Free Gaza Movement.
The Swedish website for ships to Gaza.
Some might say that Israel acted stupidly but no, on board the convoy were about 10,000 tons of aid goods, among them hundreds of ready-made houses, 500 wheelchairs and medical equipment, and Israel has been able to prevent these goods from arriving to Gaza at any cost, and it succeeded. This is what Israel was after, hoping to minimize the price paid (19 deaths) by being excused, as always, by an international community too lenient and too slow to condemn...
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is comprised of: Free Gaza Movement (FG), European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG), Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), Ship to Gaza Greece, Ship to Gaza Sweden, The Perdana Global Peace Organization, and the International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza, with hundreds of groups and organizations around the world supporting the effort.
The Ships of the Flotilla:
1. Mavi Marmara passenger Flagged in Turkey
2. Sofia cargo ship Flagged in Greece
3. Gazza 1 cargo ship Flagged in Turkey
4. Gazza 2 cargo ship Flagged in Turkey
5. Spendoni passenger Flagged in Greece
6. Challenger 1 Flagged in U.S.
UPDATE, Monday May 31st, 8 p.m.: Below, some chaotic footage taken from the Turkish ship is posted on youtube, in all languages. 26 seconds in, you can see and hear a British activist reporting in English.
UPDATE, Monday May 31st, 6:30 p.m. From The Turkish daily Zaman: Aid Volunteers, International Law Massacred Off Gaza.
Also, pictures of the protests in Istanbul today.
UPDATE, Monday May 31st, 6:30 p.m. (Gaza time): The French journal Le Monde is reporting on an emergency meeting at the UN. Also Netanyahu, who was visiting Canada, announced he was interrupting his visit to return to Israel, probably because Obama will not be seeing him tomorrow at the white house.
UPDATE, Monday May 31st, 4.p.m.: The casualties are mounting, Al-Jazeera who had staff with the flotilla is reporting 19 deaths.
At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported.
The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.
Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, confirmed that the attack took place in international waters, saying: "This happened in waters outside of Israeli territory, but we have the right to defend ourselves."Whatever the actions Israel always claims it has the right to defend itself, now they are claiming that attacking humanitarian aid ships in international waters is equivalent to 'defending Israel'....From what? From whom? From humanitarian aid workers sailing in international waters...Pity this nation! They are either chickens or hypocrites...
Read here Netanyahu's declaration before leaving Canada Monday morning: self victimisation, denial, lies, lies, lies....
UPDATE, Monday May 31st, early afternoon (Gaza time): Ten aid activists died as a result of the Israeli criminal assault on their ships.
The report from the early hours of monday was about only two deaths: Associated Press Writer= HAIFA, Israel (AP) — Israeli warships attacked at least one of the six ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists and aid for blockaded Gaza, killing at least two and wounding an unknown number of people on board, an Arabic satellite service and a Turkish TV network reported early Monday.MORE...
The al-Jazeera satellite channel reported by telephone from the Turkish ship leading the flotilla that Israeli navy forces fired at the ship and boarded it, wounding the captain. The Turkish NTV network also reported an Israeli takeover with gunfire, and at least two people were killed.
The al-Jazeera broadcast ended with a voice shouting in Hebrew, "Everybody shut up!"
The reports came just after daybreak, with the flotilla still well away from the Gaza shore. Israel had declared it would not allow the ships to reach Gaza.
...The flotilla, which includes three cargo ships and three passenger ships, is trying to draw attention to Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip. The boats are carrying items that Israel bars from reaching Gaza, like cement and other building materials. The activists said they also were carrying hundreds of electric-powered wheelchairs, prefabricated homes and water purifiers.
...Some 700 pro-Palestinian activists are on the boats, including 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire of Northern Ireland, European legislators and an elderly Holocaust survivor.
Now is the time for action against this pariah state that is Israel. The international community must understand that now is not the time for 'regret' and 'concern' because this is what their reactions over and over as 'regret' and 'concern' have led us to...
From The Toronto Star: Attack adds to Israel's growing diplomatic troubles...
Since March 29th 2006
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