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The Only Democracy? » Entries tagged with "Gaza Freedom Flotilla"

Greece does U.S. and Israel’s bidding, detains flotilla; video roundup

Greece does U.S. and Israel’s bidding, detains flotilla; video roundup

By now you have probably heard that the U.S.Boat to Gaza, the “Audacity of Hope” made an attempt to set sail and was turned back by the Greek Coast Guard. Read Jewish Voice for Peace’s alert as it was happening here. Here is a roundup of Democracy Now! breaking coverage of the U.S. boat’s attempt. And here’s their video segment (updated with new video)  on the U.S. boat. Part One:. Part Two: Here’s Ashley Bates, whose Gaza reporting has … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Israeli Army’s anonymous version of Jawaher’s death contradicted by everyone

Israeli Army’s anonymous version of Jawaher’s death contradicted by everyone

By Jesse Bacon One of the proudest moments on this blog for me came when we were among the people covering the Rachel Corrie’s attempt to bring desperately needed supplies to Gaza in the aftermath of the 9 killings aboard the Mavi Marmara. Covering the event live on twitter as the Israeli army jammed all communications gave me a clear sense of who was trying to get the truth out as best we could,  and who … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs

Our 2 Op-Eds in the Israeli Press about Israel’s Future (2)

My last diary was my translation of an op-ed Ofer Neiman, a fellow Israeli activist, and myself wrote together back in April at Ynet, a mainstream Israeli news site. That article argued that the self-reinforcing siege mentality is gradually taking the taste and meaning out of collective life in Israel. Last week we continued analyzing fundamental issues in Israel’s dealing with the world. The article appeared in Ha’aretz in an online-only, Hebrew-only format. Moreover, while the Ynet article was published pretty much with the same 575 words we wrote, Ha’aretz demanded only 450, and then were arrogant enough to further cut it to 400, change the title and much of the text. Below I translate the original with commentary. In a way, our message is a progressive Israeli response to the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured

Links and Video about the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Links and Video about the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Documents explaining international law and law of sea applicable to the Flotilla: Video: Daniel Machover, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights, summary of analysis of international law applicable to flotilla attack. Downlaodable Documents: Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights document analyzing international law applicable to flotilla attack and a Diakonia analysis on the law of sea applicable to flotilla attack: Link concerning the criminalization of the four Palestinian citizens of Israel who were … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs

Bibi, Stop Racist Talk against Turks and Release All Footage!

(expanded version of Occupation Magazine post) Today (Saturday), Israeli PM `Bibi` again claimed, in rather crude terms, that the reason why the IDF killed 9 activists on Monday but today boarded the MV Rachel Corrie peacefully, is because of “…the difference between a ship of peace activists, with whom we don’t agree but respect their right to a different opinion from ours, and between a ship of hate organised by violent Turkish terror extremists…” This continues a race-baiting campaign against the Turkish ship and IHH, which started well before Monday’s attack. As CindyCasella’s excellent diary shows, just like in previous controversies the Israeli PR machine churns mostly lies. They are already backtracking from a claim IHH has Al Qaeda ties. But they’re still at it. Call Bibi’s racist bluff: demand that Israel release all … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs

interview with Greta Berlin of Free Gaza Movement UPDATE: Israel takes over boat.

By Jesse Bacon Here’s a clip of Greta Berlin, who is twittering at @FreeGazaOrg She says boat should arrive within half hour if not stopped. IDF is jamming all transmission, but boat can be seen through binoculars from shore. Greta Berlin of Free Gaza Movement. UPDATE: Tweet from onboard says that Israel is towing boat to Ashdod. … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Live from the Only Democracy? Exclusive: Denis Halliday aboard the Rachel Corrie

Live from the Only Democracy? Exclusive: Denis Halliday aboard the Rachel Corrie

By Jesse Bacon Contrary to some reports today, the Rachel Corrie is scheduled to arrive in Gaza about 10 pm Eastern Time. I will call back then, but had this conversation with an upbeat Dennis Halliday aboard the boat today. Here is the audio; I will post a cleaned up version over the weekend. Denis J. Halliday was the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq from September 1, 1997, until 1998. He is Irish and holds an … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Huwaida Arraf detained

Huwaida Arraf detained

by Jesse Bacon I called Huwaida Arraf for her second part of our interview to find she had been detained by Israeli police at the Friday Bil’in protest against the wall. Will check on a number to call. In the meantime, here’s her interview on Democracy Now! … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Live from The Only Democracy?: exclusive interview with Huwaida Arraf of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Live from The Only Democracy?: exclusive interview with Huwaida Arraf of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

By Jesse Bacon I had the privilege of speaking with Huwaida Arraf of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla direct from Ramallah today. I will write up a transcript later of the talk, but for now here’s the interview audio, which takes a few seconds to begin in both clips. I will speak to her again tomorrow and be asking her more about what happened on May 31 itself. Huwaida Arraf Part 1 Huwaida Arraf Part 2 Huwaida Arraf is a pro-Palestinian … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured, On The Ground Reports

Contact Obama to Cancel Tuesday’s Israeli PM Visit!

I wrote here some 40 hours ago, that Israel is determined to act as brutally and stupidly the UK did in 1947 when its troops stormed a Palestine-bound ship called “Exodus” and killed 3 passengers. But even I didn’t dream they would be this stupid, this brutal. As I write this, the IDF keeps changing versions about its act of piracy every few minutes. They still believe they can lie their way out of this one, too. You know what? They might. Because the Israeli strategy known as “Pissing from the High Jump” has worked so far. For about a decade, no one in the world that Israel cares to count, has dared put their money where their mouth is and force Israel to become a better (rather, less terrible) global … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs