Home > Protest Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Protest Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla

by Open-Publishing - Monday 31 May 2010
1 comment

Humanitary Wars and conflicts International

Last night the Israeli navy attacked humanitarian ships in international waters in the middle of the night. Reports indicate that 10-16 humanitarian activists were killed and 50-60 were injured. The ships were seized by the Israeli navy and taken to Haifa to avoid press at Ashdod. UFPJ condemns the Israeli Government for their brutal attack on unarmed civilians. Protests have taken place across the world and a number of Governments are taking action.

The U.S. arms Israel to the tune of billions of dollars a year and hence shares responsibility for this atrocity. How many more must die before the Obama Administration cuts off the aid we give to Israel each year?

On board were 750 people of conscience from 40 different countries, including 35 international politicians intent on breaking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. We offer our sincerest condolences to family and friends who have lost loved ones in the attack. One of the boats was named after Rachel Corrie, to honor this strong young woman killed by the Israel Defense Forces in April 2003.
Demonstrate!

Demonstrations are being organized in Washington DC, New York, and Boston. Please join in where you can or organize your own. It is time to end the blockade of Gaza and the Israeli occupation of Palestine by ending US support for Israeli slaughter.

New York - 3pm today (Monday, May 31), Times Square

Washington, DC - 3pm today, Israeli Embassy, 3514 International Drive NW (Van Ness metro) - Moving on to the White House at 5pm

Boston - 4pm today, Park Street Station

Use Memorial Day to memorialize all the brave activists, show our outrage, and let the world know we are not sleeping!
Contact the White House!

Call or email to demand an immediate cutoff of U.S. aid to Israel.
Email the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Contact the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and demand that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice vote to support a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel’s action and initiating an investigation. 212-415-4062
Background

The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Richard Falk, urged Monday the international community to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of some 16 unarmed peace activist, when Israeli armed commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to Gaza.

"Israel is guilty of shocking behavior by using deadly weapons against unarmed civilians on ships that were situated in the high seas where freedom of navigation exists, according to the law of the seas," Mr. Falk said. "It is essential that those Israelis responsible for this lawless and murderous behavior, including political leaders who issued the orders, be held criminally accountable for their wrongful acts."

By sailing directly to Gaza, outside of Israeli waters, with cargo banned illegally by Israel, such as the 10,000 tonnes of badly needed concrete, toys, workbooks, chocolate, pasta and substantial medical supplies, the flotilla is exercising international law and upholding article 33 of the Geneva Convention which clearly states that collective punishment is a crime against humanity.

The hardships of Israel’s closure of Gaza have been well documented by all human rights groups operating, most recently by Amnesty International in their Annual Human Rights Report concluding that the siege has "deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages left four out of five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid. The scope of the blockade and statements made by Israeli officials about its purpose showed that it was being imposed as a form of collective punishment of Gazans, a flagrant violation of international law."

For updates go to http://witnessgaza.com/ and http://www.freegaza.org/

Forum posts

  • its time to put a stop to israeli. like ever other tme we cant allow israel to lie there ways out of this. why is israelis lie bout so easyly. i was watching the bbc news some stupid idiot speaking sead "the isrealing soliders went on the ship intenstins of looking for weapenerry WHICH NOT FOUNT he also sead the soliders were uesing panit guns and how they weretack there were peace attack first.

    isreali is puting brokeage to gaza not allowing them to rebuild any thing stoping them from redeveloping. the reason behind this is because isreali is trying to extend there borders the ships were attack 90 miles away from israling seas on internation seas this clearly show what they trying to do and i a 19 year old uni student can see this and why cant the un.

    we have to put a stop my voice my not change our voice may not change any thing but our voices together CAN PLEASE DONT TURN A BLIND EYE

    THANK YOU