they consider to be in their national interest - but not necessarily in the interests of their allies - I agree with you both about Israel. But this only extends so far, I believe.

Israel is a client state of the US and depends entirely upon it financially and militarily. If the US were deadly serious about hindering a course of action Israel were taking, or planning to take, Israel would abandon that course of action or face the financial consequences and the likelihood of the weapons and intelligence tap being turned off. Of course, an independent sovereign state may still choose to proceed even with such threats hanging over them because it is felt that to do otherwise would be a greater jeopardy to their survival.

The point I am poorly labouring here, is the need always to focus on who is the true master and who is the servant. For me the US is the master. Whether this be with the presidents knowledge and blessing, or not, or with a nod and a wink at an intelligence level or with the Pentagon’s or State Departments blessing is arguable.

In regard to the USS Liberty incident, I was told years ago that there was more going on than met the eye. There was a US submersible (not submarine) in the area that recorded the attacks. US bombers carrying nuclear weapons were dispatched in a counter-strike - but were, thankfully, recalled at the last moment. A senior officer in the Pentagon stated “we were wearing brown underwear” for awhile.

http://www.deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/...645&page=5

Post 47

Only weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Charles Krauthammer, the Washington Post columnist and mouthpiece of the neoconservatives, revealed the target list of the Bush administration as it set out on its post-9/11 war footing. The list included six nations: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, and the Palestinian Authority. While the priority allotted to Afghanistan and subsequently Iraq was not in dispute, the remaining order was in flux.

Israel was given a free hand in dealing with the Palestinian Authority (PA). President George W. Bush completely shunned and isolated PA President Yasser Arafat, until he died under siege in November 2004. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was allowed to use brutal military tactics to crush the Al-Aqsa intifada, reoccupying much of the West Bank, and setting up hundreds of military checkpoints devastating Palestinian life and what remained of the PA.

From the foregoing it is apparent that it is the US who wields the power and Israel who tugs its forelock in obedience, even if that obedience is often grudging, sometimes petulant and in extraordinary cases withdrawn altogether.

[Peter Presland]

I don't think there's anything substantive between us on this David.

I guess the point I was trying to make was that, with the distribution of Dual US/Israeli citizens among the top people and 'advisors' in the US Executive - not to mention hard-line Zionist support in congress, the MSM etc - the need for a 'nod and wink' from the President himself is somewhat diminished. As things stand, at most a brief exchange between Lieberman (The Israeli one that is ) and Rahm Emanuel would probably suffice for pretty much anything short of another invasion.

[Mark Stapleton]

To the extent that all nation states will do things which they consider to be in their national interest - but not necessarily in the interests of their allies - I agree with you both about Israel. But this only extends so far, I believe.

Israel is a client state of the US and depends entirely upon it financially and militarily. If the US were deadly serious about hindering a course of action Israel were taking, or planning to take, Israel would abandon that course of action or face the financial consequences and the likelihood of the weapons and intelligence tap being turned off. Of course, an independent sovereign state may still choose to proceed even with such threats hanging over them because it is felt that to do otherwise would be a greater jeopardy to their survival.

The point I am poorly labouring here, is the need always to focus on who is the true master and who is the servant. For me the US is the master. Whether this be with the presidents knowledge and blessing, or not, or with a nod and a wink at an intelligence level or with the Pentagon’s or State Departments blessing is arguable.

In regard to the USS Liberty incident, I was told years ago that there was more going on than met the eye. There was a US submersible (not submarine) in the area that recorded the attacks. US bombers carrying nuclear weapons were dispatched in a counter-strike - but were, thankfully, recalled at the last moment. A senior officer in the Pentagon stated “we were wearing brown underwear” for awhile.

http://www.deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/...645&page=5

Post 47

Only weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Charles Krauthammer, the Washington Post columnist and mouthpiece of the neoconservatives, revealed the target list of the Bush administration as it set out on its post-9/11 war footing. The list included six nations: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, and the Palestinian Authority. While the priority allotted to Afghanistan and subsequently Iraq was not in dispute, the remaining order was in flux.

Israel was given a free hand in dealing with the Palestinian Authority (PA). President George W. Bush completely shunned and isolated PA President Yasser Arafat, until he died under siege in November 2004. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was allowed to use brutal military tactics to crush the Al-Aqsa intifada, reoccupying much of the West Bank, and setting up hundreds of military checkpoints devastating Palestinian life and what remained of the PA.

From the foregoing it is apparent that it is the US who wields the power and Israel who tugs its forelock in obedience, even if that obedience is often grudging, sometimes petulant and in extraordinary cases withdrawn altogether.

David, I agree with you that the US has the power, in fact is the only country with the power to curb Israel's bellicosity but I think you're forgetting how difficult it has now become to achieve this.

Meirsheimer and Walt's book on the Israel lobby argues that the lobby has control over US foreign policy. Many agree with the analysis. Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert boasted that he forced the US to abstain from voting on UN Resolution 1860, which dealt with Israel's invasion of Gaza. The US Congress is stacked with Israel supporters. Politicians live in fear of offending the lobby and jeopardizing the all important funding from Jewish groups, who expect full value for their money. Worse still, they fear the wrath of the media, those unflinching accomplices to Israel's crimes, because they know the media can destroy their careers in short order.

In fact the Israel Lobby's influence extends far beyond the US, as the long line of subservient national leaders proves; Blair, Merkel, Harper, Howard et al. Watching John Howard's performances during the 2006 attack on Lebanon was quite amazing. When asked by repoters about the attack, Howard was almost hysterical in his defence of Israel, placing all the blame on "terrorists".

I'm afraid Israel tugs its forelock to no-one. They have a long history of assassinations to their credit, from UN envoys to Hamas leaders. They launch attacks on their neighbours with impunity, regularly killing civilians. Golda Mier once stated that the Palestinians don't exist. Gaza has become a concentration camp. Israel has no declared borders and leaders as far back as Ben-Gurion have expressed their desire for the realisation of Greater Israel --from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean. War, killing, conquest and occupation have become part of their national identity.

It's probably a bit tough to expect Obama to clean up the mess from decades of neglect and poor leadership from his predecessors, but he's duty bound to start the process despite the grave political risks.

[Mark Stapleton]

http://freegaza.org/en/home/56-news/984-...-in-israel

A message from Cynthia McKinney, who is still being held in detention by the IDF. I thought aspiring filmmaker John Geraghty might make a comment, since he worked with Ms. McKinney.

Silence isn't always golden.

[Magda Hassan]

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22970.htm

JUAN GONZALEZ: We begin today with the latest news of the ship that was seized by the Israeli military Tuesday as it tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli forces boarded the ship and towed it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The twenty-one activists on board include former Congress member and presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and the Irish peace activist and Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire. Huwaida Arraf and Lubna Masarwa were released, while the other nineteen remain in detention. AMY GOODMAN: Huwaida Arraf is the founder of the Free Gaza movement. She joins us now on the phone from Israel. Huwaida, welcome to Democracy Now! Explain why you took this boat trying to get to Gaza and then what happened to you on board. HUWAIDA ARRAF: [inaudible] Hello to you all. The purpose of our mission was to highlight to the international community that what Israel is doing to Gaza is blatantly illegal, and our government isn’t doing anything about it. Israel constantly claims that their policies are based on security, but what they’re doing—imposing collective punishment on an entire civilian population. We were carrying on our very, very small boat some medical aid, some rebuilding supplies, because after the January—December-January assault on Gaza, thousands of homes have been destroyed, tens of hospitals and schools all demolished. And, you know, the donor community supposedly pledged [inaudible] Gaza, but no one is saying anything. Not one country is saying anything about the fact [inaudible] the entire Gaza Strip, and not one bag of cement [inaudible]— AMY GOODMAN: Huwaida, we’re going to interrupt for a minute, because, Juan, it sounds like we have someone else from a jail cell in Israel. JUAN GONZALEZ: Yes, it sounds like we have Mairead Maguire, the Nobel Prize winner, on the phone from her jail cell. Welcome to Democracy Now! MAIREAD MAGUIRE: Thank you very much, indeed. Thank you. JUAN GONZALEZ: Could you tell us what is going on right now with you and the others who are being detained? MAIREAD MAGUIRE: Yes. We have just been locked into our cells now for a couple of hours. We are currently going through their process. We are being charged with entering illegally into Israeli—near Israeli shores. We are going, it looks like, to be deported from Israel. We did not choose to come to Israel. Our little boat was boarded by the navy combat soldiers, and they came in in full riot gear onto our boat when we were just twenty-five miles off the shore of Gaza. We were under gunpoint, forcibly taken to Ashdod, held in the detention center overnight. And then I was removed from Ashdod detention center, handcuffed in a military vehicle, and brought here to the prison, where we’re currently being held. All of us, all nineteen—there were twenty-one, but Huwaida and Lubna are out—but the rest of us are being held here in detention in this prison. AMY GOODMAN: What is your response, Mairead Maguire, to Mark Regev, the Israeli spokesperson, who said aid is free to pass into Gaza? MAIREAD MAGUIRE: No, that is wrong. I mean, we know it is not free. I mean, Gaza is like a huge prison, but—because its borders are closed. The sea pass into Gaza, which has been closed for over forty years by the Israeli government—we are only the seventh ship to get in to the port of Gaza that tried to break the siege. And as we do that, it’s very interesting, we pass the gas fields of Gaza. You know, Gaza has huge gas deposits, which Israel is now beginning to use. So it’s very important that there is the issue of who owns the gas in the Gazan Strip. And also farmers—fishermen, who try to go out without—in about twelve miles to fish for their families, are shot up and have been killed by the Israeli navy in that area. So, Gaza is a huge occupied territory of one-and-a-half million people who have been subjected to collective punishment by the Israeli government. That breaks the Geneva Convention, every international law in the book. And the tragedy is that the American government, the UN and Europe, they remain silent in the face of the abuse of Palestinian human rights, like the freedom, and it’s really tragic. And it is also tragic that out of ten million Palestinians of a population, almost seven million are currently refugees out in other countries or displaced within their own country, particularly after the horrific massacre by Israeli jet fighters after just earlier this year. Twenty-two days Israel bombarded Gaza, Gazan people, civilians. And we’re not sure what kind of weapons were dropped. We need the scientists. We need people to go in to see: is it depleted uranium in the very soil of the Gazan fields now? Unfortunately, Israel does not want human rights activists in there to see what they’ve done and what they’re doing. Even the representative of [inaudible]— JUAN GONZALEZ: Mairead Maguire— MAIREAD MAGUIRE: —is not allowed in. JUAN GONZALEZ: And, Mairead Maguire, I’d like to ask you, to your knowledge, has your government or the government of the United States, in the case of Cynthia McKinney or some of the others, attempted to visit with the detainees or to lodge protest with the Israeli government? MAIREAD MAGUIRE: Yes, we have had [inaudible] our consulates in the different governments come here to see us. And we are concerned about the five people who came from Bahrain, and—because they don’t have—their government doesn’t have the same links with Israel, and we are concerned for their safety. We have asked that all those who were—who were hijacked—we were hijacked on the seas of Gaza—that they be all given freedom and their goods returned, because we have got to look out for each other. AMY GOODMAN: Mairead Maguire, what will happen now? And we understand that some people were injured. MAIREAD MAGUIRE: Yes, indeed. I mean, when as were the combat troops in masks and fully armed came on board our small boat, some people were injured. And even during—that happened during the day. But our life was put at risk even more, because the previous night, during the night, when we were in international waters, we were—a couple of Israeli naval ships came up around us. Over the radio, they told us if we did not turn back into Cyprus, they would shoot at our boat. They cut off our communications, including our satellite communications. So we were in grave danger of actually being killed at that point. The second thing was, when actually the navy combat forces came on board our boat, they wouldn’t allow the captain to take the boat to Ashdod; instead, they took over. And, you know, I really thought that we were all going to drown, because when we got near, when we were sailing to Ashdod, there was heavy winds, there was water coming in, and it was—really we were in a very, very dangerous position. So we were literally hijacked, taken at gunpoint by the Israeli military. And now we are here in prison, and they are threatening to deport us. We were brought here against our will. We didn’t come here by choice, and we are not here by choice. AMY GOODMAN: Mairead Maguire, what jail cell are—what jail are you in now? MAIREAD MAGUIRE: We’re in Giv’on Prison, and we’re—the women here are on one side, and the men are on the other side. AMY GOODMAN: Mairead Maguire, I want to thank you for being with us, Irish peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, speaking to us from her jail cell, redefining the cell phone. Huwaida Arraf before her, founder of the Free Gaza movement. Mairead is one of nineteen people who remain in jail. Huwaida just got out.