Re: [Marxism] Israel navy attacks small boat carrying humanitarian aid

["Lüko Willms" <lueko.willms@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:16:03 -0500, Louis Proyect wrote:

> Cynthia McKinney was reported to be on board.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRghMmgQ1kA&feature=channel_page

  From the Israel Left Activists mailing list: 

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 
> For more information, please contact: 
> 
> (Gaza) Ewa Jasiewicz, +972 598 700 497 / freelance@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> (Cyprus) Lubna Masarwa +357 99 081 767 / lubnna@xxxxxxxxx
> 
> (U.S.) Greta Berlin, +1 310 422 7242 / iristulip@xxxxxxxxx
> 
>  
> 
> (Larnaca, Cyprus, 10:00 am) On Tuesday, December 30, at 5 a.m., several
> Israeli gunboats intercepted the Dignity as she was heading on a mission of
> mercy to Gaza. One gunboat rammed into the boat on the port bow side,
> heavily damaging her. The reports from passengers and journalists on 
board
> say that she is taking on water and appears to have engine problems. 
When
> attacked, the Dignity was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the
> coast of Gaza.
> 
> The gunboats also fired their machine guns into the water in an attempt to
> stop the mercy ship from getting to Gaza. 
> 
> As the boat limps toward Lebanon, passengers have been in contact with 
the
> Lebanese government, who say the captain has permission to dock and are
> willing to lend assistance if needed. Cyprus sea rescue has also been in
> touch, and offered assistance as well. The Dignity clearly flies the flag of
> Gibraltar, is piloted by an English captain and has a passenger manifest
> that includes Representative Cynthia McKinney from the U.S. The Israeli
> Government Press Office director was faxed the passenger list and press
> release last night, after Dignity set sail. The attack was filmed by the
> journalists, and crew and passengers will report on Israel's crime at sea on
> arrival in Lebanon. 
> 
> On board the boat are doctors traveling to this impoverished slice of the
> Mediterranean to provide badly-needed relief at the hospitals there.  The
> crew and passengers were also hoping to take wounded out for treatment,
> since the hospitals are totally unable to cope. In addition, the Dignity was
> carrying 3 tons of medical supplies at the request of the doctors in Gaza. 
> 
> The three physicians on board who were sailing to Gaza are: Dr. Halpin 
(UK),
> 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 as is Dr. Mohamed Issa (Germany), a pediatric surgeon from
> Germany. Dr. Elena Theoharous, MP (Cyprus), is a surgeon and Member of 
the
> Cypriot Parliament. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict,
> assist with humanitarian relief efforts, and volunteer in hospitals. 
> 
> Yet Israel thumbs its nose in the face of maritime law by attacking a 
human
> rights boat in international waters, thereby putting all of these human
> rights observers at risk. At no time was the Dignity ever close to Israeli
> waters. They clearly identified themselves in advance of the attack, which
> was willful and criminal. 
> 
> The Dignity is still in international waters, 40 miles off Haifa. Everybody
> on board is safe at the moment as the boat slowly makes its way to safety 
in
> Lebanon.  Meantime, worldwide protests against Israel's disproportionate
> aggression and war-crime attacks on Gazan civilians are gathering 
momentum,
> including citywide across the USA, with multiple demonstrations in main
> cities.  
> 
> 
> #######
> 

Lüko Willms
Frankfurt, Germany
--------------------------------

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