Free Gaza Boat Crew Kidnapped by israeli Navy

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:28 Written by Free Gaza Team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 June 2009
[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 Nobel 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."
Link to this story .. http://www.manchesterstopwar.org/urgent-action/492-free-gaza-boat-crew-kidnap...
Read more here .. http://freegaza.org/en/home/hope-fleet-news/976-israel-attacks-justice-boat-k...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gaza
• Spirit of Humanity boat
• kidnapped
• attacked
• Cynthia McKinney
• Mairead Maguire

[nwosigns]

excellent reporting. Funny haven't seen that in the msm.

[Guaille49]

Zionazies speak about all other groups hating the jews. The fact of the matter is that zionists hate all others, even non zionist jews. Strange too that they shout antisemite at people who disagree with Israel. 80-90% of modern jewery are not Semites. They are Khazars, who have no right to the land of Palestine. They moved from Mongolia in the dark old days. By the way the true Semites are who the Israelies are supressing and murdering daily.

[kruat43]

that cynthia mckenny is a real nutter. very left winger!

[bollockart]

@kancil2708 yes it is very sad and pathetic too.

[ThisFreakShow]

WEG MIT ISRAEL UND DIE WELT WIRD SICHERER !!!

ELIMINATE ISRAEL - THE WORLD WILL BE SAFER !!!

WEG MIT ISRAEL UND DIE WELT WIRD SICHERER !!!

ELIMINATE ISRAEL - THE WORLD WILL BE SAFER !!!

WEG MIT ISRAEL UND DIE WELT WIRD SICHERER !!!

ELIMINATE ISRAEL - THE WORLD WILL BE SAFER !!!

[kancil2708]

@bollockart i dunot know how true it is but if even it is true, u should reconsider their condition as they always in war. From the experience of our country's volunteer, they said that the palestinians even cant imagine that there's a peaceful place out there. If they did dance, it just because to show the protest over U.S which always support the zionist.

[bollockart]

i could still remember the Palestineans dancing in the street in jubilation when the Twin Tower came down 9/11. i could never forget those scenes, how could anybody ?

[saadasim]

What myths are you talking about? Talk about redirecting libel - you seem the master of them all.

[SHMUJEW]

all of you should take a gun ...go buy one at a store....fill it with bullets ....point it at your head and shoot .BANG!

[startxxx1991]

free your mind - all the world is looking at israel to solve the "palestinian problem" - while we can't even help ourselves without intl. $upport.

FREE ISRAEL

then maybe it could do something for GAZA once it's free.

some facts 4 u 2 consider:

* there are many arab tourists in israel all year long

* no israeli i know has ever heard of an israeli tourist in arab countries

mmm... is it only paranoia? could a compulsive murderous tendency have to do with the situation?