URGENT!!!! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship!

From the Free Gaza website:

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

Date : 12-30-2008

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the Dignity and endangering the lives of its passengers!

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5062 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 33697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il


BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Dignity departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7pm (UST) on Monday 29 December, bound for war-devastated Gaza with a cargo of over 3 tons of desperately needed medical supplies donated by the people of Cyprus. At our request, the ship was searched by Cypriot Port authorities prior to departure, to certify that there was nothing "threatening" aboard - only emergency medical supplies.

TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO STOP THE ISRAELI NAVY FROM ENDANGERING THE DIGNITY AND ITS PASSENGERS!

Civilians aboard the Dignity being threatened by the Israeli military:

(UK) Denis Healey, Captain
Captain of the Dignity, Denis has been involved with boats for 45 years, beginning with small fishing boats in Portsmouth. He learned to sail while atschool and has been part of the sea ever since. He's a certified yachtmaster and has also worked on heavy marine equipment from yachts to large dredgers. This is his fourth trip to Gaza.

(Greece) Nikolas Bolos, First Mate
Nikolas is a chemical engineer and human rights activist. He has served as a crewmember on several Free Gaza voyages, including the first one in August.

(Jordan) Othman Abu Falah
Othman is a senior producer with Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Australia) Renee Bowyer
Renee is a schoolteacher and human rights activist. She will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(Ireland) Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe is a reknowned human rights activist and Gaza Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement. She will be remaining in Gaza to do human rights monitoring, assist with relief efforts, and work on project development with Free Gaza.

(Cyprus) Ekaterini Christodulou
Ekaterini is a well-known and respected freelance journalist in Cyprus. She is traveling to Gaza to report on the conflict.

(Sudan) Sami El-Haj
Sami is a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, and head of the human rights section at Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(UK) Dr. David Halpin
Dr. Halpin is an experienced orthopaedic surgeon, medical professor, and ship's captain. He has organized humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza on several occasions with the Dove and Dolphin. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(Germany) Dr. Mohamed Issa
Dr. Issa is a pediatric surgeon from Germany. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(UK/Tunisia) Fathi Jaouadi
Fathi is a television producer and human rights activist. He will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(USA) Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia is a former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, and the 2008 Green Party presidential candidate. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict.

(Cyprus) Martha Paisi
Martha is a senior research fellow and experienced human rights activist. She is traveling to Gaza to do human rights work and to assist with humanitarian relief efforts.

(UK) Karl Penhaul
Karl Penhaul is a video correspondent for CNN, based out of Bogotá, Colombia. Appointed to this position in February 2004, he covers breaking news around the world utilizing CNN's new laptop-based 'Digital Newsgathering' system. He is traveling to Gaza to report on the ongoing conflict.

(Iraq) Thaer Shaker
Thaer is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Cyprus) Dr. Elena Theoharous, MP
Dr. Theoharous is a surgeon and a Member of the Cypriot Parliament. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict, assist with humanitarian relief efforts, and volunteer in hospitals.

Gaza Tragedy

As you are aware, Israel has begun an assault on Palestinians in Gaza. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Gaza was already in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe through Israel's restriction of the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life. For the sake of human rights and lives I urge you to take action and speak out against this assault.

Here are some things you can do NOW to take action:

TAKE ACTION
1. Contact the White House to protest the attack and demand an immediate cease-fire. Call 202-456-1111 or send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov.

2. Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here.

3. Contact your Representative and Senators in Congress at 202-224-3121 or find contact info for your Members of Congress by clicking here.

4. Contact your local media by phoning into a talk show or writing a letter to the editor. To find contact info for your local media, click here.

5. Organize a local protest or vigil.

6. Sign an open letter, via US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation, to President-Elect Obama calling for a new U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine and find out other steps you can take to influence the incoming Administration by clicking here.

New Projects on the Horizon

I haven't forgotten the people of Palestine. I have just been busy with the kids in my city since school started back in September. Although I've been somewhat dormant visually with this blog and with the whole Palestinian cause I have been working in the background.

I won't go into much detail at the moment as I still lack specific details but... I have made contact with some people who are interested in creating a comic book, made by Palestinian kids, telling their stories in this format. I think its a rockin' idea! I'm very excited to get involved.

More to come...

Free Gaza - Disturbing footage of Israeli soldiers

International activists are helping Palestinian fishermen from Gaza fish in the sea where they are allowed to fish. Israel soldiers appear to be using intense and extreme scare tactics by shooting at the boats.



Read more about this at the ISM's website.

Update on Free Gaza Movement

From the ISM website:

Free Gaza Movement is at sea again on the 8 mile limit off Gaza Harbour
August 25th, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, International Actions, Gaza Region

For Immediate Release

SS Free Gaza, with six Palestinian fishermen’s boats, is 8-miles off the coast of Gaza, being circled by three Israeli Dabur naval vessels. No shots have been fired. The fishing boats are continuing to exercise their right to fish and have not turned round, but the Free Gaza has just now turned round (10.15 a.m.). The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian Gazans a 20-mile limit off the coast of the Gaza Strip. Currently the Navy is enforcing a 6 mile limit, so the Free Gaza Movement has broken that naval blockade, too.

Updates from Prof. Jeff Halper on a fishing boat (not on the Free Gaza): 0542 002 642 or Huwaida Arraf also on a fishing boat: 0599 130 426

Angela Godfrey-Goldstein - Media Team Free Gaza Movement - 0547-366 393 (www.freegaza.org)

Free Gaza Boat Has Arrived

A group of 46 activists have arrived in Gaza! Amazing!!! They are delivering medical supplies. This is a triumph for the cause!

More Attacks in Hebron

This article is from the ISM website, the group I stayed with while teaching in Tel Rumeida last year. Reading this makes me feel so horrible for not going this summer. I know others are there, but I still feel very sad.

I have a feeling that it is the Al Jabari family that is having difficulties. I know from personal experience that this group of settlers at Kiryat Arba are radical and very violent. If you are in Palestine, please be sure to go to Hebron and observe and help. If you ever consider going, please do so!


Escalating settler violence in Hebron: Settlers attack internationals with pepper spray
July 20th, 2008 | Posted in Reports, Hebron Region

On Saturday settlers on two occasions attacked internationals with stones and pepper spray outside the Kiryat Arba in Hebron. The last days, following the arrival of a new Israeli troops with a decidedly more brutal and oppressive attitude, several incidents of harassment against Palestinians has taken place in Tel Rumedia and through out the city

After the arrival on Thursday of a new unit of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) the overall situation in Hebron has worsened considerably, according to both international activists and observers. Inside Tel Rumeida, the number of detentions of Palestinians have increased dramatically and seemingly random harassment and restrictions are abundant, making every day life for Palestinians even more difficult than usual. On Sunday the military arrested several persons from a Palestinian family for working their lands, and soldiers repeatedly occupied houses, apparently to be used as sniper and look out posts.

As two internationals on Saturday tried to perform a solidarity visit to a Palestinian family (lately the target of several attacks from settlers) living close to the Kiriyat Arba settlement they were attacked by a group of 5-10 young settlers and forced to leave the area. Israeli military, arriving at the scene made little to stop the harassment, despite that stones were thrown at the internationals, resulting in one slight injury.

In the afternoon settlers attacked a small group of Palestinians walking from their homes in the vicinity of the settlement. As internationals attempted to intervene they were once more attacked by settlers, this time also using pepper spray and destroying camera equipment. Like before, Israeli soldiers witnessing the events made little to stop the harassment. Abuse from settlers have escalated lately, in connection to the establishment of a small encampment in Palestinian lands outside the Kiriyat Arba, from where attacks on by-passers have been carried out. Despite numerous request from the TIPH and others to remove the settlers, the military has been reluctant to take action against the settlers.