Free Gaza Movement Continues To Break Israeli Siege
19 Sep 2008 10:17 GMTAfter a successful initial breaking of Israel's siege on Gaza on August 24th when the Free Gaza Movement's boats, "Liberty" and "Free Gaza", both reached their destination greeted by thousand of welcomers in Gaza the struggle continues to open all borders as promised.
While the boats returned to Cyprus August 29th carrying a number of Palestinians out of Gaza a few activists stayed and continue to support Palestinians who are breaking the siege by land and sea. In the Northern Strip at Erez checkpoint activists joined a 64 years old Palestinian woman in her courageous attempts to cross into Israel in order to receive emergency medical attention preventing impending paralysis; she is now receiving treatment in Jerusalem. In the south, a demonstration was held in Rafah to replant olive trees uprooted by the Israeli military.
Most of the efforts focus on the waters as activists join Gaza's fishermen on a daily basis in their struggle to fish for a living while Israel's military attempts to keep them on the shores using arrests, bullets and other explosives, along with boat destruction. On September 17th, Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian Human Rights worker was injured when shards of glass broke off of the boat he was accompanying by the Israeli Navy's water canon. "I have 10 stitches in my back", he says, "but by Friday or Saturday I'll be back at sea".
Past Reporting
"Free Gaza" & "Liberty" to Leave for Cyprus with Palestinians On-Board
by "Angela Godfrey-Goldstein"
(GAZA CITY, 28 August 2008) - After having shattered the Israeli blockade of Gaza earlier this week, the Free Gaza and Liberty will depart Gaza for Cyprus at 2pm today. Several Palestinians who have previously been denied exit visas by Israel will join international human rights workers on the journey. Among the Palestinians leaving are Saed Mosleh, age 10, of Beit Hanoun, Gaza. Saed lost his leg due to an Israeli tank shell and is leaving Gaza with his father to seek medical treatment. Also on board are the Darwish family, who will finally be reunited with their relatives in Cyprus.
“I can’t believe we’re finally able to leave for medical treatment,” said Khaled Mosleh, Saed’s father. “This is a miracle of God.”
Nine international human rights workers will remain in Gaza to do longer-term monitoring and accompaniment, and one, Dr. Bill Dienst of Omak, Washington, will attempt to cross over into Israel later today via the Erez crossing.
By freely traveling to Gaza, on Saturday, August 23rd, in two, small, wooden boats, the Free Gaza Movement forced the Israeli government to issue a fundamental policy change regarding their military and economic blockade of Gaza. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign affairs publicly announced that humanitarian and human rights missions to Gaza will no longer be stopped or threatened by Israel. With the end of the Israeli siege of Gaza, Palestinians should be free to exercise their rights without fear of being stopped or killed by the Israeli military.
Yvonne Ridley, a journalist and member for the Free Gaza Movement, summed up her experience in Gaza by saying, “I missed the start of the Berlin Wall coming down by just a few days, but now I know how people felt when they tore down those first few bricks. This has been a huge victory of people over power.”
Since the organizers of the Free Gaza Movement will not be entering Israeli territorial waters, and since they will request an inspection from both the Gaza Port Authority when they depart, and the Cypriot authorities upon their return, they expect no interference on the part of the Israeli authorities when they leave Gaza. By Israel’s own admission, it has no authority to inspect the boats or the passengers when they leave Gaza.
With the collapse of the Israeli blockade, the Free Gaza Movement will quickly return to Gaza with another delegation, and they would like to encourage the United Nations, Arab League and international community to organize similar human rights and humanitarian efforts. The Free Gaza Movement will continue to work to ensure that safe passage between Gaza and the outside world will remain free and open.
For More Information, Please Contact:
(Gaza) Paul Larudee: +972 598 765 370
(Gaza) Huwaida Arraf: +972 599 130 426
(Cyprus) Osama Qashoo: +357 97 793 595 / osamaqashoo@gmail.com
(Jerusalem) Angela Godfrey-Goldstein: +972 547 366 393 / angela@icahd.org
###
PALESTINIANS LEAVING GAZA ON THE FREE GAZA & LIBERTY
Maha M.S. Darwish, mother
Omar Darwish, age 5
Sami M.J. Darwish, age 14
Ayman M.J. Darwish, age 17
Tawfiq M.J. Darwish, age 18
Khaled Mosleh, father
Saed Mosleh, age 10
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS LEAVING GAZA
Greta Berlin, Los Angeles, USA
Nikolaos Bolos, Athens, Greece
Lauren Booth, London, UK
Maria del Mar, Vilanova i La Geltru, Spain
Musheir El Farra, Sheffield, UK
Eliza Ernshire, London, UK
Petros Giotis, Athens, Greece
Christos Giouanopoulos, Athens, Greece
Derek Graham, Ballina, Ireland
Mary Thompson-Hughes, Los Angeles & London
Fathi Jaoudi, Jendouba, Tunisia & London
Yiannis Karipidis, Komothnh, Greece
Giorgios Klontzas, St. Nicolaos, Greece
John Klusmire, Monterey, CA, USA
The Hon. Anastasios Kourakis, MP (representing Thessaloniki, Greece)
Dr. Paul Larudee, El Cerrito, CA, USA
Dr. Edith Lutz, Cologne, Germany
Theresa McDermott, Edinburgh, Scotland
Sr. Anne Montgomery, New York, USA
Aki Nawaz, Bradford, UK
Thomas Nelson, Welches, OR, USA
Peter Philips, New York, USA
Dr. Vaggelis Pissias, Athens, Greece
Panagiotis Politis, Volos, Greece
Yvonne Ridley, London, UK
David Schermerhorn, Deer Harbor, WA, USA
Huwaida Arraf Shapiro, Ramallah, Palestine
Courtney Sheetz, New York, USA
Kathy Sheetz, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Ren Tawil, Minneapolis, MN
Kathleen Wang, Diamond Bar, CA, USA
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS REMAINING IN GAZA
Vittorio Arrigoni, Bulciago, Italy
Georgios Karatzas, Pireas, Greece
Jenny Linnell, Totnes, UK
Andrew Muncie, Spean Bridge, Scotland
Ken O’Keefe, London, UK
Adam Qvist, Copenhagen, Denmark
Darlene Wallach, San Jose, CA, USA
Donna Wallach, San Jose, CA, USA
Forwarded from Free Gaza Movement on Cyprus by:
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein
Media Team
Free Gaza Movement
0547-366 393
www.freegaza.org
Related Links: www.anis-online.de/office/events/FreeGazaSong.htm www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aUPA0z2zRHQ and http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C-DGBHPMe5c
In respect and gratitude
Petros Evdokas, petros@cyprus-org.net 19.Sep.2008 21:33
My deepest thanks to everyone who was involved with the efforts to break the Blockade by sea, both those who were on the boats and also all the visible and invisible helpers and supporters who made the journeys possible, co-ordinating the international efforts from a multitude of locations around the globe.
http://petros-evdokas.cyprus-org.net/Another-sort-of-Introduction.html
Special thanks to Angela Godfrey-Goldstein, member of the Free Gaza Movement's Media Team who helped by being one of the warm, committed, friendly and positive public faces of the effort, and helped promote it in its true dimension: an internationalist solidarity campaign against a genocidal, racist, illegal and unjust marginalization of an entire people that has condemned them to systematic and irretractable poverty; military incursions and atrition by killings on a daily basis.
The highest hymns of praise though must go to the Palestinian people themselves, who have endured the Blockade with unbelievable heroism and perseverance of epic proportions. Having been subjected to invasion, occupation, expulsion, and genocidal extermination programs for three continuous generations, the Palestinian people continue to build grass roots democracy and to maintain the continuity of community in the face of indescribable torments and unspeakable horrors.
In the eyes of the whole world, the people of Palestine continue to embody a living example of all native and traditional peoples' resistance to the global Empire's machinations to enforce inequality and injustice on the innocent by fire and axe; Palestine is a living example of the indestructible spirit of a community in struggle whose essence can not be subdued.
Determination and dedication of such enduring and morally grand stature deserves EVERY support that we can muster.
Petros Evdokas
NYC public school teacher trampled
Steve 19.Oct.2008 23:40
The woman who was taken to the hospital:
She was thrown to the ground by a cop, then trampled by a horse. I think that her injuries were relatively minor, a bloody nose, though I am getting this second hand. She is a long time NYC public grade school teacher. 42 yrs old, petite build, about 5' 4" tall. A great threat to the safety of McCain/Obama, and the security of our nation.
above comment
Steve 19.Oct.2008 23:49
opps, this comment should have been added to a different article