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Headline today (07/01/2009) on Amy Goodman’s democracynow.org states:
Israel Seizes Aid Ship, Kidnaps Activists
The Israeli military has seized a ship trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters. On Tuesday, Israeli forces boarded the Free Gaza movement’s Spirit of Humanity and towed it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The twenty-one activists on board have been reportedly denied attorneys and are set to be deported. The kidnapped passengers include former Congress member and presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and the Irish peace activist and Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire. Israeli spokesperson Mark Regev dismissed the boat’s humanitarian mission.
Mark Regev: “Israel every day is allowing humanitarian support to reach the people of Gaza—food stuffs, medicines, energy and so forth. This boat was not about that. This boat was about political activists who have been apologists for the Hamas regime, who have nothing whatsoever to say about Hamas’s brutal treatment of the people of Gaza.”
The sailing was the Free Gaza movement’s first since it aborted an attempt in January after the Israeli navy threatened to shoot the civilian passengers on board. That sailing had come just weeks after an Israeli navy vessel deliberately rammed another of its boats, almost forcing it to sink. Issam Younis of Gaza’s Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned the kidnapping.
snip> There is much more in this report.
28 Comments
Mark Regev..he’s the one who finally admitted that “No Hamas rockets were fired during the ceasefire.” All the news about the Spirit is at Freegaza’s home page. Rather difficult to sign in to the site today. What the Israeli’s did was an act of piracy and kidnapping that has been condoned by Obama, obviously. On the same day, the US was signing an agreement to co-sign $9b worth of loan guarantees for Israel over the next three years and FEMA was agreeing to co-chair with Israel’s emergency response team. Obama..just one more in a long line of Israeli firsters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfFMZ7Y-s_c
http://www.freegaza.org/
” Israel now allows only 30 to 40 commercial items to enter Gaza compared to 4,000 approved products prior to June 2006. According to the Israeli journalist, Amira Hass, Gazans still are denied many commodities (a policy in effect long before the December assault): Building materials (including wood for windows and doors), electrical appliances (such as refrigerators and washing machines), spare parts for cars and machines, fabrics, threads, needles, candles, matches, mattresses, sheets, blankets, cutlery, crockery, cups, glasses, musical instruments, books, tea, coffee, sausages, semolina, chocolate, sesame seeds, nuts, milk products in large packages, most baking products, light bulbs, crayons, clothing, and shoes. “
http://jewschool.com/2009/07/0…..-humanity/
Recommended.
Thanks Scout. I had missed this.
Good to see you, blue. Seems to me that the intent of Israel’s zionist rulers is to achieve the same goal as that of the torturers in GITMO and Iraq and Afghanistan – crush the spirit, starve them for food and water, leave them naked, shoeless, and without protection from the elements; reduce them to less than human; and eventually the extermination of a people by starvation and disease in addition to rockets, cluster bombs, white phosphorous and all other Hell they can rain down from the sky.
I do not see one iota of difference between what Nazi Germany did to the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and what the Zionist Israeli rulers are imposing on Gaza now.
The authority which gave Israel this power over Gaza should be taken from it. UN, I suppose. I was a child in 6th grade when the UN made Israel a state, so don’t remember any arguments on the part of Palestine. It was more than 60 years later that I learned the U.S. vote was not because America always does the right thing, but to win Truman the crucial vote of the American Jewish population which determined his win over Dewey.
I’ll have to search Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and see if there is a movement to push the UN to declare Palestine a state, whether Israel agrees or not.
Hey, Boo, a very early “good morning” to you. I wondered yesterday, ‘where are Boo and Bluebutterfly?? – my most faithful supporters’.
Thanks, Boo.
scout
Blue, I’m gonna have to wait to go to your links here – my belly is overfull of Turncoat Obama this morning.
“Seems to me that the intent of Israel’s zionist rulers is to achieve the same goal as that of the torturers in GITMO and Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Hell yes. Who do you think taught this kind of crapo to the Americans? Likely these people? The ones who taught the US how to ‘fight’ in Fallujah? Only hearing about reversing SERE is a distraction from the truth of Israel’s involvement in the sharing of their torture techniques that they use in their prisons. Wikileaks has the whole story of what a screwup Fallujah was. No link..don’t want to overload you this morning..’g’.
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(Nov 2004)
” U.S. officials acknowledged that hundreds of officers have trained in Israel over the last two years in urban warfare and counter-insurgency. In September, scores of U.S. officers trained at the Adam urban warfare school northeast of Tel Aviv, a facility that contains a mock Arab village.
The U.S. officers trained in Israel relayed their expertise to the U.S. Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La. Over the last two years, the army center has increased the number of mock Arab villages from four to 18 and employed Arab speakers for urban warfare exercises.
Another Israeli lesson was the use of air platforms to target enemy combatants during street battles. In Fallujah, the United States has employed AC-130 gunships to target insurgents in downtown Fallujah. In the Gaza Strip, Israel has used the Apache AH-64A attack helicopter to strike insurgents and their vehicles.
Another Israeli tactic developed by the U.S. military in Fallujah was the use of a multi-pronged advance on insurgency strongholds in an urban area. Officials said the technique was employed in the Israeli ground offensive on the northern West Bank city of Nablus in April 2002. The U.S. force has also employed armored D-9 bulldozers to clear roads. Israel has provided the United States with 14 armored D-9 bulldozers for the war in Iraq. “
http://judicial-inc.biz/Israel…..lement.htm
I’m sure all Arabs won’t mind all this because of the nice things Obama said in his Cairo speech. (strong /s)
Not well..I pop in here around bouts of getting ‘ill’. Under treatment that disagrees with me. A hearing occurs on Thursday for Dr. Siddiqui. A closed door hearing. One would think that the US had something to hide..’g’. Had to read a Pakistani website to learn of the hearing.
Nobody but Americans are fooled by his speech.
Kinda suspected that. Wish my good thoughts sent your way could work miracles. Had a lady friend with same ‘enemy’; radical treatment – still kicking after some 27 years. She went through literal Hell. Hang in there, Blue.
I hope it turns out to be good news for Dr. Siddiqui. The closed door and all this secrecy is to hide the shameful, unforgivable treatment of her and others. I’ll look for your Pak site.
Stay stubborn, Blue. [Don’t know any other way, do we?]
Great post..thanks
Thank you, Leen. Update on today’s democracynow.org at about 11:55 on timeline. 2 of the 21 have been released, other 19 in jail including Cynthia McKinney. Reps from embassies have visited the jailed, except for those from Bahrain which has no diplomatic links with Israel.
Leen,
I just recommended your diary on the Iranian protesters. I will not comment when that hi-jacker takes over any post. Disruption is his entire purpose. He will continue as long as he succeeds in getting a response which he then attacks. That is bullying, not a dialogue for the edification of anyone.
BB and Acquarius, thanks for the updates on this. It truly horrifies. With “friends” like Israel who needs etc. … And the US administrators and reps posture about repression in other countries. US advocates for justice over in Gaza are considered enemies because of their morale building for the oppressed????? And ostrich America ignores the unignorable one more time. Lots of Israeli kool-aid sloshing around in Washington and elsewhere. McKinney still held. WOW. Only 2 of the 21 released. And corporate media saying anything? Am continuing to phone!
It’s my understanding that much of the cargo of this ship was concrete, for rebuilding. Also, those on the boat claim it was interdicted in international waters, not in Israeli waters.
This episode illustrates one reason why Netanyahu’s two-state proposal is such a failure, imo. If I understand it correctly, his proposal would allow Israel to continue blocking access to the “Palestinian State”, as Palestine would have no military, and no way to control its own waters or airspace.
That’s what I’ve read over and over, therefore International Maritime Law should apply and be enforced. [not holding my breath].
Netenyahu (sp) will never accept an independent state of Palestine; UN should just impose it on them (like they imposed Israel on Palestinian land) and set boundaries. From what I’ve been reading (google: Palestine, International Law) Israel is considered “a beligerant occupier” of Palestine since conquering the land in the 1967 war.
“Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Speaks from Israeli Jail Cell After Arrest on Boat Delivering Humanitarian Aid to Gaza “
” 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. “
http://www.democracynow.org/20…..ire_speaks
Is there any other way to be?..haha. Here is Aafia from an American site. They should have an update soon because the hearing was yesterday. Pakistan’s time is ahead of us, so they said Thursday.
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http://www.draafia.org/2009/06…..wednesday/
AIPAC is worried about the effectiveness of boycotts, etc. Their last hate fest of death and destruction on Gaza has opened eyes worldwide. Good, good, and good. First article about the Zionist rulers of Israel that has made me smile.
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“The movement to call Israel to account for its crimes against the Palestinian people is growing, it is “invading the mainstream discourse, becoming part of the constant and unrelenting drumbeat against Israel.” It could eventually threaten the existence of the Jewish state by undermining the support it receives from its strongest backer, the U. S. government.
That was the message of alarm delivered by the Executive Director of the American Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Howard Kohr, to the AIPAC Policy Conference on May 3. “
http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/21807
” Nazareth — Israel’s watchdog body on medical ethics has failed to investigate evidence that doctors working in detention facilities are turning a blind eye to cases of torture, according to Israeli human rights groups.
The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) has ignored repeated requests to examine such evidence, the rights groups say, even though it has been presented with examples of Israeli doctors who have broken their legal and ethical duty towards Palestinians in their care.
The accusations will add fuel to a campaign backed by hundreds of doctors from around the world to force Yoram Blachar, who heads the IMA, to step down from his recent appointment as president of the World Medical Association (WMA).
More than 700 doctors have signed a petition arguing that Dr Blachar has disqualified himself from leadership of the WMA, the profession’s governing ethical body, by effectively condoning torture in Israel. “
http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/21836
thanks aquarius. What would we do without Amy’s coverage
They have done everything they could do over the last 10 years to try to shut down the boycott, divestment movement on college campuses. Their efforts to shut down the debate are dwindling.
Campus Watch has been one of the main vehicles to block this movement on campuses
http://www.campus-watch.org/
Whose who at Campus Watch
http://www.meforum.org/staff.php
Steven J. Rosen – Visiting Fellow
Steven J. Rosen joined the Forum as a Visiting Fellow in March 2009. He has served on the faculties of the University of Pittsburgh, Brandeis University, and the Australian National University, and he headed Middle East issues for the RAND Corporation’s National Security Strategies Program. He is the author of many academic publications, including The Logic of International Relations, a best-selling textbook that ran to five editions. From 1982 to 2005, he served as director of foreign policy issues for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, where he was responsible for relations with the State Department, the National Security Council, and other executive branch agencies. He is the editor of MEF’s Obama Mideast Monitor as well as its Policy Forum occasional papers, and is the director of the Forum’s Washington Project. Contact: Rosen@MEForum.org.
More on the the “Spirit of Humanity” being confiscated along with the 19 protesters
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Speaks from Israeli Jail Cell After Arrest on Boat Delivering Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
Freegazaboat-web
Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire speaks to us from her jail cell in Israel. She was taken into custody along with twenty others, including former US Congress member Cynthia McKinney, when the Israeli military boarded their ship in international waters as it tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. [includes rush transcript]
http://www.democracynow.org/20…..ire_speaks
Thanks, Blue. I hope that doctor can’t find a job cleaning sewers!
I’m trying to finish a book entitled, “Secret Agenda” by Linda Hunt, published 1991 by St. Martins Press, NY. It is about the US military and CIA bringing Nazi engineers and scientists to America to work (and teach) with their records of rockets, airplanes, etc., and the medical records of the Nazi’s experiments on the prisoners. The first op was “Overcast”, then Paperclip, which evolved into MKULTRA.
I had read a lot about those operations, but this is a well researched book in which the author tells of the difficulties she experienced in trying to obtain records thru FOIA. I’m amazed that she got what she did in such detail. The military brass in charge and the CIA stopped at nothing to get them into U.S. including lying to Truman and Ike and congress.
(so the Russians wouldn’t get them and their knowledge and records).
One high ranking Nazi (Strughold) became head of space medicine at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, TX.
All this was done in secret; the American people had not a clue. One of the ops was even called “Operation National Interest”! The Americans, Brits, French and Russians would even cross the borders of divided Germany and steal these two-legged dogs from each other.
I cannot believe the stupidity of those in charge of the programs. It appears plain to me that this was the poisoning of America which has developed into the Bush regime of madness which took these horrors against humans to the ultimate in these current wars. [and now Obama, dreaming up new “rules” for mil tribunals so those who cannot be tried can be speedily executed!]
I apologize for dumping this sewage here.
Thank you, Leen. I got a list of things I can boycott (I’ve drunk my last Coca Cola). I’m thinking of composing a letter to AIPAC in which they can see how I have gone from a strong Israel supporter from my childhood to now, after Gaza, supporting the Palestinians as much as I can and boycotting all products of companies who do business with Israel. If truckloads of letters like that were delivered, it might make a difference…
Now going to your today’s diary on this, Leen. Thanks for keeping it up front.
What the truth really is…”I cannot believe the evil hearts and minds and intentions of those in charge of the programs”. Altered it for you to better reflect the truth…’g’. Remember CR 76. That is the plan; it always was. Hey, it’s your diary..you can relieve all the stress you want. Don’t bother with AIPAC..a waste of your time and energy. The world is getting the message across with boycotts. AIPAC doesn’t care what you think; just boycott their products. That is the only power and weapon that works. Freegaza is overloaded right now, but they have an article about world wide demonstrations in front of Israeli embassies. Tomorrow, I think. Not sure..was half asleep when I read the article.
Fancy write up, but they forget to mention his credentials as a spy. No..wait..they mentioned AIPAC..same thing..’g’. AIPAC loves to brainwash the young. It appears that a tour to Gaza was not on the agenda..surprise, surprise.
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“Campus Leaders Explore Israel with AIPAC
Students toured one of Israel’s Ethiopian absorbtion centers.
Forty student activists from thirty campuses recently visited Israel as part of the AIPAC Campus Allies (ACA) Mission, which has brought non-Jewish student leaders to Israel for the past five years. The students, who include 12 national leaders of College Democrats of America and the College Republican National Committee and 15 from Historically Black colleges and universities and Christian colleges, spent ten days learning about Israeli history, culture, and society, and exploring a variety of themes, including the U.S.-Israel relationship, Israel’s security challenges, and pluralism and co-existence. “
http://www.aipac.org/1680.asp#25817