Archive: flotilla / Reading Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Posts Tagged ‘flotilla’

Flotilla Survivor Kenneth O’Keefe

July 1st, 2010 • Awareness, Events, Film & Documentary, News
Tags: boats, flotilla, freegaza, gaza, IHH, Kenneth O'Keefe, piracy

BBC HARDtalk: Gaza blockade easing ‘worth’ flotilla lives

Israel has eased its blockade on the Gaza Strip, not by as much as some would like, but the Middle East envoy Tony Blair has said it is a “good start”.

It follows the death of nine Turkish activists killed by Israeli soldiers when they raided an aid flotilla as it tried to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

Kenneth O’Keefe was on that boat and he was involved in the violence. Sarah Montague asks him whether it was worth it.

UK residents can watch online here…

42-page Flotilla Report

July 1st, 2010 • Action, Awareness, Events, News
Tags: attack, flotilla, freegaza, gaza, IHH, priacy, report

from Freegaza, a 42 page comprehensive Report and contains many full resolution photographs. Please download, read and distribute to all your lists and media contacts.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Istanbul, June 29, 2010)

On May 31, 2010, the six ships in the Freedom Flotilla were 75 miles away from the coast of Israel. We constantly reiterated that we were traveling in peace and carrying nothing but humanitarian and construction aid to the people of Gaza. At around 3:00 am, the battleships were still following us along with nearly 30 zodiacs that surrounded the flotilla in international waters.

At 4:10 am, messages from the ship, Define, stated, “Mavi Marmara, all of the boats and ships are approaching you.” Shortly after, when most of the participants were performing their morning prayers, pursuit boats carrying masked, armed soldiers came alongside the boats. At least 10 Israeli soldiers were in every boat. As they tried to get on board, they began shooting. Then we heard sounds that were similar to gas bombs. The third sound was the constant sound of machine gun fire. At the same time, military helicopters full of armed soldiers rappeled down, shooting as they descended.

This operation was hostile from the very beginning, directed towards killing and killing as many as possible. Israeli soldiers did not open fire on the ships as a warning. They opened fire to kill. The first two people on board were shot in the head, killing them instantly.

For a detailed report on who IHH is, why they joined the flotilla and what happened on that fateful morning, please download the report here… (pdf)

A Voyage of Life and Death

June 18th, 2010 • Awareness, Film & Documentary, News
Tags: flotilla, freedom, gaza

Shown at our monthly meeting…

In the early hours of Monday, May 31, the Israeli navy intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying thousands of tonnes of aid to Gaza. Nine passengers on the Mavi Marmara – the flotilla’s largest boat – were killed. This much we know.

In the aftermath of the event, accounts from both sides have diverged wildly. Israel claims that it acted in self-defence against a group of “violent extremists” linked to al-Qaeda and Hamas, intent on breaching the military blockade of Gaza.

The activists say they were frightened for their lives after being shot at from helicopters in the dark of night, their raised white flag ignored. They say Israel’s attack on their ship in international waters was unexpected and disproportionate.

Examining claim and counter claim, A Vourney of Life and Death includes an exclusive interview with the captain of the Mavi Marmara, those on board the ships and previously unseen footage.