---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Donna Wallach <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:29 PM Subject: Fwd: US Boat to Gaza Responds to IDF Spying on Internationals To:
Greetings all, I must say that I understand that the organizers of the U.S. Boat to Gaza must say nice things about the U.S. government, however, it is clear that U.S. policy has never been about supporting Human Rights or abiding by International Law, otherwise the constant support of everything Israel does and the financial and military support that Israel receives wouldn't be continuing to date. Still we must demand from the US govt. to oppose Apartheid Israel from continuing to spy on American citizens. in solidarity Donna ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: U.S. BOAT TO GAZA <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 10:43 AM Subject: US Boat to Gaza Responds to IDF Spying on Internationals To: [email protected] [image: boat logo] March 22, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PRESS CONTACT: FELICE GELMAN 917 912 2597 US BOAT TO GAZA RESPONDS TO IDF SPYING ON INTERNATIONALS According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Israeli government is "launching a public campaign" today, March 22, 2011 aimed at stopping the planned International Freedom Flotilla set to sail this spring. This news comes on the heels of information that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) announced it has formed a special unit to "monitor" foreign nationals opposed to its policies, including the flotilla. The U.S. Boat to Gaza project has been organizing a boat called The Audacity of Hope that will be one of the approximately 15 boats that will sail to Gaza with people from over 22 countries. This non-violent, international flotilla will be sailing close to the one year anniversary of a flotilla that was brutally attacked by the IDF, killing nine people and injuring many more. Organizers of The Audacity of Hope are outraged that the Israeli government is monitoring people in this country, as well as other nations, who are doing nothing illegal or threatening to that government. "If the Israeli government is worried about so-called "delegitimization" they should put an end to their immoral siege against the people of Gaza. Instead of monitoring people in other countries, the Israeli government should be ending their illegal, counterproductive, and often violent policies towards Palestinians and internationals protesting peacefully," said Gail Miller, one of the organizers. "Israeli authorities seem intent on silencing dissent from within and without. If Israel believes that infiltrating, spying on, and perhaps once again attacking, un-armed human rights advocates in international waters or elsewhere is going to serve Israel's interest or lessen criticism of its unsustainable policies they are wrong." Jane Hirschmann, another of The Audacity of Hope organizers, stated, "The U.S. Boat to Gaza and the international flotilla is committed to non-violently bringing attention to Israel's policy of siege, blockade, and occupation. We are not attacking or harming Israel, nor will we enter Israeli territory. Our plan is to sail peacefully to Gaza as part of a humanitarian mission consistent with U.S. and global values rooted in international law and human rights. If that is a crime in the eyes of Israeli officials then perhaps the U.S. government should re-assess the amount of diplomatic, military and financial support that U.S. taxpayers provide Israel with annually." Organizers of the U.S. Boat to Gaza believe these new actions by Israel should be responded to quickly by the U.S. government and the international community. Our government cannot sit quietly by as the armed forces of another nation announce their plans to monitor U.S. citizens. Instead, the U.S. government must insist that such monitoring immediately end, and non-violent activities are not met with brutal or deadly force by the Israeli forces. The Audacity of Hope plans on sailing in the late spring carrying U.S. citizens to the Gaza Strip as part of the International Freedom Flotilla. The goal of this journey is to create and strengthen ties with civil society and human rights groups in the coastal strip, which is home to 1.5 million Palestinians, most of whom are refugees. In addition, the flotilla hopes to shed light on the collective punishment the Israeli blockade and siege has imposed on the people of Gaza. -END GET ON BOARD THE U.S. TO GAZA CAMPAIGN VISIT WWW.USTOGAZA.ORG<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=wumi8ydab&et=1104930560474&s=6612&e=001VMOBSwJgySyG_yb8-8MvJBlmgjulsrXaUYZxUhMKb1NlBITWHDoZ4FSV5b0X660d2gcWxJ4NWLexr5WEBd3VUnG0zCDqtfwMgMWADXna490=> TO ENDORSE AND CONTRIBUTE Thank you for your support. Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=wumi8ydab&m=1103566746262&ea=cats4jazz%40gmail.com&a=1104930560474> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001GbafzQ3bCJtgBD8p30Rlww%3D%3D&se=0016DY36LwrCk8%3D&t=0011OnpVtSYKXSQb_lsD0RJrQ%3D%3D&llr=wumi8ydab> <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=news09> US TO GAZA | PO Box 373 | Bearsville | NY | 12409 -- End the Blockade of Gaza! Tear down the Apartheid Walls! End the Israeli collective punishment on the Palestinian people Free Palestine! Support the Free Gaza movement & US Boat to Gaza break the siege on Gaza! http://www.FreeGaza.org http://www.UStoGaza.org Support ISM volunteers in West Bank and Gaza Strip! http://www.palsolidarity.org Donna Wallach [email protected] Skype: palestinewillbe (h) 408-293-4774 (cell) 408-569-6608 -- Salaam. Nadia www.richardforer.com http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Nadia-Sindi-for-City-Councilor-Ward-5/243499929774 http://nadiasindi.blogspot.com/ http://www.studentloanjustice.Org "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." ~ Theodore Roosevelt "The truest measure of one's character is not the things you own or how much money you have. But, how you treat the one person who can do nothing for you. If I can instill a sense of humanity in just in just one person then I've achieved my mission." ~ Sierra Roberts -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coalitionforfreethoughtinmedia ©" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coalitionforfreethoughtinmedia?hl=en.
