Free Gaza Boats

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July 6, 2009

Cynthia McKinney and the Kidnapping of the Spirit of Humanity, Franklin Lamb http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb07062009.html
Israel deports foreign activists http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h6BGXRIZf8Bd4lMcVCrsbWMzWhEQD99924601
Our IDF, Gideon Levy http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1098053.html

JULY 3, 2009

Larnaca, Cypus, July 3, 2009: This morning, the five kidnapped passengers from Bahrain left Israel via a private jet sent by their king. They will hold a press conference in Bahrain tonight at 7 pm Bahrain time. The two Al Jazeera journalists will be freed sometime today, their equipment given back to them but not the footage of the Israeli terrorist frogmen boarding the boat and roughing up some of the passengers.

All passengers are fine, but they are still imprisoned by a country that illegally boarded their small boat, towed it, and confiscated the supplies that had already been inspected in Cyprus.

The following message has come from Captain Denis inside the prison cell in Israel where he is being held, along with 11 more of our passengers, including former Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire.

“At least four of us went to a hearing yesterday, and we were told we were going to be deported. However, they did not tell us where we were going or when. The boat has been impounded and all of the charts stolen by the Israeli navy. The people at the prison told us we would get all of our stuff back today, but, so far, that has not been true.

It appears as though the Israeli government is drilling for natural gas in the buffer zone. That gas belongs to the people of Gaza. It seems to be one of their reasons for stopping us, perhaps they’re worried that we may go back and tell the world what we have seen.”

When asked if he thought the Free Gaza Movement would go again, his response was, “Of course. We’re going to get another boat, or more than one boat and we will head toward Gaza again.”

Family & Friends of Free Gaza detainee Alex Harrison will be holding a protest outside the Israeli Embassy in London today in support of the immediate release of all the remaining activists, and calling for the Spirit of Humanity, its passengers and crew to be allowed to complete its mission of traveling to Gaza. Please join them in support and solidarity!  Friday, 3rd July; starting at 5 p.m., Israeli Embassy
2 Palace Green, Kensington, London, W8 4QB http://www.freegaza.org
Mairead Maguire tells of Israel arrest http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8131851.stm and http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/mairead-my-terror-as-israelis-seized-aid-boat-14380688.html
“Spirit of Humanity” Test´s Obama´s Resolve http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/108349

Bahraini delegation visits Israel to collect the 5 Bahraini ‘Free Gaza’ detainees http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443714031&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Update:  JULY 2, 2009

A spokesman for the Israeli embassy says that McKinney and the others will likely be released by Sunday, but complained that McKinney “is not cooperating with the authorities.” Israel is reportedly demanded that McKinney sign a document admitting to illegally entering Israeli territory.  http://news.antiwar.com/2009/07/02/un-expert-israeli-seizure-of-ship-unlawful/
2 of the 21 activists detained by Israel are Israeli citizens and they have been released http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/world/middleeast/03gaza.html?ref=global-home
The defamation of Cynthia McKinney and other violations of her human rights, Ray Hanania http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the_defamation_of_cynthia_mckinney_and_other_violations_of_her_human_rights/0017437
Irish FM calls on Israel to release citizens on Gaza boat http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=&section=middleeast&xfile=data/middleeast/2009/July/middleeast_July51.xml
Irish government official accuses Israel of terrorism over Gaza boat http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0702/1224249907834.html
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Speaks from Israeli Jail Cell After Arrest on Boat Delivering Humanitarian Aid to Gaza (interviewed by Amy Goodman) http://www.democracynow.org/2009/7/2/nobel_peace_laureate_mairead_maguire_speaks
UN expert says Israeli seizure of aid ship a crime http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSL2879277

Update:  JULY 1, 2009 12:40 p.m.

There will be PROTESTS TODAY:  New York - Wed., July 1 from 4pm to 6 pm at the Israeli Mission, 43rd St. & 2nd Avenue (for more information call (212) 633-6646) and Los Angeles - Wed., July 1 from 4pm to 7 pm at the Israeli Consulate, 6380 Wilshire Blvd (for more information call (323) 306-6240)

Activists plan March to break Gaza siege http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/onward-to-victory/
Gaza: 1.5 million people trapped in despair http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/palestine-report-260609/$File/gaza-report-ICRC-eng.pdf
Plight of Palestinians getting worse, UN warns http://www.adn.com/nation/story/849816.html

Update:  JUNE 30, 2009, 17:15 p.m.

ADC CONDEMNS ISRAELI ACTION

Washington, DC | June 30, 2009 | http://www.adc.org | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) condemns the Israeli naval commandeering of a ship carrying humanitarian supplies to the besieged territory of Gaza.  The ship, which left from the Cypirot port of Larnaca, was approximately 20 miles off the coast of Gaza when it was board by Israeli Navy personnel and redirected to the city of Ashdod.

The ship was flying a Greek flag and traveled through international waters but was stopped during their approach to the occupied Gaza Strip. The “Spirit of Humanity” is crewed by a number of humanitarian activists from across the globe including former Congresswoman Cynthia Mckinney and Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire. Reports indicate that all of the ship’s 21 crew members have been taken into custody by Israel.

The siege of the Gaza Strip has continued unabated for over two years and badly needed reconstruction aid has been prevented from entering the Strip after the 22-day war on Gaza this past winter.  Recently, President Obama called for humanitarian supplies to be permitted to enter the Gaza Strip and a number of members of Congress have traveled to the Strip and remarked on the dire circumstances facing the impoverished civilian population.

ADC echoes the calls of President Obama and others who have called for an end to the inhumane siege of the Gaza Strip, the immediate release of the human rights activists who were aboard the ship, and stern repercussions for the flagrant and continuing Israeli violations of international law.

You can take a moment to send a note to your member of Congress and President Obama demanding the release of the crew members of the “Spirit of Humanity” and an end to the siege by clicking here:  Tell Your Representatives to End the Siege of Gaza Now!

Update: JUNE 30, 2009 17:00 p.m.

MPAC CALLS ON OBAMA & CLINTON TO DEMAND ISRAELI RELEASE OF FORMER U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN & 21 HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES

(Washington, DC - 6/30/09)—The Muslim Public Affairs Council today called on President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to call for the immediate release of a former U.S. Congresswoman and 21 human rights workers by Israeli naval forces.

Earlier today, Israeli naval forces intercepted and captured a small boat called “The Spirit of Humanity,” which was carrying medical supplies, cement, olive trees and children’s toys to Gaza. Former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Noble laureate Mairead Maguire are among the nearly two dozen people captured by Israeli forces.

“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,” McKinney said in the statement, released today by the Free Gaza Movement, which owns the humanitarian boat. “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.”

The 1.5 million residents of the Gaza Strip have been under an intense and crippling blockade for nearly two years. The humanitarian crisis has reached desperate levels. Today, three-quarters of Palestinians are unemployed and rely on U.N. and other humanitarian groups for their daily sustenance.

President Obama, Secretary Clinton and our Congress should also demand an immediate end to the crippling blockade on Gaza.

Update:  JUNE 30, 2009, 15:30 p.m.

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

[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.”

PASSENGERS ON ‘SPIRIT OF HUMANITY’ WHO WERE DETAINED BY ISRAEL: 

Khalad Abdelkader, Bahrain - Khalad is an engineer representing the Islamic Charitable Association of Bahrain.

Othman Abufalah, Jordan - Othman is a world-renowned journalist with al-Jazeera TV.

Khaled Al-Shenoo, Bahrain - Khaled is a lecturer with the University of Bahrain.

Mansour Al-Abi, Yemen - Mansour is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera TV.

Fatima Al-Attawi, Bahrain - Fatima is a relief worker and community activist from Bahrain.

Juhaina Alqaed, Bahrain - Juhaina is a journalist & human rights activist.

Huwaida Arraf, US - Huwaida is the Chair of the Free Gaza Movement and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Ishmahil Blagrove, UK - Ishmahil is a Jamaican-born journalist, documentary film maker and founder of the Rice & Peas film production company. His documentaries focus on international struggles for social justice.

Kaltham Ghloom, Bahrain - Kaltham is a community activist.

Derek Graham, Ireland - Derek Graham is an electrician, Free Gaza organizer, and first mate aboard the Spirit of Humanity.

Alex Harrison, UK - Alex is a solidarity worker from Britain. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Denis Healey, UK - Denis is Captain of the Spirit of Humanity. This will be his fifth voyage to Gaza.

Fathi Jaouadi, UK - Fathi is a British journalist, Free Gaza organizer, and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Mairead Maguire, Ireland - Mairead is a Nobel laureate and renowned peace activist.

Lubna Masarwa, Palestine/Israel - Lubna is a Palestinian human rights activist and Free Gaza organizer.

Theresa McDermott, Scotland - Theresa is a solidarity worker from Scotland. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Cynthia McKinney, US - Cynthia McKinney is an outspoken advocate for human rights and social justice issues, as well as a=2 0former U.S. congressperson and presidential candidate.

Adnan Mormesh, UK - Adnan is a solidarity worker from Britain. He is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Adam Qvist, Denmark - Adam is a solidarity worker from Denmark. He is traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

Adam Shapiro, US - Adam is an American documentary film maker and human rights activist.

Kathy Sheetz, US - Kathy is a nurse and film maker, traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

Update: JUNE 30, 2009 - “ALL WE WANT IS TO REACH GAZA. WE DO NOT SEEK A CONFRONTATION.”

Activists aboard Gaza justice boat demand they be allowed to visit their friends & family in besieged Gaza, and deliver their cargo of medical supplies, children’s toys, and reconstruction kits. They invite the world to join them.

(At Sea, 60km off the coast of the Gaza Strip) - Human Rights activists aboard the Free Gaza ship, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, today demanded that the Israeli Navy immediately stop threatening them.

“This aid is desperately needed by the people of Gaza,” said Mairead Maguire, winner of the Noble Peace Prize and Pacem in Terris Award for her work in Northern Ireland. “President Obama has called upon the Palestinians to abandon violence but Israel is denying them the right to non-violently resist the siege of Gaza.”

The unarmed justice ship departed Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7:30am Monday with its crew of 21 human rights activists, humanitarian workers and journalists from 11 different countries, including Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The boat, a converted ferry, hopes to arrive in Gaza Tuesday afternoon, following a grueling 30 hour sea voyage.

At 1:30am, Israeli warships surrounded the small civilian boat and threatened to open fire if they did not turn around. When the activists refused to be intimidated, Israeli Occupation Forces began jamming their instrumentation, blocking their GPS, radar, and navigation systems. This jamming was in direct violation of international maritime law, threatening the welfare and safety of the civilian ship.

Responding to this intimidation, Congresswoman McKinney declared, “I am extremely angry. We demand that the Israeli government call off their attack dogs. We are unarmed civilians aboard an unarmed boat delivering medical and reconstruction aid to other human beings in Gaza. Why in God’s name would Israel want to attack us?”

Huwaida Arraf, Chairperson of the Free Gaza movement and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage, said, “All we want is to reach Gaza. We want to visit our friends and deliver our cargo of medical supplies, children’s toys, and reconstruction materials. Our ship was searched and received security clearance from the Port Authorities in Cyprus before we departed.”

Arraf continued, “We do not seek a confrontation. We have traveled from Cypriot waters to international waters and will enter Gazan waters. We’ve never gone anywhere near Israel. Israel’s closure of Gaza is an act of collective punishment and a blatant violation of international law. We call upon our governments to take action to uphold their obligations under the Fourth Geneva Conventions. If they won’t or until they do, we will act. We will come to Gaza again and again until this brutal siege is broken. We invite the good people of the world to join us.”

Free Gaza boats are the first international ships in 41 years to sail to the Gaza Strip. Since August 2008, the Free Gaza Movement has organized 8 sea missions, successfully arriving to Gaza on 5 separate occasions. One two earlier occasions, Israeli Occupation Forces used violence to stop the ships, physically ramming and almost sinking the DIGNITY boat in December 2008, and threatening to fire on and kill unarmed passengers in January 2008. The fate of this, the eighth mission to Gaza, is still uncertain.
###

Update: June 30, 2009 - Israel, Call Off Your Attack Dogs

1:15 a.m.  We just spoke to the passengers. Everyone is OK, but the situation is still very tense. They continue to be surrounded by Israeli warships which are threatening to open fire. The Israeli Navy is actively jamming all navigation systems in violation of international maritime law, endangering the people on board.

Former U.S. Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, speaking from on board the SPIRIT, stated, “I am extremely angry. We demand that the Israeli government call off their attack dogs. We are unarmed civilians aboard an unarmed boat delivering medical and reconstruction aid to other human beings in Gaza. Why in God’s name would Israel want to attack us and threaten our safety and welfare. I call on President Obama and the international community to intervene now to prevent this situation from escalating with potentially drastic results to the civilians on board.”

Since the boat’s navigation equipment is being jammed, it has turned westward in order to stay in international waters.The Captain and crew are working from the most ancient of navigation equipment…the compass to stay clear of Israeli waters.

JUNE 29, 2009:  Urgent Alert - Israeli Navy surrounding SPIRIT and threatening to open fire   at 23:57 p.m.

At 1:40 am, the Israeli Navy surrounded the SPIRIT while in international waters off the coast of Israel as it is on its way to the Gaza Strip. We got a call from the boat saying that they were being threatened, told to turn back or they would be fired on.

Huwaida Arraf, one of the delegation leaders, was on the phone with the Israeli gunboats, and we could hear her saying, “You Cannot Open Fire on Unarmed Civilians” several times. At this writing, they are surrounded by several ships shining bright lights into the SPIRIT.

We just heard from the people on board the boat. The Israeli navy is jamming the radio and preventing navigation systems from working. This action is in direct violation of International and Maritime law.

If anything happens to the boat or its passengers, it will be the direct result of Israel’s aggressive response to a civilian boat taking unarmed passengers to Gaza. The Free Gaza Movement holds the government of Israel responsible for the safety and security of the passengers on board the SPIRIT. 

We would like to emphasize that the boat is in international waters, and, as such, falls under the protection of international law.

June 29, 2009 - Boats Leave Cyprus

(LARNACA, 29 June 2009) - The Free Gaza boat the “Spirit of Humanity” departed Cyprus at 7:30am on Monday, 29 June. Twenty-one human rights and solidarity workers representing eleven different countries were aboard. The passengers include Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The ship also carries three tons of medical aid, children’s toys, and rehabilitation and reconstruction kits for twenty family homes.

Over 2,400 homes were destroyed in Gaza during the Israeli massacre in December/January, 490 of them by F-16 airstrikes, as well as 30 mosques, 29 educational institutions, 29 medical centers, 10 charitable organizations, and 5 cement factories.

Each kit carries a small amount of supplies for a single family, representing sectors of civil society currently being blockaded by Israel: Agriculture, Building & Reconstruction, Education, Electricity, Health, and Water & Sanitation. Although over 4 billion dollars in aid was promised to Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli onslaught, little humanitarian aid and no reconstruction supplies have been allowed in.

June 25, 2009, LARNACA) -  Free Gaza Boats Did Not Leave Cyprus Today

This is not the statement we in the Free Gaza Movement intended to release today. We had hoped to announce that our two ships, the Free Gaza and the Spirit of Humanity, departed from Larnaca Port on a 30-hour voyage to besieged Gaza, carrying human rights activists who have travelled to Cyprus from all across the world for this journey, 3 tons of medical supplies, and 15 tons of badly needed concrete and reconstruction supplies.

Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire, returning for her second trip to Gaza aboard one of our ships, said “[The people of Gaza] must know that we have not and will not forget them.”

That was our hope, but that is not what happened.

Instead, our ships were not given permission to leave today due to concerns about our welfare and safety. Our friends in Cyprus tell us that the voyage to Gaza is too dangerous, and they are worried we will be harmed at sea.

Cyprus has been a wonderful home for the Free Gaza Movement over these last 10 months. Cypriots know first hand the terrible consequences of occupation. They too know what it is to suffer from violence, injustice, and exile. Since our first voyage to break through the siege of Gaza, the Cypriot authorities have been extremely helpful and understanding of our goals and intentions.

The journey to Gaza is dangerous. The Israeli navy rammed our flagship, the Dignity, when we attempted to deliver medical supplies to Gaza during their vicious assault in December/January. Israel has previously threatened to open fire on our unarmed ships, rather than allow us to deliver humanitarian and reconstruction supplies to the people of Gaza.

The risks we take on these trips are tiny compared to the risks imposed every day upon the people of Gaza.

The purpose of nonviolent direct action and civil resistance is to take risks - to put ourselves “in the way” of injustice. We take these risks well aware of what the possible consequences may be. We do so because the consequences of doing nothing are so much worse. Anytime we allow ourselves to be bullied, every time we pass by an evil and ignore it - we lower our standards and allow our world to be made that much harsher and unjust for us all.

In addition to the concerns expressed by our Cypriot friends today, the American consulate in Nicosia warned us not to go to Gaza, stating that:

“…[T]he Israeli Foreign Ministry informed U.S. officials at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv that Israel still considers Gaza an area of conflict and that any Free Gaza boats attempting to sail to the Gaza Strip will “not be permitted” to reach its destination.”

Former U.S. Congresswoman & presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney responded to this warning by pointing out that, “The White House says that cement and medical supplies should get into Gaza and that’s exactly what we are attempting to take to Gaza.”

“Instead of quoting Israel policy to us,” McKinney continued, “…the U.S. should send a message to Israel reiterating the reported White House position that the blockade of Gaza should be eased, that medical supplies and building materials, including cement, should be allowed in. The Free Gaza boats should be allowed to reach their destination, traveling from Cyprus territorial waters, through international waters, and straight into Gaza territorial waters.”

“The State Department has chosen to advise us to take the Israeli notification seriously.  Our question is, ‘Can we take President Obama seriously?’  Will he stand by his own words and allow us to provide relief for Gaza or will he back down?”

Tomorrow we will deliver a waiver, signed by all going to Gaza, that we absolve Cyprus of all responsibility for our safety. We would like to tell our friends here in Cyprus that though we understand and appreciate their concerns, we will not back down to Israel’s threats and intimidation.

###

Free Gaza Website is at http://www.freegaza.org

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

CALL or FAX Major Liebovitz from the Israeli Navy at:
Tel + 972 5 781 86248 or +972 3737 7777 or +972 3737 6242
Fax +972 3737 6123 or +972 3737 7175

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister’s office at:
Tel +972 2670 5354 or +972 5 0620 3264
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
Tel +972 3697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

CONTACT the

tel: +972 2646 6666 or +972 2646 6340
fax: +972 2646 6357

CONTACT the

tel: +972 2530 3111
fax: +972 2530 3367

Call the office of

at (202) 647-5291 to urge the State Department to demand the immediate release of former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and the other 21 human rights workers on board “The Spirit of Humanity” when it was captured and that Israel ends its brutal and crippling blockade of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Click here http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/  to get information to contact your members of Congress directly to call for the release of McKinney and the humanitarian workers, and to apply pressure on Israel to end the blockade AND/OR click here http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/t/2439/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27540 to send a letter to the Israeli

demanding that The Spirit of Humanity’s passengers and crew are released! AND/OR click here to send a letter to your congressperson http://capwiz.com/adc/issues/alert/?alertid=13656986

CONTACT the

to ask for their assistance in establishing the wellbeing of the kidnapped human rights workers and help in securing their immediate release!

Red Cross Israel
tel: +972 3524 5286
fax: +972 3527 0370
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Red Cross Switzerland:
tel: +41 22 730 3443
fax: +41 22 734 8280

Red Cross USA:
tel: +1 212 599 6021
fax: +1 212 599 6009

to be delivered to: To: President President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Congressional leaders, U.N. General Assembly President d’Escoto-Brockmann, U.N. Secretary General Ban, members of the U.N. Security Council, U.N. member states, and the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet and Opposition leader of Israel http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/gazashippetition/

.  Start with these numbers:  The New York Times 212-556-5272; Los Angeles Times 800-252-9141; Boston Herald 617-426-3000; Chicago Tribune 800-874-2863; and please call your local newspaper, radio station, or television news program.

For more information, please contact: Greta Berlin (English/French) or Caoimhe Butterly (English/Arabic/Spanish) at 00357 99 081 767 / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  http://www.freegaza.org

SEE ALSO:

Activists to continue boat trips to blockaded Gaza even after seizure of boat http://www.pr-inside.com/activists-to-continue-boat-trips-to-r1358792.htm
Activists plan March in Gaza to break Gaza siege http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=103669
The defamation of Cynthia McKinney and other violations of her human rights, Ray Hanania http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the_defamation_of_cynthia_mckinney_and_other_violations_of_her_human_rights/0017437
Arab League condemns Israeli actions http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/01/content_11629976.htm
Hedy Epstein, 84 Year Old Holocaust Survivor, Attacked in St. Louis - unable to leave on Gaza boat, Bill Ramsey http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/hedy_epstein_84_year_old_holocaust_survivor_attacked_in_st_louis/
How Israel’s naval blockade denies Gazans food, aid http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0701/p06s02-wome.html
Israel Attacks Gaza-bound Aid Ship, Kidnaps Activists http://news.antiwar.com/2009/06/30/israel-attacks-gaza-bound-aid-ship-captures-activists/
Israel stops aid ship to Gaza http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009630134729211311.html
Israel to deport peace activists sailing to Gaza http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3739604,00.html
Israeli navy commandeers Gaza aid boat http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/30/AR2009063000788.html
Israeli warships threatened to open fire http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=2749&click_id=2749&art_id=nw20090630105912145C658995&set_id=6
Letter from an Israeli jail, Cynthia McKinney http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/letter_from_an_israeli_jail/0017440
Cynthia McKinney Demands Immediate Release After Her Gaza-Bound Boat is Seized by Israeli Navy http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/30/cynthia-mckinney-aboard-boat-seized-israeli-navy-demands-immediate-release/
Navy stops Free Gaza boat from reaching the Gaza Strip, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246296532288&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Pirates of the Mediterranean, Paul Craig Roberts http://vdare.com/roberts/090630_pirates.htm
PIRATES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN: Part II, Yvonne Ridley http://palestinethinktank.com/2009/07/01/pirates-of-the-mediterranean-part-ii/
The Pirates of Zion: Obama misses the Boat,  Dr. Alan Sabrosky http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/200907011471/Opinion/the-pirates-of-zion-obama-misses-the-boat.html
US remains silent over McKinney arrest by Israel http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=99532&sectionid=351020202
We are NOT the “Story”, It’s Not Just Our 21 Kidnapped Passengers http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/07/01-0

About previous Free Gaza voyages:
An Israeli Jew in Gaza, Jeff Halper http://www.counterpunch.org/halper08052008.html
End of an Odyssey, Jeff Halper http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_boats_end_of_an_odyssey/
Free Gaza Boats Arrive in Gaza http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_boats_arrive_in_gaza/
Free Gaza Boats Being Prepared, Paul Larudee http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_boats_being_prepared/
Free Gaza & Liberty Boats Arrive in Cyprus with Palestinians on Board http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_liberty_boats_arrive_in_cyprus_with_palestinians_on_board/
Free Gaza Boats:  Mary’s Report, Mary Hughes http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_boats_gone_fishing/
Free Gaza Project Already Big Success - Israeli Responses, Anis Hamadeh http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_project_already_big_success_israeli_responses/
Gaza Fishing Boats Accompanied by Human Rights Workers Return Safely, Vittorio Arrigoni http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza_fishing_boats_accompanied_by_human_rights_workers_return_safely/
Gone Fishing, Greta Berlin http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/free_gaza_boats_gone_fishing1/
Human Rights Workers Denied Exit Through Erez Checkpoint and Rafah Checkpoint http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/human_rights_workers_denied_exit_through_erez_checkpoint_and_rafah_checkpoi/
Human Rights Workers to Accompany Gaza Fishermen on Monday http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/human_rights_workers_to_accompany_gaza_fishermen_on_monday/
“I was not prepared for all the horrors that I saw”:  An Interview with Hedy Epstein, Silvia Cattori http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/palestine_i_was_not_prepared_for_all_the_horrors_that_i_saw_an_interview_wi/
In besieged Gaza, Journal of a voyage: A call for civil disobedience, Gideon Spiro http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/in_besieged_gaza_journal_of_a_voyage_a_call_for_civil_disobedience/
Is Gaza under occupation or not? Free Gaza boats about to find out more, Anis Hamadeh http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/is_gaza_under_occupation_or_not_free_gaza_boats_about_to_find_out_more/
Israeli Naval Vessels Firing on Unarmed Fishing Boats & Human Rights Workers http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/israeli_naval_vessels_firing_on_unarmed_fishing_boats_human_rights_workers/
Israeli Patrol Boat Rammed Civilian Mercy Ship (12-08 trip), Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/israeli_patrol_boat_rammed_civilian_mercy_ship/
“Nam, Nehnu Nastatyeh!” is Arabic for “Yes, We Can!”, Ramzi Kysia http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza_boat/
Net closes in on Gaza fisherman http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article702377.ece
The SS Free Gaza & SS Liberty are on their Way to Gaza!  http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza_boats_the_ss_free_gaza_ss_liberty_are_on_their_way_to_gaza/
Statement from the International Human Rights Workers Aboard the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/a_statement_from_the_international_human_rights_workers_aboard_the_ss_free_/
Threats and Intimidation, Ramzi Kysia http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza_boats_threats_and_intimidation/
Yes We Can - Standing Up for Justice in the Middle East, Ramzi Kysia http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza_boats_yes_we_can_standing_up_for_justice_in_the_middle_east/

BACKGROUND:
Gaza “war” article collection http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gaza/0017059