[PAA-Discuss] FW: 11/6/11 - Important Update on Boats to Gaza

Sun Nov 6 12:54:05 EST 2011

FYI.  See suggested action for us. Lee

From: U.S. BOAT TO GAZA [mailto:ustogaza at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 11:21 AM
To: leeloe at igc.org
Subject: 11/6/11 - Important Update on Boats to Gaza

 boat logo <http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs010/1103566746262/img/2.jpg> 

Latest update on the Freedom Waves to Gaza Boats November 6, 2011

The take over of the Tahrir and the Saoirse was violent and dangerous.
Despite very clear protests from the occupants of the two boats that they
did not want to be taken to Israel, they were forcibly removed from the
boats in a violent manner. The whole take over took about 3 hours. Many of
those on the Canadian boat were beaten. 

It began with Israeli forces hosing down the boats with high pressure hoses
and pointing guns at the passengers through the windows. Fintan Lane, on the
Saoirse, was hosed down the stairs of the boat. Windows where smashed and
the bridge of that boat nearly caught fire. The boats were corralled to such
an extent that the two boats, the Saoirse and the Tahrir collided with each
and were damaged, with most of the damage happening to the MV Saoirse.  The
boats nearly sunk, the method used in the take over was very dangerous. 

The Israeli forces initially wanted to leave the boats at sea but the
abductees demanded that they not be left to float unmanned at sea, for they
would have been lost and possibly sunk. David Heap, a Canadian delegate, was
tasered and beaten.  All belongings of the passengers were taken off them
and crew and they still do not know if and what they will get back.  6
prisoners were released-both of the Greek Captains, 2 of the journalists and
2 delegates. The passengers remain in Givon detention center and many,
including Kit Kittredge of the U.S., have not been able to make phone calls.

Those remaining are being asked to sign deportation papers which state that
they came into Israel illegally and that they will not attempt another
effort to break the Gaza blockade. If they sign they will not be allowed
into Palestine, through Israel, for 10 years.  Obviously their goal was to
go to Gaza not Israel, and a signature could validate Israel's right to
blockade Gaza, so they refuse to sign.  This will mean longer detention.
Their continued detention is designed to force them to agree to abandon
their legal rights and has nothing to do with the security of Israeli
civilians - just like the blockade of Gaza's civilians is clearly punitive
and has nothing to do with the security of Israeli civilians

Our State Department has not been an advocate for its citizens. They would
rather join Israel in stating that we are terrorists. Obama on Thursday said
the passengers on these boats are defying Israeli and American law. He must
have been confused. It's the other way around.   State Department
spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. was renewing its call to Americans
"not to involve themselves in this activity," and warned of possible
consequences. 

WE NEED ALL OF YOU TO GET ON THE PHONE TODAY AND CALL: 

U.S. Emergency Consular Services  202-647-4000

and the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv  011-972-3-519-7575 

Tell them you want them to insist Israel free the prisoners immediately and
end its siege of Gaza.   

Just a few phone calls can make a difference.   

Thanks for all you do. 

Jane Hirschmann and Felice Gelman 

 ---------------------

Please distribute this press release:

For Immediate Release: 

November 6, 2011

Contact: Felice Gelman 917-912-2597

Passengers on boats to Gaza beaten, denied visits by lawyers and access to
families;

misled by U.S. consular authorities

Although Freedom Waves to Gaza organizers have not yet had direct
communication with the people taken into custody by Israeli armed forces as
they tried to peacefully sail to Gaza last week, information is emerging
that Israeli armed forces tactics in confronting the non-violent activists
have been violent and dangerous.  This despite claims from the IDF
spokesperson that "every precaution will be taken for the safety of the
activists." 

Prisoners include U.S. citizen Kit Kittredge, a delegate on the Tahrir from
Quilcene, WA, and Jihan Hafiz, a U.S. citizen and journalist from Democracy
Now, the national news program.  Both have been advised by the U.S. consul
in Israel to sign an Israeli deportation agreement.  Both have refused
because the statement says they came into Israel illegally and will not
attempt another effort to break the Gaza blockade. Both statements are
untrue.

A letter from Canadian David Heap, smuggled from the Givon prison, states
that he was tasered and beaten when the Israeli Navy attacked the Tahrir.
Irish prisoner, Fintan Lane, in a telephone call from Givon prison, reported
that the takeover of the Saoirse was also violent.  The Tahrir and the
Saoirse were forced by Israeli warships to crash into each other, crippling
both ships. 

Palestinian Israeli Mad Kayal, a delegate aboard the Tahrir, who was
arrested and released confirms these reports. "As a Palestinian, I was not
surprised at how the IDF treated us," said Kayal, after his release, noting
this kind of abuse is a daily reality for the 1.5 million people of Gaza,
who are indefinitely detained in an open-air prison. "However, for the
Canadians and other Westerners onboard, it was a complete shock."

"Israeli brutality and the unnecessary use of force against non-violent
protests are well documented. What has happened to the passengers on the
Tahrir and the Saoirse is just a tiny fraction of the daily abuse directed
at Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank as part of Israel's occupation
policy," said U.S. coordinator Jane Hirschmann.  "Nonetheless, all people -
Palestinians under occupation and peace activists kidnapped and imprisoned -
have human rights under international law that civilized governments must
respect.  The purpose of the boats' voyage to Gaza was to demonstrate that
Israel continually violates those laws, and that the U.S. government cares
more about Israel than about its own citizens."

###

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