Fleet of Free Gaza Movement ships to break Gaza siege

Free Gaza Movement to launch new fleet of ships

Date: 01 / 05 / 2009  Time:  16:41

Bethlehem – Ma’an – The Free Gaza Movement announced on Friday it plans to launch a new fleet of ships for the besieged Gaza Strip. “We sail again to break Israel’s blockade of 1.5 million civilians, 80% unemployed because of Israel’s draconian siege,” the group said in a statement to Ma’an. “I believe the Israeli government policies are against international law, against human rights, against the dignity of the Palestinian people,” said Mairead Maguire whose efforts for a peaceful solution to the violence in Northern Ireland earned her the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. “And I feel grateful to be able to go again on one of these boats to visit the people of Gaza.” The Free Gaza Movement will use the Free Gaza as the lead vessel in the flotilla. In August 2008, it was the first boat to dock in the Gaza port in 41 years. The movement intends to donate it to fishermen. The Dignity will carry Mairead as well as two other high-profile passengers, 84-year-old Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor and Cynthia McKinney, former Georgia congresswoman and candidate for US president under the Green Party. McKinney was on the Dignity when it was rammed three times by the Israeli navy on 30 December 2008. “We cannot let Israel’s threats and aggression deter us. To do so would give in to violence and concede that might is stronger than right. To do so would turn our backs on our brothers and sisters in Gaza who have been waiting far too long for the international community to stand up to this injustice,” said Huwaida Arraf, one of the delegation leaders on the Hope Fleet. “Our boats are a part of a larger flotilla making its way to Gaza loaded with humanitarian aid and building supplies such as generators and electronic equipment for hospital emergency machines,” the statement went on to say. “The people of Gaza need cement and lumber and PVC to rebuild their shattered infrastructure, and Israel refuses to allow anything into the small enclave except for food and some medicine.” “The Palestinians don’t want hand-outs from the international community. They want their lives back. They want their human and civil rights. They have a great labor force wanting to rebuild their communities. They are perfectly capable of that if their borders, including the sea border, were open,” states Lubna Masarwa, another delegation leader of this flotilla and a passenger on board the rammed Dignity. The group noted that in most of the world, May 1st is a day of international labor solidarity. It is a day of joy as workers picnic together with their families and celebrate the achievements of one of the most phenomenal movements of the 20th century. “It is fitting, then, that the Free Gaza Movement chooses May 1 to announce the launching of the Hope Fleet to Gaza,” they said. “We are leaving on June 1 as an act of solidarity with the Palestinians, a people who have been massacred, terrorized and suffocated by the Israeli military.” ***Get breaking news from Palestine: Click here to follow Ma’an on Twitter.

National Press Club unaware that Iranian ship bound for Gaza off-loaded cargo in Beirut

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/05/18568440.php

National Press Club unaware that Iranian ship bound for Gaza off-loaded cargo in Beirut

by al-masakin
Thursday Feb 5th, 2009 9:13 AM

National Press Club unaware that Iranian aid ship bound for Gaza off-loaded cargo in Beirut

NPC and the U.S. State Department caught off guard believing that Iranian aid ship bound for Gaza, which off-loaded its cargo in Beirut, transferring it to the Lebanese Red Crescent Society, was in Cyprus

npc_4feb.09.pdf
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By Edward Campbell

Missoula, Feb. 5 (Al-Masakin)—Members to the National Press Club, along with the State Department, at the morning press conference Feb. 4, mistakenly believed that the aid ship sent by Iran to Gaza was detained in Cyprus when the Associated Press along with Iran’s Press TV reported Jan. 29 that the ship had docked in Beirut.

“Admiral Mullen last week said yes, they kind of pulled over this ship, they let it go cause they didn’t think it had legal – that it had legal rights, but it’s still being basically held in Cyprus,” a member of the press was quoted as inquiring Feb. 4.

“Well, look, in terms of the ship and where it is and all of that, I really just don’t have that kind of information available at this point,” acting press secretary Robert Wood replied.

Admiral Mike Mullen said Jan. 27 that an Iranian ship bearing a Cypriot flag was

intercepted in the Red Sea and that that ship was carrying arms to Gaza. That it was turned away and was expected to dock in Syria.

Al-Masakin News Agency published Jan. 29 photographs taken by the recipient of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2008 Press Freedom Award Bilal Hussein (AP), one of five honored with that award in 2008, and Press TV’s detailed account indicating that the same ship, with great fanfare, had actually docked at the port of Beirut.

Moreover, the Iranian state news agency Fars reported today that the Iranian ship off-loaded in Beirut and transferred its cargo to the Lebanese Red Crescent Society which has accepted the responsibility to deliver the aid to Gaza.

Al-Masakin News Agency finds it rather unusual that an organization which prides itself on accuracy in media, and with such prestige, as the National Press Club could simply lose track not only of where this ship was, but evidently neglected to undertake any sort of journalistic investigation as to its true contents.

The assertion made by Admiral Mullen that the ship contained arms was not seriously disputed in the western press even after the State Department made it clear Feb. 4 that they knew neither whether the ship contained aid or arms, nor where the ship went.

Evidently the National Press Club is not particularly interested in the fact that a humanitarian aid package was turned away in international waters by an American warship which had no lawful authority to do so. The fact that the State Department did not know where a ship alleged to have been laden with Iranian arms had gone to is absurd, that the State Department made no serious inquiry into the ships contents tends to signify that the ship was simply turned away because it was Iranian, not because it was laden with arms.

The fact that Fars News Agency has claimed that the ship was intercepted not by an American warship but by an Israeli ship of war adds interest to this puzzle. Either the facts as reported in the media are at a great variance with the facts on the ground, or there was more than one ship.

Indeed there have been several humanitarian aid ships bound for Gaza including the SS Dignity which was rammed by an Israeli ship Dec. 30, 2008, the Spirit of Humanity turned away by Israel Jan. 15, the Lebanese ‘Brotherhood’ ship diverted to Ashdod today. In addition to these vessels there have been at least seven other attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in recent weeks, three of them successful. Israel began blockading humanitarian vessels bound for Gaza on Nov. 8, 2008.

EHC/EHC
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Al-Masakin News Agency
http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com/

Free Gaza Movement’s ‘Brotherhood Ship’ to depart Cyprus on Tuesday

Lebanese vessel to depart for Gaza Strip on Tuesday

Date: 02 / 02 / 2009  Time:  16:15

Gaza – Ma’an – A Lebanese ship will attempt to break Israel’s siege on Gaza this Tuesday, according to an announcement on Monday in the Strip. Organized by the Palestinian National Committee Against the Siege, in cooperation with the US-based Free Gaza Movement, the vessel will depart from Larnaca Port in Cyprus on Tuesday, organizers said. The committee said during a news conference in Gaza that the Brotherhood Ship, carrying 50 tons of aid from health, humanitarian and social organizations, is expected to take Palestinian and Lebanese figures to Gaza, including Patriarch Kaputch, Dahoud Mustafa and Hani Sulaiman. The National Committee and Free Gaza Movement both said they called on Israel to take responsibility for the lives of the ship’s passengers, appealing to the navy not to damage the ship this time. In late December, a Free Gaza ship successfully landed and unloaded three tons of medical supplies in the Gaza Port, but was assailed by Israeli Naval ships which opened fire on the vessel. According to organizers of the movement one Israeli gunboat rammed into the SS Dignity on the port bow side heavily damaging the ship. The Israeli army reported that the Dignity was on a collision course and did not alter their route despite warnings that the Gaza Strip was a closed military zone and entry would not be allowed.

Free Gaza Movement’s ‘Spirit of Humanity’ stopped by Israeli Navy 100 miles of the coast of Gaza

Israel’s navy stops medical aid boat en route to Gaza

Date: 15 / 01 / 2009  Time:  11:00

Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israel’s Navy forced a ship carrying more than a ton of medical supplies to the Gaza Strip to turn back on the high seas early on Thursday morning. According to the human rights advocates who chartered the 22-meter Spirit of Humanity, Israeli gunboats surrounded the ship in international waters, about 100 miles from Gaza. Organizers at the Free Gaza organization said they sent an official notification to the Israeli government informing them of their intention to sail to Gaza in defiance of a naval blockade. Cypriot authorities inspected the boat before it left the port of Lanarca on Tuesday. According to passengers on the boat, the Israeli warships radioed the Spirit of Humanity and then surrounded the ship, threatening to shoot if it did not turn back. The ship is carrying 21 passengers, including doctors, journalists, and European members of parliament, as well as a shipment of bandages, IV bags, antibiotics and other medicines for Gaza hospitals. Free Gaza organized four successful voyages to Gaza since August, 2008. The last attempt, however, ended on 30 December when an Israeli gunboat rammed another ship, the Dignity, which was then diverted to Lebanon for repairs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Free Gaza Movement’s “Spirit of Humanity” departs Cyprus for Gaza

THE FREE GAZA MOVEMENT

(Cyprus, 11 January 2009) – The Free Gaza Movement ship, “SPIRIT OF HUMANITY,” left Larnaca Port at 3:00 pm, Monday, 12 January, on an emergency mission to besieged Gaza. It is expected to arrive in Gaza at approximately 11am (UST) Tuesday morning. Aboard the ship are 36 passengers and crew, representing 17 different nations. They are doctors, journalists, human rights workers, and five European parliamentarians representing Belgium, Greece, Italy, and Spain (see below for a complete passenger list). The mercy ship also carries desperately needed medical supplies meant for hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

This voyage marks Free Gaza’s second attempt to break through the blockade since Israel began attacking Gaza on 27 December. Between August and December 2008, the Free Gaza Movement successfully challenged the Israeli blockade five times, landing the first international ships in the port of Gaza since 1967.

 The Israeli military violently attacked an earlier attempt by the Free Gaza Movement to send an emergency boat filled with doctors and medical supplies to Gaza. In the early hours of Tuesday, 30 December, the Israeli navy deliberately, repeatedly, and without warning rammed the unarmed ship, the DIGNITY, causing significant structural damage and endangering the lives of its passengers and crew. The DIGNITY found safe harbor in Lebanon, and is currently awaiting repairs.

 Shortly before the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY left Cyprus today, the Cypriot authorities informed the Free Gaza Movement that the Israeli government had officially contacted their embassy in Tel Aviv, and warned them that they felt “justified” in using “any means available” to forcibly prevent the mercy ship from arriving in Gaza. At the request of the ship’s organizers, the Cypriot authorities searched the ship prior to its departure to certify that it only carried medical supplies.

Fouad Ahidar, a member of the Belgian Parliament sailing to Gaza aboard the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, responded to concerns that Israel may attack the unarmed ship by saying, “I have five children that are very worried about me, but I told them: ‘you can sit on your couch and watch these atrocities on the television, or you can choose to take action to make them stop.’”

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have injured thousands of civilians and killed over 900 people, including hundreds of women and children. This ongoing Israeli massacre severely and massively violates international humanitarian law defined by the Geneva Conventions, especially the obligations of an Occupying Power and the requirements of the laws of war. 

The United Nations has failed to protect the Palestinian civilian population from Israel’s massive violations of international humanitarian law. Israel has closed off Gaza from the international community and demanded that all foreigners leave. But Huwaida Arraf, an organizer with the Free Gaza Movements, stated that, “We cannot just sit by and wait for Israel to decide to stop the killing and open the borders for relief workers to pick up the pieces. We are coming in. There is an urgent need for this mission as Palestinian civilians in Gaza are being terrorized and slaughtered by Israel, and access to humanitarian relief denied to them. When states and the international bodies responsible for taking action to stop such atrocities chose to be impotent, then we–the citizens of the world–must act. Our common humanity demands nothing less.” 

Israel has been notified that we are coming. A copy of the notification to the Israeli Authorities is attached. The Free Gaza Movement will hold Israel responsible for any harm that may be done to the ship or its passengers.

Free Gaza Movement’s new SS “Spirit of Humanity” departed Port Larnaca Monday, expected to arrive at Gaza Tuesday

“Humanity” boat leaves Larnaca on Monday heading to Gaza

[ 12/01/2009 - 10:23 AM ]

NICOSIA, (PIC)– The Palestinian international campaign to lift the siege on Gaza Strip said that the Free Gaza movement is organizing a new sea voyage that would set sail from the Cypriot port of Larnaca to the Strip on Monday in a fresh solidarity mission with the people of Gaza. The campaign said in a statement that the “Humanity” boat would carry with it a number of European MPs, doctors, human rights activists and journalists along with medicines, medical supplies and humanitarian aid. It added that doctors would head to hospitals immediately on arrival to Gaza to help in treating the wounded in the ongoing Israeli savage onslaught on the beleaguered Strip. The campaign recalled that the Israeli occupation forces’ navy boats had deliberately hit the “Dignity” boat on 30/12/2008 when it was trying to reach Gaza endangering the lives of all those on board and forcing it to change its route and head to the Lebanese coasts. It pointed to the importance of the sea voyage in the light of the “catastrophic conditions” in the Strip as a result of the “savage massacres” committed by the IOF troops against Palestinian civilians. It charged the Israeli occupation authority with violating all international doctrines and treaties through targeting civilians and civil institutions in a way tantamount to “war crimes”. The campaign finally held the IOA fully responsible for the lives of all those on board the “Humanity” boat and the safety of the boat.

Free Gaza Movement sends new aid ship ‘Spirit of Humanity’ to aid Gaza

Free Gaza Movement sends new aid ship from Cyprus

Date: 11 / 01 / 2009  Time:  15:36

Bethlehem – Ma’an – The US-based aid organization famous for sending multiple siege-breaking vessels to the Gaza Strip announced plans on Sunday to send another from Cyprus. The Free Gaza Movement’s ship, the Spirit of Humanity, is set to arrive at the Gaza City Wharf on Tuesday, the group said in a statement to Ma’an. It has notified Israeli authorities of its intentions. The Spirit will leave the Cypriot port city of Larnaca at noon on Monday, the movement said, on an emergency mission to besieged Gaza. The ship will carry desperately needed doctors, journalists, human rights workers and members of several European parliaments, as well as medical supplies. This voyage marks Free Gaza’s second attempt to break through the blockade since Israel began attacking the Gaza Strip on 27 December. Between August and December 2008, the Free Gaza Movement successfully challenged the Israeli blockade five times, landing the first international ships in the port of Gaza since 1967. The Israeli military violently attacked an earlier attempt by the Free Gaza Movement to send an emergency boat filled with doctors and medical supplies to Gaza. The ship found safe harbor in Lebanon and is currently awaiting repairs. In the early hours of Tuesday, 30 December, Israel’s navy “deliberately, repeatedly, and without warning rammed the unarmed ship, the Dignity, causing significant structural damage and endangering the lives of its passengers and crew,” the group said. Fouad Ahidar, a member of the Belgian Parliament sailing to Gaza aboard the Spirit, responded to concerns that Israel may attack the unarmed mercy ship by saying, “I have five children that are very worried about me.” “I told them, you can sit on your couch and watch these atrocities on the television, or you can choose to take action to make them stop,” he added. Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have injured thousands of civilians and killed over 800 people, including scores of women and children. “This ongoing Israeli massacre severely and massively violates international humanitarian law defined by the Geneva Conventions, especially the obligations of an Occupying Power and the requirements of the laws of war,” the group said. The United Nations has failed to protect the Palestinian civilian population from Israel’s massive violations of international humanitarian law, Free Gaza added. Israel has also closed off Gaza from the international community and demanded that all foreigners leave. But Huwaida Arraf, an organizer with the Free Gaza Movement, said that “we cannot just sit by and wait for Israel to decide to stop the killing and open the borders for relief workers to pick up the pieces. We are coming in.” “There is an urgent need for this mission as Palestinian civilians in Gaza are being terrorized and slaughtered by Israel, and access to humanitarian relief denied to them,” Arraf said. “When states and the international bodies responsible for taking action to stop such atrocities chose to be impotent, then we–the citizens of the world–must act. Our common humanity demands nothing less,” Arraf said. The Free Gaza Movement also sent Ma’an a copy of an official notification letter as evidence that Israeli authorities are well aware of their intentions.

Crew of the Free Gaza Movement’s ‘SS Dignity” vows to return to Gaza

Free Gaza Movement warns Israel: We’re coming back

Date: 08 / 01 / 2009  Time:  00:28

Bethlehem – Ma’an – On Wednesday the Free Gaza Movement “put Israel on notice” that it is sending another emergency boat to Gaza. “We will announce our exact departure date, time and route in the next few days. We will travel from Cypriot waters into international waters, then directly into Gaza territorial waters, never nearing Israeli waters,” the group insisted in a statement. Ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed nearly 700 Palestinians, including many children and women, and injured as many as 3,000. “These acts by Israel are severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined by the Geneva Conventions, both in regards to the obligations of an occupying power and in the requirements of the laws of war,” the group said. Free Gaza also said the United Nations has failed to protect the Palestinian civilian population from Israel’s “massive violations of international humanitarian law.” “Therefore, we concerned citizens from Belgium, Columbia, France, Canada, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Kuwait, Scotland, Spain, and the United States, feel that it is our moral duty to try to do just that (protect Palestinians),” they said. The Israeli military violently attacked an earlier attempt by the Free Gaza Movement to send an emergency boat filled with doctors and medical supplies to Gaza. The attack was documented by a CNN reporter and US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who were both on board. “In the early hours of Tuesday, 30 December, the Israeli Navy rammed our boat, the Dignity, in international waters. Neither the Dignity, nor its passengers and crew constituted any kind of threat to Israel, and the Israeli government had been alerted to the boat’s mission the previous day,” activists on board the vessel told Ma’an. “Yet we were violently rammed three times on the side without any warning from the Israeli Navy, in an obvious attempt to disable the vessel, jeopardizing the lives of the 16 passengers on board,” they said. “We are not deterred by the violence of the Israeli military and intend to sail to Gaza again and again. We are physicians, journalists, members of parliament and human rights observers who intend to reach the people of Gaza to deliver much-needed medical aid and witness the atrocities being committed against the Palestinians there,” they said. “We are willing to put our bodies on the line to stop Israel’s unlawful massacres of the Palestinian people,” the group said, noting that activists have received death threats warning them not to attempt another siege-breaking mission. Regardless, the Free Gaza says it still intends to “bring the attention of the world to the war crimes happening in Gaza against 1.5 million Palestinians.”