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Palestinians Call for Arms Embargo on Israel

Al-Manar – July 8, 2011

A coalition of Palestinian political parties, trade unions and non-government organizations (NGOs) backed by Nobel Prize laureates from abroad, called on Friday for an arms embargo against Zionist entity.

“A comprehensive military embargo on Israel is long overdue,” said a statement from the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee.

“It would form a crucial step towards ending Israel’s unlawful and criminal use of force against the Palestinian people and other peoples and states in the region and would constitute an effective, non-violent measure to pressure Israel to comply with its obligations under international law,” it said.

The appeal was timed to mark the anniversary of a July 9, 2004 ruling by the International Court of Justice that the Zionist West Bank wall barrier is illegal.

The statement said the embargo call was supported by Nobel Prize winners Desmond Tutu, Mairead Maguire and Adolfo Perez Esquivel and by Canadian writer and social activist Naomi Klein.

“I endorse this call for an arms embargo because we desire peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis through non-violent ways,” it quoted Tutu as saying.

July 9, 2011 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

Millions stage anti-government rally in Cairo

Press TV – July 8, 2011

Millions of Egyptians have converged on Liberation Square in the capital, Cairo, to demand the trial of former president Hosni Mubarak and his associates.

Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood opposition movement and several other political parties decided to join the protests on Friday.

People and opposition activists began arriving in the landmark square throughout the night to set up their tents. Cairo’s Liberation Square has been the focal point of the Egyptian Revolution that toppled the Mubarak regime.

Reports say thousands of protesters have also gathered at main squares in the two coastal cities of Suez and Alexandria.

The protesters say they will keep protesting until their demands are met. They urge Egypt’s military rulers to speed up promised democratic reforms. Many are complaining that more and more civilians are being tried in military courts while members of Mubarak’s regime have not yet faced justice.

A report by Human Rights Watch estimates that Egypt’s ruling junta has tried more than 5,000 civilians in military tribunals. Many of them were protesters detained during anti-government demonstrations in February that toppled Mubarak.

The rallies come after several police officers accused of killing protesters were released on bail on Tuesday

Also on Tuesday, a court cleared at least six former ministers of ousted President Mubarak’s era of graft.

“The people were shocked at the verdict exonerating six former ministers on charges of corruption and wasting public funds, and the release of officers suspected of killing revolutionaries. So we are here today to announce our rejection of this deferral of justice, as well as the pampering of the former president and his family. We reject all of this completely,” Reuters quoted Metwally Mohamed Metwally, an active member of the Muslim Brotherhood, as saying.

Following Mubarak’s downfall, a military council took over in Egypt. Many Egyptians believe it is trying to derail the uprising. Egyptians are still skeptical about a rapid transition towards democracy and civilian rule in the North African country.

July 8, 2011 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

Independent trade unions in Egypt endorse BDS

By Nora Barrows-Friedman – The Electronic Intifada – 07/07/2011

The blog 3arabawy posted a statement from the Egyptian Independent Union Federation, drafted last week, that affirms solidarity with the Palestinian people and upholds their commitment to “reject any form of normal relations” with Israel, including gas supply agreements that have been in place since Mubarak was empowered.

On 2 July, 3arabawy posted a press release from the Representative of the Egyptian Independent Union Federation. The press release stated:

We call on the global trade union movement to cut links with the Histadrut and to support the Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS.

Kamal Abu Aita, representative of the Egyptian Independent Union Federation (EIUF) which was recently formed in Tahrir Square during the revolution, confirmed yesterday that the EIUF rejects any attempt to ‘normalise’ relations with Israel. In a speech in London to hundreds of activists from the campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, Abu Aita also welcomed the formation of the Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS) and called on the international trade union movement to join the coalition.

Abu Aita said: “The Egyptian Independent Union Federation has a very clear position and that is one of solidarity with the Palestinian Arab people, support for their right to a state in the whole of their land and support for their right to use all forms of resistance against the Zionist state. The EIUF announces its rejection of all forms of normal relations with the racist, settler Zionist state and we will not co-operate with any of its official or trade union bodies because they are all connected to the Zionist occupation of our land. It is impossible for us to work with this racist regime, and it is vital to build a movement of humanity which aims to get rid of racist regimes against the world, just as we got rid of the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

The Egyptian revolution opened the door wide for our people to express their rejection of the Zionist state. From the beginning, the revolution has worked in the interests of the Palestinians, by stopping the export of Egyptian gas to the Zionists, and opening the border crossings. Egyptian youth besieged the embassy of our enemy and demanded the expulsion of the ambassador. We reject any relationship with the Histadrut because it is part of this racist regime. We call on all friendly unions to boycott the Histadrut as part of the campaign to get rid of racist regimes all over the world.

Omar Barghouti, one of the founders of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), said: “The support of the Egyptian independent unions, represented by their federation, for the Palestinian Boycott Campaign is a source of pride for us, just as we are proud of Egypt’s leadership in the march of freedom from imperialism both old and new. We look forward to the return of the spirit to the all the Arab peoples struggling for freedom and social justice, and to break away of dependency on imperialist domination.”

July 7, 2011 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza Confirms that the French Ship “Dignity” has Set Sail

Palestine News Network – 5 July 2011

Brussells – The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) confirmed on Tuesday that the French ship “Dignity,” which is part of Freedom Flotilla II, has in fact set sail to the besieged Gaza Strip while the rest of the flotilla ships remain trapped in Athens, banned from sailing.

In a press release issued today, Rami Abdo, spokesman for ECESG, said that the French Ship “Dignity,” or “Karama” in Arabic, has left the French port of Corscica and is now in international waters sailing to the Gaza Strip.

“Dignity” has six crew members and is carrying aid supplies to Gaza. The ship was forbidden from leaving in the past few weeks after a campaign by pro-Israeli groups in France was launched against it. ECESG considers the launch of the ship to be a victory over the pro-Israeli campaign.

The vessel’s passengers include Olivier Besancenot, head of the New Left Party in France, French politician and member of the European Parliament Nicole Kiil-Nilsen, and other well-known French personalities.

While “Dignity” is at sail, at least eight ships of Freedom Flotilla II are still stuck in Athens as the Greek government has succumbed to Israeli and US pressure to ban them from sailing.

Moreover, while docked in Athens, two ships of the Flotilla were sabotaged by unknown divers. Flotilla organizers blamed the Israeli navy for the attacks.

July 5, 2011 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

Captain of American boat jailed in Athens

By Mya Guarnieri | Ma’an | July 2, 2011

ATHENS, Greece — The captain of a US boat carrying activists who tried to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza was jailed Saturday in Athens, organizers of the flotilla said.

John Klusmer is being charged with two felonies, organizers of the boat told reporters at a news conference in the Greek capital. The investigation will begin Tuesday, they said.

Klusmer was handcuffed and jailed Saturday afternoon. He and the organizers initially understood the charges to be misdemeanors. They later discovered the charges to be felonies upon arrival at the station.

The captain’s four-member crew is being detained on the boat. While passengers are free to go, they are staying on the Audacity of Hope as a show of solidarity with their captain and crew.

US Boat to Gaza organizer Jane Hirschmann told reporters the captain was charged with disobeying a police order not to leave the port and disturbing sea traffic.

The latter charge drew laughs from reporters.

Hirschmann responded, “That’s an interesting one, isn’t it?”

Hirschmann said the second charge was the result of a complaint lodged against the US Boat to Gaza by Shurat HaDin, an Israeli law center which is funded by American activist and pastor John Hagee.

Hagee is a fundamentalist Christian who operates a pro-Israel group in the US.

Hirschmann called the charges “bogus” and added that “We hope to move on this before Tuesday and try to make sure that that [our captain] gets out.”

She says the flotilla is not seeking a new captain for the Audacity of Hope.

Passengers “are very worried about the captain and feel responsible for the captain. But they’re also very determined people on the boat. They chose to stay on the ship,” Hirschmann said.

Hirschmann and other organizers said the ships that make up the flotilla would not sail alone.

When asked if the US boat had been effectively sidelined, Hirschmann responded, “We don’t know, we’re the Audacity of Hope and the audacity of hope triumphs over the audacity of violence and the audacity of threats. And our boat has not been impounded. Yet.”

Also in Athens, Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Barghouti remarked that “We consider this boat, this flotilla, one part of peaceful non-violent resistance, one part of peaceful non-violent struggle.”

He added that “this kind of struggle of the international community, joined with the Palestinian struggle — which is going on non-violently and peacefully — is one way of liberating Palestinians from occupation.

“It is also one way of liberating the Israeli people from the same occupation and the same apartheid because the Israelis themselves will never be free as long as the Palestinians are not free,” Barghouti added.

Barghouti called on the Greek government to allow the US Boat to Gaza and all other ships to sail, adding that the flotilla and other acts of non-violent resistance that are happening in the occupied Palestinian territories resemble “the best traditions of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Gandhi.”

July 2, 2011 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism, Wars for Israel | Leave a comment

Israel army uses fabrications to assert flotilla financial links to Hamas

By Ali Abunimah – Electronic Intifada – 06/30/2011

The Israeli military claimed today that it had “uncovered financial links” between the Gaza-bound flotilla and the Palestinian movement Hamas. But their claims are based on unsubstantiated assertions and outright fabrications.

In a press release, the Israeli military made the following sensational claim:

According to Israeli military intelligence, the terrorist organization Hamas and several organizations behind the 2011 Gaza flotilla have similar funding sources. Three Islamic charity funds from the Hamas-affiliated Charity Coalition directly fund Hamas and some of the organizations connected to the 2011 Gaza flotilla.

The press release focuses on the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG) and asserts:

ECESG, one of the flotilla’s leading organizers, is a UK-based umbrella organization of more than thirty Europe-based organizations; it openly supports Hamas. Most of its organizations – founded as Muslim Brotherhood branches in Europe – are participating in the 2011 Gaza flotilla. Israeli military sources found that some of these umbrella organizations are sponsors of Hamas terror activity in the Gaza Strip.

Arafat Madi Mahmoud Shukri

Israel’s military presented absolutely no evidence to back its laundry list of familiar accusations, except for supposedly one damning connection:

ECESG Chairman Dr. Arafat Madi Mahmoud Shukri also serves as chairman of the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC). Due to PRC’s flagrant links to Hamas, it was declared illegal in Israel.

However, this information is false. PRC’s General Director Majed al-Zeer told The Electronic Intifada that Shukri is not and has never been chairman of PRC. Moreover, the connection – even if it were true – does not amount to evidence of anything.

Yesterday’s fabrications are today’s “evidence”

In January, The Electronic Intifada reported on Israel’s efforts to slander, sabotage and attack PRC:

The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), a London-based advocacy organization, has become the latest target of defamation and attempted sabotage in Israel’s ongoing campaign against groups and individuals active in promoting the issue of Palestine and Palestinian human rights.

According to a 27 December 2010 statement by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, PRC “is involved in initiating and organizing radical and violent activity against Israel in Europe, while delegitimizing Israel’s status as a nation among the European community” (“European Hamas Affiliate Deemed Illegal by Minister of Defense,” 27 December 2010).

Israeli security agencies accused the PRC of being a “Hamas affiliate,” which was followed by a decree signed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak stating that the organization is “illegal” in Israel.

The attack on the PRC appears to be the latest installment in a campaign by supposed nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Israel, coordinated with the Israeli government, to accuse groups advocating for Palestinian rights in Europe, the US and elsewhere of “delegitimizing” Israel. Last month, two such organizations released reports accusing London, and the UK as a whole, of being hubs of “delegitimization.”

Israel never presented any evidence to support its lurid accusations against PRC either, and it continues to function as a legal organization doing normal educational and advocacy work as we reported.

Israel’s “evidence” of financial links between Hamas and the flotilla amounts to the alleged involvement of one person in an organization Israel baselessly defamed in the past, with another Palestine solidarity grouping that it is slandering now. In other words, Israel cites its own fabrications as “evidence.”

The Israeli military press release also claims – without presenting a shred of evidence – that two other European organizations “are openly and intimately involved in Hamas charity efforts as well as efforts to illegally break the lawfully enforced naval blockade on Gaza.”

If Israel had any actual evidence it would present it. Because it doesn’t it has to resort to this sort of laughable smear tactic backed only by its own fabrications.

July 1, 2011 Posted by | Deception, Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

Shoot First Diplomacy

Philip Giraldi | American Conservative | June 29th, 2011

It is difficult to imagine what might produce a longing for the good old days of George W. Bush, but the Obama Administration is certainly approaching that tip point. First there was National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair spelling out a policy of assassination of American citizens overseas based on suspicion and secret evidence and then there was last week’s revelation that the Justice Department guidelines for the FBI now permit relatively free searches of all sorts of personal information that once was regarded as private. The searches are without judicial oversight and there does not have to be any evidence that the suspect has committed a crime.

Now we have Hillary Clinton and company opening up the latest free fire zone against other American citizens who have done nothing wrong. The State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, who is married to one of the ubiquitous Kagans, announced that “Groups that seek to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza are taking irresponsible and provocative actions that risk the safety of their passengers.” Please note: per Nuland/Clinton the passengers on the unarmed vessels in international waters, all of whom have signed a pledge of non-violence, are risking their own safety if they get shot by the Israeli military.

Nuland added that Gaza is governed by Hamas, “a designated foreign terrorist organization,” and that aiding such a group “could violate U.S. civil and criminal statutes and could lead to fines and incarceration.” This means that giving a loaf of bread to a child in Gaza is indictable as support of a terrorist organization, since the government is run by Hamas.

Once upon a time the Secretary of State was supposed to protect Americans overseas, particularly when the Americans are not doing anything illegal. But that was before Israel and its Lobby decided what American citizens can and cannot do. A good friend of mine Ray McGovern, who is on the American vessel, is a deeply religious former CIA senior analyst. He has friends on the National Security Council who informed him last week that the US government would let the Israelis do whatever they want to the flotilla and would, in fact, approve of any action taken. In the aftermath, the State Department would do nothing to help any US citizen killed, injured, or arrested. Except possibly have them arrested a second time.

However one feels about the Israel-imposed blockade of Gaza, it is important to remember that the Americans and others involved in the flotilla are doing nothing illegal under international law. Their ships have been inspected and have only relief supplies on board. No one is armed. Their objection is to the Israeli, and American, assumption that Tel Aviv somehow has the right to punish the Gazans in perpetuity and thereby create a continuous humanitarian crisis for the local people because they elected the “wrong” party back in 2006. The Americans and other foreigners on the flotilla have a perfect right to express that view peacefully without being excoriated by Hillary before being executed by an IDF goon.

June 30, 2011 Posted by | Progressive Hypocrite, Solidarity and Activism, Timeless or most popular, War Crimes | Leave a comment

Flotilla activists say Irish boat sabotaged in same way Norwegian boat was damaged

IMEMC – June 30, 2011

According to activists on the Freedom Flotilla of aid ships to Gaza, a second boat has been severely damaged by unknown saboteurs who dove under the boat to damage the propeller shaft. The boat’s captain said that the way the boat was sabotaged was extremely dangerous, as it would have caused the propeller to cut through the boat’s hull and make the engine room to fill with water, thus sinking the boat while en route to Gaza.

Earlier this week, another of the Flotilla’s boats – a joint Norwegian-Swedish-Greek effort named ‘Juliano’ after assassinated Israeli peace activist Juliano Mer-Khamis – was sabotaged in the same way while preparing for departure from a Greek port.

The sabotage of the two boats follows a complaint filed by the Israel Law Center against the US Boat to Gaza claiming that the boat ‘lacked seaworthiness’ and needed additional inspection before departing, despite the fact that the boat had already been inspected and approved for travel.

The ‘Freedom Flotilla’ aims to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, who remain under an Israeli-imposed siege that began in 2007. Malnutrition rates are extremely high in Gaza due to the siege, and over 300 patients have died due to the lack of medical care, and the refusal of Israeli authorities to allow them to travel outside of Gaza for medical care.

According to the coordinator of the Irish ship, Fintan Lane, “This was the type of sabotage that endangered human life”. Some activists on the Freedom Flotilla say they suspect Israeli agents of involvement in the sabotage, although no one has yet been charged in the attacks.

June 30, 2011 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | Leave a comment

Vittorio Arrigoni – Staying Human

“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up” Vitorrio Arigoni. A winner.

Al-Jazeera English on June 29, 2011


A documentary about Vittorio Arrigoni, the Italian peace activist whose passion for helping the Palestinian people, lead to his death.

June 29, 2011 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, Timeless or most popular, Video | Leave a comment

First Ships Of Freedom Flotilla 2 Set Sail

By Kevin Murphy | IMEMC and Agencies | June 29, 2011

The first of the Freedom Flotilla 2 ships have set sail for the rendezvous point in the Meditereannean Sea where it will meet the rest of the ships participating in the flotilla, according to Haaretz. It is unclear when they will meet up with the other participating ships including the US, Candian and the Greek/Norwegian/Sweedish contingent given bureaucratic delays and suspected sabotage to the Greek ship.

The French and the Irish contingent of the Freedom Flotilla 2 have set sail for the meeting point in the Meditearreanean Sea where they will await the arrival of the other flotilla participants before setting sail to Gaza in a repeat of last years attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza.

The French Boat “Dignity” and the Irish ship “Freedom” will join an expected 350 participants and set sail for Gaza in the coming days depending on delays.

The flotilla has been the target of bureaucratic red tape such as inspections and paper work that the organisers say is politically motivated and coordinated by Israel.

The remaining participants of the flotilla have all been targeted for inspection by port authorities due to claims that the vessels are un seaworthy by private individuals. Greek Seamen and legal professionals claim that such claims by private individuals are highly unusual.

The Greek ship has also had its propeller shaft cut in what the organisers claim was a direct act of sabotage by Israel.

It is unclear, given the delays, how long the French and Irish contingent will be waiting for the rest of the flotilla participants.

June 29, 2011 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

Palestinian man still under arrest after demonstration in Beit Ommar on Saturday

29 June 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, Beit Ommar

Two international activists are released following their arrest and court hearing in Jerusalem, while a Palestinian man is still under custody following a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ommar that occurred on June 25th.

The two international activists and a 22 year old Palestinian were brutally arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ommar, in the southern region of the West Bank. The non-violent demonstration took place  there  and was nearing its end when approximately ten Israeli soldiers and border police arrested the 22 year old Palestinian man with force. The man’s t-shirt was ripped into pieces as he was being arrested. He was restrained to the ground and kneed in the chest. A soldier later twisted his handcuffs aggressively, contorting the man’s wrists, cutting the man on both wrists.  When trying to reach the Palestinian man and assist him, an international activist was violently thrown to the ground by a border police.  The activist, from Sweden, landed on her back and a soldier pinned her to the ground, laying heavily on top of her and making it hard for her to breathe. Another activist, also from Sweden, identified him as the captain in charge of the soldiers that day.  A sound bomb was thrown next to the activist, after which she was handcuffed and arrested. In the tumult occurring after the sound bomb, another international activist was grabbed and arrested while trying to help the other from the ground.

Both activists were blindfolded for three hours at a military base, and then taken to a police station. One of the activists was released after 12 hours, and the other was released after 24 hours, after being taken to jail and court in Jerusalem. They were both released without charges. The Palestinian man, however, is still under custody awaiting his  trial in court, which has been postponed until Thursday, June 30th.

Beit Ommar is located to the south of Hebron, with a significant amount of village land usurped by the “security fence” of the neighboring illegal settlement Karmei Tzur, built about five years ago.

June 29, 2011 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Illegal Occupation, Solidarity and Activism, Subjugation - Torture | Leave a comment

UK strike to go ahead after talks fail

Press TV – June 28, 2011

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to urge the public sector unions to stop the planned anti-cuts demonstration and accept the unsustainability of the pension packages.

Two days before the so-called longest and smartest strike by teachers, lecturers and civil servants, Cameron is to declare that the current arrangements are “not fair to the taxpayer.”

The coalition government is settling contingency plans in order to handle the country’s biggest strike action, with some 750,000 workers planning to stage a 24-hour protest on Thursday.

The walkout by the members of the four leading unions in the UK will continue, despite the two-hour negotiations between union leaders and ministers over the pension reforms.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) leader Brendan Barber believes the government talks have failed to close the “major gaps,” between our position and that of the government.

“The strikes will be taking place on Thursday. Four unions balloted their members and reached that decision and that reflects the degree of anger and worry and real fear there is across everyone who works for public sectors that their pensions are under threat,” Barber added.

Cameron was reported to have “prepared robust but fair message” to the unions while he is to address the Local Government Association annual conference.

Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), considered the government talks as a “farce,” accusing the coalition government of being uninterested to negotiate about its plans to cut pensions, increase the retirement age and raise contributions.

Mary Bousted, leader of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, also said, “We are disappointed, but not particularly surprised that the Government has yet again refused to give us the information we need to carry out negotiations about teachers’ and lecturers’ pensions.”

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander insisted that the meeting with the union leaders was “constructive” and expressed their disappointment with the persistence of the Thursday’s demonstration.

“We can assure the public that we have rigorous contingency plans in place to ensure that their essential services are maintained during the strike,” they said.

June 28, 2011 Posted by | Economics, Solidarity and Activism | Leave a comment

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