July 4th, 2009
British anti-war MP George Galloway is to fly out on Saturday 4th July, American independence day, from JFK airport in New York with the first of a group of hundreds of US citizens who are to form the largest ever aid convoy to head into Gaza.
They will be heading off a month to the day from President Obama’s signal speech in Cairo promising a new, more egalitarian US engagement with the Muslim world and a change in policy over Palestine and the Middle East from the disastrous eight years of the Bush administration.
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July 3rd, 2009
On her second attempt to break the blockade on Gaza, Cynthia McKinney and 20 other humanitarians on the ship “Spirit of Humanity” were stopped in International waters Monday by the Israeli Navy. This is a pretty big deal. An aid ship captured by the armed forces of another country in International waters is an act of piracy…I think. At least it was when Soma li pirates captured an American ship recently.
It appears that the Mainstream media is going to ignore this story even though Cynthia McKinney was once a Congresswoman from Georgia and a Presidential candidate.
Cynthia makes a call to WBAIX radio station from her prison cell in Israel.
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July 2nd, 2009
On June 30th 2009 Israeli Occupation Forces forcibly boarded the Free Gaza boat, SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, and kidnapped 21 human rights workers and journalists who were on their way to deliver much needed humanitarian and reconstruction supplies to besieged Gaza. Those abducted by Israel include Nobel peace prize laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
Since their kidnapping, tens-of-thousands of people around the world have mobilized to demand their immediate and unconditional release. The Free Gaza Movement would like to thank everyone who has made a phone call, sent a fax or email, written a letter, or organized a demonstration on behalf of our 21 imprisoned friends. Read the rest of this entry »
July 1st, 2009
Syrian officials suggested that they could retake the Golan Heights back from Israel unless the two countries reach an agreement soon.
During a ceremony on Saturday inaugurating a new communications center in Kuneitra, the Syrian town closest to the ceasefire line with the Israeli-occupied Golan, the Syrian Committee for the Liberation of the Golan said that Israel has not shown any willingness to negotiate a return of the territory, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Syrian President Bashar Assad was also present at the ceremony, the newspaper said.
Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said that the new center would “report the despair of Syrian residents living in the occupied Golan, under the rule of the barbaric and racist state of Israel,” according to the same report.
Bilal was referring to the predominantly Druze Syrian residents of the Golan, most of whom have refused Israeli citizenship and seek the restoration of Syrian rule.
On Wednesday, Assad said there was no possibility of reaching an agreement because of Israel’s unwillingess to to strike a deal.
“For reaching an agreement an Israeli partner committed to international law, to UN decisions and to the principle of land for peace is necessary,” Assad said after meeting his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias in Damascus, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Syrian president said such an Israeli partner did “not exist” at this time.
Source Ma’an/Agencies – Bethlehem
June 30th, 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 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.” Read the rest of this entry »
