vrijdag 28 mei 2010

Gaza Freedom Flotilla 7

Flotilla Set for Final Leg of Gaza Blockade-Busting Bid

NICOSIA - Hundreds of activists on Friday braced for the final leg of their attempt to bust the Gaza Strip embargo, a bid Israel vowed to defeat as each side accused the other of violating international law.

[Banner reads:'No to the Gaza embargo'. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)  ]Banner reads:'No to the Gaza embargo'. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Two cargo ships and five smaller boats loaded with thousands of tonnes of supplies and hundreds of passengers steamed towards a rendezvous off Cyprus where they planned to regroup before setting out for the Palestinian territory.

Organisers said an eighth ship, the Rachel Corrie that had left from Ireland, was lagging behind and would travel towards Gaza separately.

The ships will meet in international waters, they said.

"The Cypriot government does not want us to leave from Cyprus. I can only assume pressure was put on them," said Audrey Bomse, a member of the Free Gaza Movement (FGM) that organised the flotilla.

A Cyprus government official said of the flotilla that Nicosia had not received any formal request from the Palestinian Authority for humanitarian aid.

Bomse told AFP that a plan to ferry about 25 multi-national MPs from Cyprus to one of the ships also had been abandoned.

"This is a group of MPs waiting to be ferried to another boat. The government said if we kept it quiet we would be able to do it but there was a huge amount of pressure and I suppose they gave in to Israel," she charged.

Bomse added that the plan had been modified, and the group would now try to get the MPs on board the flotilla from the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island.

"We will now have to go to the north and lose the Cypriot and Greek politicians, but we have members of parliament from Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Norway and Bulgaria. We are going to put them on a boat in Famagusta," she said.

Greece and Cyprus regard the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where Famagusta is the main port, as an illegal entity.

Bomse said that the new arrangement had now delayed the flotilla's departure for Gaza until later on Friday.

Israel earlier told the ambassadors of Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, and Ireland -- the countries from which the ships set sail -- it "issued warrants that prohibit the entrance of the vessels to Gaza" and that the flotilla would be breaking international law.

Israel made it clear it intends to halt the vessels and detain the hundreds of people aboard in the port of Ashdod before deporting them.

Bomse suggested this may just be "sabre rattling."

"We are planning on getting there and staying in Gaza for two days," she said.

But Israel has stepped up its warnings in recent days and readied naval forces.

Organisers dismissed the claim that their blockade-busting bid is illegal.

"Most despicably of all, Israel claims that we are violating international law by sailing unarmed ships carrying humanitarian aid to a people desperately in need," the FGM said in a statement.

"These claims only demonstrate how degenerate the political discourse in Israel has become."

Israel imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas -- an Islamist movement committed to the destruction of Israel -- violently seized power in the impoverished, overcrowded Palestinian territory.

Because of the blockade, only limited reconstruction has been possible in the wake of the devastating 22-day offensive Israel launched on December 27, 2008.

In New York, UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appealed to all sides to act with care and responsibility.

"We strongly urge that all involved act with a sense of care and responsibility and work for a satisfactory resolution," Ban's spokesman said.

Pro-Palestinian activists have landed in Gaza five times, with another three attempts unsuccessful since their first such sea voyage in August 2008.

To date, the aid has been largely symbolic, but organisers say the flotilla now under way is laden with 10,000 tonnes of aid, ranging from pre-fabricated homes to pencils.


http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/05/28-2

6 opmerkingen:

Anoniem zei

Stan,
Ik kreeg net deze email van Meta Floor.
Corrie

Goede mensen,

Vandaag ontving ik een e-mail van Daoud Nassar van de Tent of Nations, een Palestijns christen in Bethlehem (zie onder). Velen van jullie hebben Daoud en zijn broer Daher ontmoet tijdens één van de reizen. Zij zijn belangrijke mensen voor mij; in hun eenvoud blijven zij volharden en houden vast aan het motto 'We refuse to be enemies'.

Daoud mailt mij dat hij gisteren NEGEN demolotion orders heeft ontvangen van het Israëlische leger. Bijna vijfhonderdduizend Joodse Israëli's wonen momenteel illegaal op de Westbank en hebben bewegingsvrijheid, huizen en toegang tot water en electriciteit. Daoud woont op zijn eigen grond, heeft de eigendomspapieren, maar hem wordt de meest basale rechten ontzegd. Hij schrijft: 'They are trying to destroy our spirit, but we are determined to resist and overcome the Evil with GOOD and justice will prevail.'

Ik mail zijn boodschap aan jullie door met de vraag om - als je tot een kerkelijke gemeenschap behoort - zondagochtend voorbede te vragen voor de familie Nassar. Daarnaast zal Daoud het zeker waarderen om een teken van meeleven en support te krijgen via de e-mail, dnassar@tentofnations.org

In het verlangen dat er eens gerechtigheid zal zijn voor de inwoners van dit land,
Meta Floor

Lees meer: www.tentofnations.org en http://www.metafloor.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=194&Itemid=68



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: dnassar@tentofnations.org
To: dnassar@tentofnations.org
Subject: Urgent Message from the Tent of Nations
Date: Fri, 28 May 2010 00:16:11 +0300

Dear Friends of Tent of Nations all over the world,



Today at 2.00 pm in the afternoon, 2 officers form the Israeli Civil Administration guarded by Israeli soldiers came to our farm and gave us NINE demolishing orders for nine ( structures) we built in the last years without a building permit from the Israeli Military Authority. The demolishing orders are for: tents, animals shelters, metal roof in front of both old houses, the restrooms (Shelters) , a water cistern, a metal container and 2 underground renovated cave structures. One officer was writing the demolishing orders and the other was taking pictures with two cameras, Israeli soldiers were following them everywhere and pointing their guns on us.



The demolishing orders were written in Hebrew and I refused to sign receiving them. We have 3 days only to react against those demolishing orders. The timing for delivering the demolishing orders was plant properly and purposely on Thursday, in order to make it difficult for us to try to stop those orders by the Israeli court within 3 days, because of the Jewish weekend (Friday and Saturday). The idea is to make it impossible for us to act quickly. I contacted our Lawyer and he will write an opposition and send it to the military court on Sunday morning. We hope to get a paper from the court through our Lawyer on Sunday morning to stop the demolishing orders.



We would like to ask you to be prepared and alert for actions, if anything might happen. We will keep you updated and will guide you for actions but please forward this E-mail to your friends. PLEASE be prepared for actions… Thank you for all your solidarity and support.



They are trying to destroy our spirit, but we are determined to resist and overcome the Evil with GOOD and justice will prevail.



Blessings and Salaam,



Daoud





Daoud Nassar

Director



Tent of Nations

-People Building Bridges-

P.O.Box 28

Bethlehem - Palestine

Tel: +972 (0)2-274 3071

Fax: +972(0)2-276 7446

Mobile: +972(0)522 975 985

info@tentofnations.org

www.tentofnations.org

Paul zei

http://www.rtl.nl/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/miMedia/2010/week21/do_700_palestijnen.avi_plain.xml

Anoniem zei

Humanitarian flotilla vs evil navy
By Gilad Atzmon
Online Journal Contributing Writer


May 28, 2010, 00:20

Email this article
Printer friendly page


Haaretz reported yesterday that Israel will attempt to block the humanitarian Freedom Flotilla heading toward Gaza. However, according to the Israeli paper, the humanitarian cargo would then be unloaded, inspected and sent to Gaza overland via the United Nations.

Typical for Israel as it tries to win a lost battle. On the one hand, by stopping the flotilla, Israel attempts to maintain its regional status as an omnipotent super power that controls the land, the air and the sea. On the other hand, the Jewish state pathetically also wants to evoke sympathy for being ‘sensitive’ to humanitarian issues and the Palestinian plight.

The Israeli government fails to gather that the tide has changed. We see through them. We all know what the Jewish state stands for. We all know about the devastation in Gaza; we know about the siege, the destruction and the crimes against humanity. We all watch the Israeli separation wall cutting through Palestinian families' houses and olive orchards. We also follow the racist ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem. The Israelis better save us from their spins and manipulations.

In case the Israelis still fail to see it, they are dealing this time with an international flotilla that is sailing under Turkish and Greek flags, a fleet that carries 800 enthusiastic activists from all over the world. The Israelis are dealing with peace lovers who are determined to break through the siege and deliver medical aid, cement, paper and food. On the deck, we have 35 European parliamentarians who must have decided to say NO to Zionist fund raisers. This flotilla is a clear signal to Israel that the game is over. Israel is now all but officially isolated. All that is left for Israel is to come to terms with its true nature: a shameless racist, murderous and terrorist state.

Militarily and politically, Israel locked itself into a limbo. For the Israelis it is a “no win” situation. The Israelis may have the military means to stop the flotilla from accomplishing its humanitarian mission. The Israeli Navy can easily block the flotilla's way, it can also impose an electronic blackout around the ships -- such an act may lead to the loss of communication with the humanitarian mission. Israel would then have to act militarily.

Yet, taking control over eight ships and 800 activists armed with relentless will and backed by many cameras is not going to serve the Israelis’ interest. If Israel dare use force, this will backfire. We also have to bear in mind that this time the Turkish government is closely monitoring the situation and openly supporting the mission. Israeli aggression at sea could lead to an evolving incident with some unpredictable consequences. Israel better give up on any attempt to stop the flotilla.

On a further note, the Israeli government and the Israeli people better start to come to terms with the fact that the game is soon to be over. The Zionist project and the Israeli state is in a state of moral bankruptcy. From that perspective, the flotilla is not just a humanitarian mission, it is actually a reminder for all of us of the true meaning of humanism.

Gilad Atzmon is an Israeli jazz musician, author and political activist.

anzi

Anoniem zei

Sjuul, hou je gedeisd en hou je verstand erbij. Stop met die berichten op internet. Het is zwaar kut, maar hiermee bereik je niets. Iedereen leest mee.


Reminder : Van Bommel: laat hulpgoederen toe in #Gaza: http://bit.ly/aCir1f via @addthis Dutch MP : Allow aid convoy into Gaza #flotilla
8 hours, 5 minutes ago by JohnitoBlog on Twitter

Van Bommel: laat hulpgoederen toe in #Gaza: http://bit.ly/aCir1f via @addthis Dutch MP Van Bommel: Allow aid convoy into Gaza #Flotilla
19 hours, 13 minutes ago by JohnitoBlog on Twitter

RT @JohnitoBlog: Van Bommel: laat hulpgoederen toe in #Gaza: http://bit.ly/aCir1f via @addthis Dutch MP Van Bommel: Allow aid convoy into Gaza #Flotilla
19 hours, 8 minutes ago by ietsist on Twitter

RT @JohnitoBlog: Van Bommel: laat hulpgoederen toe in #Gaza: http://bit.ly/aCir1f via @addthis Dutch MP Van Bommel: Allow aid convoy into Gaza #Flotilla
19 hours, 13 minutes ago by GabyVerdier on Twitter

RT @JohnitoBlog: Van Bommel: laat hulpgoederen toe in #Gaza: http://bit.ly/aCir1f via @addthis Dutch MP Van Bommel: Allow aid convoy into Gaza #Flotilla
19 hours, 13 minutes ago by endgaza on Twitter


Wat maar weer eens aantoont dat verslaggeving op mooie weblogÂ’s nooit actie kan vervangen. Maar waarvan in de immense 2.0 heen en weer woordenstroom, gelardeerd met hyperlinkÂ’s die de misselijk makende informatie nog eens extra rondpompt wel wordt uitgegaan. Wordt het niet eens tijd dat de Nederlandse regering wordt geleerd wat een explosief importproduct is. Moet die niet eens met harde hand op de feiten gedrukt worden. Wanneer gaat de bij de mensen aanwezige walging en woede om wat er gaande is nu eindelijk eens niet meer afgeleid worden met de gedachte er op deze manier wat tegen te doen.
http://stanvanhoucke.blogspot.com/2010/05/gaza-freedom-flotilla.html... See all content Hide content
1 day, 2 hours ago by Sjuul van Dissel on Wordpress

anzi

Sjuul van Dissel zei

http://www.nrc.nl/digitaleeditie/NH/20100528___/1_003/article11_image.html

De hotemetoten!

Beetje respect Sjuul. Ja..., een beetje.

Groetjes aan stan en anzi, de aller aller laatste

Anoniem zei

Hoi Sjuul,

Toch niet het allerlaatste bericht? Ik bedoelde alleen wat je over het 'produkt' schreef.
Hou je sjakies!

anzi

Peter Flik en Chuck Berry-Promised Land

mijn unieke collega Peter Flik, die de vrijzinnig protestantse radio omroep de VPRO maakte is niet meer. ik koester duizenden herinneringen ...