Israel kidnaps Cynthia McKinney and 20 other activists!

[Intelligitimate]

Zionist goon squad captures activists trying to aid the people of Gaza!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 June 2009

ISRAEL ATTACKS JUSTICE BOAT; KIDNAPS HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS; CONFISCATES MEDICINE, TOYS AND OLIVE TREES

For more information contact:
Greta Berlin (English)
tel: +357 99 081 767 / [email protected]

Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):
tel: +357 99 077 820 / [email protected]
http://www.FreeGaza.org (http://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.”

[Patchd]

The Zionist state had also taken down the Free Gaza website, on the point of arrest.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=94927542708&h=XrB0G&u=pzbev&ref=mf

[Dimentio]

Zionist goon squad captures activists trying to aid the people of Gaza!

This is just kurrelidutt.

Obama is already on tense foot with Netanyahu.

What is the Israeli strategy? Break the alliance with the USA or what?

[Sentinel]

Obama is already on tense foot with Netanyahu.

What is the Israeli strategy? Break the alliance with the USA or what?Indeed, it sounds like an irrational approach for them to mess with US citizens.

The benevolence of the US government is after all important for the very survival of Israel, and Obama administration might take stuff like this as provocations.

[Dimentio]

Indeed, it sounds like an irrational approach for them to mess with US citizens.

The benevolence of the US government is after all important for the very survival of Israel, and Obama administration might take stuff like this as provocations.

Israel has taken some things which Obama has said as provocations. Like his decision to call Mahmud Abbas as his first act, or his Cairo speech where he condemned all new settlement activity on the West Bank.

But I think that Netanyahu possibly is a little too arrogant.

[Comrade B]

What do you want to bet this still wont reach US news, Michael Jackson was just too damn important to shut up about for Iran, Honduras, or political prisoners.

[FreeFocus]

The US and Israel will never separate. American aid will not go anywhere. Netanyahu knows this. Moreover, surely the American government is not and will not be up in arms about Cynthia McKinney, a critic of US foreign and domestic policy, being "kidnapped."

[mykittyhasaboner]

Obama and his administration won't care, they just granted billions of dollars in military aid to Israel to support their nuclear weapons program. I wonder what kind if 'statement' or 'action' the US government will take though.

[Marx22]

There will be no statement or major action on these kidnappings. As FreeFocus pointed out, I don't think they'll be up in arms about Cynthia McKinney, US citizen or not; the right wing would be all over Obama is seemed a tad concerned about this event.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

In any case, the Israel Lobby will be in full swing, trying to cover up and explain away why US citizens have been taken prisoner by the Zionist scum.

Don't expect much from the US government, obviously.

But those of us who are engaged in Palestine Solidarity work should bring up this new provocation against our cause by the Zionist scum.

Death to Israel...

[Sasha]

very smart symbolism, trying to breach the blokade of palestine with an boat named like that.
espacely under jews it will imediatly remind people of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_(ship)

i like it, smart move.

[#FF0000]

I really don't think this is going to affect US/Israel relations at all. Israel bombed U.S. warships without even an explanation as to why, without repercussion, so I don't think capturing a boat full of "liberal" activists is going to strain relations too much.

[mykittyhasaboner]

Israel bombed U.S. warships without even an explanation as to why,
When? I've never heard of this.

[Sasha]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident

[Guerrilla22]

Not the first time Israel has messes with this group. Back in December they tried to bring in a bunch of badly needed medical supplies and other aid into Gaza via a boat that was launched from Cyprus. The Israeli navy intercepted them and actually started shooting at them, despite the fact they were telling them over the radio that they were heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission. The boat was forced to dock in Lebanon and the supplies never reached Gaza.

[h0m0revolutionary]

My friend was on board that ship :(, and all's we have heard is that he's in an Israeli prison.

I'm concerned of course, but they should have known this would happen! Did they honestly think Israel would allow the devastated peoples of Palestine to have a first-hand account of the international solidairty that exists with them and their struggle?

I hope those arrested come back and heighten their Palestine solidairty work, but this time with no illusions as to the lengths the Israeli state will go to, to keep the Palestinians dispossed, demorlaised and down-troddon :/

[h0m0revolutionary]

My friend was on board that ship :(, and all's we have heard is that he's in an Israeli prison.

I'm concerned of course, but they should have known this would happen! Did they honestly think Israel would allow the devastated peoples of Palestine to have a first-hand account of the international solidairty that exists with them and their struggle?

I hope those arrested come back and heighten their Palestine solidairty work, but this time with no illusions as to the lengths the Israeli state will go to, to keep the Palestinians dispossed, demorlaised and down-troddon :/

interview with Adie, my mate, here:
http://themule.info/article/manchester-hostage-interviewed-israeli-jail

[Anarkiwi]

International brigades to gaza now
to fight the facist scum.

[h0m0revolutionary]

I've just had a phonecall form a friend and im assured the former hostages are on their way to Tel Aviv International airport right now, all of them freed :D

[Yehuda Stern]

It was pretty predictable. In normal times, I'd be certain that this would have absolutely no effect on US-Israeli relations. I'm still pretty sure it won't; I still think the relations are a lot less shaky than the media shows them to be. Rheotric aside, Obama is more than happy to look away as the Zionists continue the siege on Gaza and the building of settlements.

[h0m0revolutionary]

It was pretty predictable. In normal times, I'd be certain that this would have absolutely no effect on US-Israeli relations. I'm still pretty sure it won't; I still think the relations are a lot less shaky than the media shows them to be. Rheotric aside, Obama is more than happy to look away as the Zionists continue the siege on Gaza and the building of settlements.

Oh absolutly, Biden coming out yesterday saying that they won't enter into discussion on "hypotheticals" - referring to an Israeli attack on Iran showed that. Moreover Saudi feeling confident enough to say openly that it will allow Israeli jets to pass through Saudi airspace en route to Iran, shows that not only is an attack on Iran likely, but preperations are well underway.

I imagine the whole farce that is Obamas strong rhetoric against the Israeli hard-liners (who dont say much different from the 'moderates' in the knesset actually :/) serves to make the US out to be the good guys. Afterall it will be Israeli surgical strikes on Iran that see it become a bloodbath and Israeli politicians that oversee the building of ever-harsher settlements annexing ever more Palestinian land. All done in the interests of US finance capital, but the Obama adminstration can play the diplomat, save the day and restore the greatly depleted faith in US politics.