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video of fourth voyage arrival
1 year ago

1 year ago

Alhamdulilah, fourth voyage has made it through!

 

Am wondering why they wouldn't let the Arab ships through, they said cause their were pro palestinian activists on board but so does the Free Gaza boats, go figure.

1 year ago

 Passengers and Crew of Free Gaza Voyage #4  Date : 12-09-2008

Captain: Denis Healey (UK)      
Captain of the Dignity, Denis has been involved with boats for 45 years beginning with small fishing boats in Portsmouth. He learned to sail while at school and has been part of the sea ever since. He's a certified yacht master and has also worked on heavy marine equipment from yachts to large dredgers. This is his third trip to Gaza.

First Mate: Derek Graham (Ireland/Palestine)      
Derek has been a qualified electrician for 20 years. He was a member of the reserve defense forces in Ireland for 21 years and was the first member of the reserves to make the Army sailing team. He has been sailing all of his life and is currently the first mate on board the Dignity. Derek first traveled to Gaza in August, and serves on the Interim Committee / Board of Directors for the Free Gaza Movement.

Delegation Leader: Lubna Masarwa (Palestine 48 / Israel)
Lubna is a Palestinian 48 living in Israel. She is a political dynamic activist in Jerusalem working for the Alternative Information Center and Al Quds University. She chooses struggle as her way against the occupation. She believes that activists should take the authority to change the reality and not wait for someone else to do it. It's important for her as a Palestinian from 1948 to break the siege and keep the relationship with her people. She has also built links with the Palestinian community in Cyprus where she is regulalry active as an educator and advisor at Masjid Mosque. This will be her second trip to Gaza on the Dignity.
-----

Othman Abufalah (Jordan)
Othman is a reporter with Al-Jazeera Television. I'm a Palestinian refugee born in exile. I know what it means to not be in your homeland, and since I have been working for Al Jazeera, I feel very close to the Palestinian issue. Hopefully in my visit to Gaza, I can show, in part, the suffering of the Palestinian people and move the conscience of the international community.

Naser Attaallah (Palestine)
Naser is returning to Gaza to rejoin his family. He has been unable to visit his family since Israel intensified the siege in 2006.

Mike Cushman (UK)
Mike Cushman is a research fellow in Information Systems and Information and Communication Manager at the London School of Economics. His research has covered a number of areas including: Digital and Social Exclusion; Digital and Media Literacy; Older People in a Digital Society; Knowledge Sharing and Organisational Learning in the Construction Industry; Approaches to Strategic Development under Conditions of Uncertainty. He has recently been appointed as a Visiting Fellow at University of Bristol Department of Management and is a member of the editorial advisory board of Information Technology and People.
Mike is a member of BRICUP and of Jews for Justice for Palestinians and has played an active role in campaigning for Palestinian Human Rights.

Ewa Jasiewicz (UK/Poland)
Ewa is an experienced journalist, community and union organizer, and solidarity worker. Her articles have appeared in The Independent, The
Guardian, Le Monde Diplomatique, Red Pepper, Left Turn, and Z Net, among others. She worked with the ISM in Palestine, and with Voices in the
Wilderness in Iraq. She believes that direct, partcipatory democracy and grassroots solidarity activism can bring about justice in our world.

Bella Lock (Australia/Palestine)
Bella was on the original Free Gaza trip. After having finally got the Arabic alphabet figured out, she is returning for several months volunteering. Originally fitting music teaching around environmental and human rights campaigning, much time spent in Palestine led her to learn basic medic skills, and next year she will take up a midwifery degree in the UK.

Dr. Sonia Robbins (UK)
Sonia Robbins is a British reconstructive and hand surgeon who regularly volunteers in Gaza, and has had patients waiting to see her for several weeks.

Prof. Jonathan Rosenhead (UK)
Jonathan Rosenhead has been on the staff of the London School of Economics for 40 years, and became Professor of Operational Research in 1987. Prior to becoming an academic he worked in the steel industry and as a management consultant. He is the author of over 90 professional publications. His fields of research interest, in addition to problem structuring methods, include health services planning, community operational research, and OR in less developed countries. He has been President of the Operational Research Society, and holds its President’s, Goodeve and Beale Medals. His jointly edited book Rational Analysis or a Problematic World Revisited (Wiley 2001) is a much cited classic. Prof. Rosenhead has a long political involvement including as Labour Party candidate for Parliament, and as Chair of the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science. Currently he is Secretary of BRICUP (British Committee for the Universities of Palestine) which promotes a boycott of Israeli universities.

Firas Tawfeeq (Iraq)
Firas is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera Television.
1 year ago

Darlene Wallach is in a new prison in Ramle, a men's prison, but she's in a section reserved for illegal immigrants.

She wanted to pass on this information, "We were fishing about 7 miles off the shores of Gaza. The Israeli soldiers came on board the three boats via four Zodiacs. The frogmen came up and over each boat. They used a taser on Vik while he was still on the boat, then tried to push him backwards onto a sharp piece of wood.. He jumped into the sea to avoid being hurt more than he already was and was in the water for quite a while.

Then they came for me and forced me into the Zodiac at the point of a gun. They said, "You are in Israeli territory." even though is was obvious that all three boats were in Palestinian territory. They kidnapped me and Andrew and Vik and all of the Palestinian fishermen."

Today two women from immigration were there to see Darlene. They were very rude. Until just a few minutes ago, Darlene was refused a change of clothes and a mobile, but, thanks to Lubna and a nice woman at the prison, she now has both.

The authorities are saying they will refuse to send Darlene to London and want to send her back to the United States.. The judge said she would make a decision today so Darlene is waiting to hear the ruling . She still does not have a passport.

She sounded fine, relieved to finally be able to talk to someone outside Israel. If you know ANY media who would like to interview her, please let me know and I will pass on Darlene's phone number to them. This story is vitally important to get out to the public.
--
Greta Berlin
Media Team
Free Gaza Movement
357 99 08 17 67
www.freegaza.org
www.anis-online.de/office/events/FreeGazaSong.htm
www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/
Good news
1 year ago

The fisherman have been released. I hope they get there boats back. NOne of the internationals wish to be deported, they want to stay working in Gaza. Here is update from ISM:

Fifteen Palestinian fishermen released November 18th, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, Gaza Region

19th November Update: The fifteen Palestinian fishermen who were abducted from Palestinian waters by the Israeli navy on the 18th November have been released. Their boats, however, have yet to be returned.

The three internationals who were also taken by the Israeli navy are still being held in Ben Gurion detention facility. All three face
deportation despite entering Gaza from international waters and not leaving Palestinian waters with the fishermen. At no point, before they were transported by the Israeli navy into Israel, did the internationals enter internationally recognised Israeli waters.

The lawyer representing the international human rights observers has been told that she can have access to them on Wednesday morning.

To view reports from the arrests on the 18th November click here and here

http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/11/18/fifteen-palestinian-fishermen-released/


update
1 year ago

Palestine: Fifteen Palestinian fishermen kidnapped by Israelis

18-11-2008

The International Solidarity Movement:

The fifteen Palestinian fishermen abducted from Palestinian waters this morning (10am) are still being held by Israeli authorities in Ashdod, while their boats have been confiscated. Legal proceedings were initiated today that petition for their immediate release.

The three internationals who were arrested while accompanying the fishermen have been taken to Ben Gurion detention facility as Israeli authorities start deportation proceedings. Andrew Muncie, a British citizen who was one of the three internationals arrested has made it clear that he will non-violently resist any attempt to deport him and that he is engaging a hunger-strike until all fifteen of the Palestinian fishermen are released.

The status and plans of the other two international Human Rights Observers arrested, American citizen Darlene Wallach and Italian citizen Vittorio Arrigoni, are not yet known.

This action comes after international journalists have been denied access into Gaza due to the current siege.

The 15 Palestinian fishermen and 3 international Human Rights Observers (HRO's) were surrounded by the Israeli Navy and taken from their boats 7 miles off the coast of Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip.

The fishermen and the HRO's were transferred from 3 separate boats to the Israeli warships. Other Palestinian fishermen reported that the 3 boats were seen being taken north by the Israeli Navy.

The Human Rights Observers are Andrew Muncie, a Scottish British citizen, Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian citizen, and Darlene Wallach, an American citizen. They have been volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since they entered Gaza on ships with the first Free Gaza Movement voyage on the 23rd August 2008. All internationals have previous experience working with the ISM in the West Bank.

Fellow activists have been unable to establish contact with the HRO's or with the fishermen since they were abducted.

Since their arrival, the ISM volunteers have been regularly accompanying Palestinian fishermen who are regularly attacked by Israeli navy vessels from as little as 3km from shore. They have regularly filmed Israeli forces using live ammunition, shells and water cannons against unarmed fishermen.

When confronted by the Israeli Navy, the boats were 7 nautical miles from the shore of Deir al Balah, well within the fishing limit detailed in the Oslo Accords of 1994.

With regular claims that from the Israeli government that it has 'disengaged' from Gaza, these patrols and attacks from the Israeli navy, regularly occuring from as little as 3 miles from shore, represent a clear signal of the continuation of occupation of Gazan territory as well as regular breaches of the current cease-fire.

The violent attacks on Gazan fishermen by the Israeli navy appears to have escalated in recent weeks. In the weeks before their arrests, the international HROs reported that live ammunition is being fired continuously closer to the boats, while the damage to fishing boats has also increased.

On the 5th of October Mohammed Musleh was severely injured while fishing off the the coast of the Gaza Strip. He was shot with a 50mm bullet in the leg. He was recently transferred to Jerusalem, after much delay at the Erez, crossing in efforts to save his leg. He is currently in hospital in Jerusalem and is available for interview.

Over 40,000 people in Gaza make a living from the fishing industry, yet this community has been decimated by Israeli restrictions on fishing rights and the prevention of fuel from reaching the Gaza Strip.

According to the Fishing Syndicate in Gaza, fishermen need 40,000 litres of fuel and 40,000 litres of natural gas each day to operate throughout the high fishing season.

Starting in April each year, there is a migration of fish from the Nile Delta to Turkish waters which Palestinian fishermen have traditionally relied upon. Yet Israel limits fishing 6 miles from the Gaza shore and regularly attacks those who venture further than 3 miles - over 70 fishermen were arrested last year by the Israeli forces. The large schools that form the migration are usually found 10 miles from shore. The average catch of fish was over 3000 tons a year in the 1990's, now it is around 500 tons directly due to the Israeli siege of Gaza.

Also, the water in which the fishermen of Gaza sail in is now receiving 50 million litres of sewage per day because the people of Gaza have no alternative due to the lack of power supplies to sewage treatment facilities.

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led non-violent resistance movement committed to ending Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land. We call for full compliance with all relevant UN resolutions and international law.
http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/n
If anyone
1 year ago

hears more about this, please let me know. One of my friends (Vitto from Italy) was on board.

1 year ago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Caoimhe (Gaza) + 972 598 273 960
Donna (Gaza)  + 972 598 836 420
Fida (Gaza - Arabic) – + 972 599 681 669
ISM Media Office - + 972 2-2971824

Fifteen Palestinian fishermen along with three internationals have been kidnapped in Palestinian waters by the Israeli Navy. They were fishing seven miles off the coast of Deir Al Balah, clearly in Gaza fishing waters and well within the fishing limit detailed in the Oslo Accords of 1994.

The fishermen and the human right's observers were transferred from 3 separate boats to the Israeli warships. Other Palestinian fishermen reported that the 3 boats were seen being taken north by the Israeli Navy.

The three internationals are Andrew Muncie from Scotland, Darlene Wallach from the United States and Victor Arrigoni from Italy. The U.K., U.S. and Italian embassies in Tel Aviv have been contacted and know about the abductions.

Please call the Israeli Ministry of Justice at +972 26 46 66 66 and register your outrage over these illegal actions by the Israeli Navy. Then call the Embassies in Jerusalem and make sure they know that many of us are appalled by Israel's illegal search and seizure.

Stephen Brown, UK Consulate +972 25 41 41 00
U.S. Consulate General + 972-2-6227230
Luigi MATTIOLO, Italian Ambassador +972 3 5104004


--
Greta Berlin
Media Team
Free Gaza Movement
357 99 08 17 67
www.freegaza.org
www.anis-online.de/office/events/FreeGazaSong.htm
www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/

update from Free Gaza movement
1 year ago
The International Solidarity Movement, (ISM) issued a press release in which it indicated that the Israeli naval vessels have kidnapped 14 Palestinian fishermen and 3 international peace activists from the Gaza shore Tuesday morning.

The ISM has reactivated its presence in the Gaza Strip after some of its members managed to enter the Strip with the Free Gaza boats that sailed from Cyprus to the coastal region in bid to break the siege imposed on Gaza for 17 months.

The ISM had two of its members murdered by the Israeli military in march and April 2003. The two were Rachel Corrie, from the US and Tom Hurnmdal from UK.

Following is a full text of the Press Release

Fourteen Palestinian fishermen and 3 international Human Rights Observers (HRO's) were surrounded by the Israeli Navy and taken from their boats 7 miles off the coast of Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip.

The fishermen and the HRO's were transferred from 3 separate boats to the Israeli warships. Other Palestinian fishermen reported that the 3 boats were seen being taken north by the Israeli Navy.

The Human Rights Observers are Andrew Muncie, a Scottish British citizen, Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian citizen, and Darlene Wallach, an American citizen. They have been volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since they entered Gaza on ships with the first Free Gaza Movement voyage on the 23rd August 2008. All internationals have previous experience working with the ISM in the West Bank.

Fellow activists have been unable to establish contact with the HRO's or with the fishermen since they were abducted.

Since their arrival, the ISM volunteers have been regularly accompanying Palestinian fishermen who are regularly attacked by Israeli navy vessels from as little as 3km from shore. They have regularly filmed Israeli forces using live ammunition, shells and water cannons against unarmed fishermen.

When confronted by the Israeli Navy, the boats were 7 nautical miles from the shore of Deir al Balah, well within the fishing limit detailed in the Oslo Accords of 1994.

With regular claims that from the Israeli government that it has 'disengaged' from Gaza, these patrols and attacks from the Israeli navy, regularly occurring from as little as 3 miles from shore, represent a clear signal of the continuation of occupation of Gazan territory as well as regular breaches of the current cease-fire.

 
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