Veuillez diffuser largement - Please forward widely
--- Français ci-dessous ---
Athens, June 23, 2011
The international "Freedom Flotilla II - Stay Human" is ready to sail within the next few days to Gaza expressing its solidarity in action with the Palestinian people.
The international "Freedom Flotilla II - Stay Human" will include 10 ships, two of which are cargo boats carrying aid, while the rest are passenger ships carrying hundreds of people, among them, politicians, MEPs, writers, religious faiths representatives, people of arts and culture and activists. Many TV crews will be also on board (CNN, NBC, CBC-RC, Al-Jazeera, et.al.) as well as journalists sent by various world media and newspapers.
Our peaceful Flotilla will sail amidst threats from the Israeli government, which is unashamed to boast that it will stop the mission at all costs, even with violence, trying to remind us of the terrible events of last year's Flotilla.
Our peaceful Flotilla will sail on despite lies, pressure and blackmail from the Israeli government to the international community and to other governments in order to prevent by any means, administrative or repressive, the ships from sailing. Thus the Israeli government is trying to shift the political responsibility and the political cost of its own inhumane policy of occupation of Palestine, to the governments of other countries.
Our governments bear great responsibility, since they are avoiding making Israel accountable to observe international law, as well as they are avoiding necessary actions in order to protect their own citizens, which are unarmed and who are participating in this peaceful, humanitarian action.
"Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human" is holding a Press Conference on Monday, June 27, 12PM at ESIEA Hall (20 Akadimias Str. Athens).
In this press conference, which will be the last before sailing, will also participate internationally known individuals that will board the ships.
Info:
Ehab Lotayef: 514.941.9792 lotayef@gmail.com
Wendy Goldsmith: 519.619.6766 wendygoldsmith21@gmail.com
http://www.tahrir.ca/http://www.freedomflotilla.ca/
------Français------
Athènes, le 23 juin 2011
La «Flottille de la Liberté II - Rester humain»" est prête pour prendre la mer. La flottille internationale mettra le cap sur Gaza d’ici quelques jours exprimant de manière concrète sa solidarité avec le peuple palestinien.
La «Flottille de la Liberté II - Rester humain»" sera composée de dix navires, dont deux sont des bateaux de cargaison transportant de l’aide humanitaire, tandis que les autres sont des bateaux transportant des passagers (une centaine en tout). Parmi les passagers : des politiciens, des membres du parlement européen, des écrivains, des clergymans, des artistes et des militants. Plusieurs reporters des grandes chaînes de télévision seront également à bord (CNN, NBC, Radio-Canada, Al-Jazeera, et.al.) ainsi que des journalistes écrivant dans divers grands quotidiens.
Notre flottille pacifique naviguera malgré les menaces du gouvernement israélien. En effet, ce dernier affirme sans scrupules qu’il aura recours à tous les moyens à sa disposition pour arrêter la mission, incluant la violence, faisant peser sur nous le souvenir du sort terrible qu’a connu la flottille de l’année dernière.
Notre flottille pacifique naviguera malgré les mensonges du gouvernement israélien à notre sujet; notre flottille pacifique naviguera malgré les pressions et le chantage exercés par le gouvernement israélien auprès de la communauté internationale et des différents gouvernements afin qu’ils exercent à leur tour des pressions administratives ou des mesures répressives visant à empêcher les navires de prendre la mer. Ainsi, le gouvernement israélien tente de faire porter par les gouvernements d’autres pays la responsabilité politique de l’occupation de la Palestine ainsi que les coûts politiques de ses politiques inhumaines.
Nos gouvernements se sont fort mal orientés, car ils évitent d’exiger qu’Israël se conforme au droit international. De plus, nos gouvernements évitent de poser les actions qui s’imposent pour protéger leurs propres citoyens, qui sont pourtant désarmés et qui participent à une action pacifique et humanitaire.Conférence de presse de la «Flottille de la Liberté II - Rester humain»" lundi le 27 juin à midi au hall ESIEA (20 rue Akadimias, Athènes)
Participeront à cette conférence de presse, qui sera la dernière avant prendre la mer, des personnes connues internationalement et qui seront à bord des navires.
Info:Lorraine Guay: 514.278.1167 lorraineguay@videotron.ca
Denis Kosseim: 514.923.5594 denis.tahrir@gmail.com
www.tahrir.cahttp://www.freedomflotilla.ca/
~ Sofia Smith
Friday, June 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Media coverage of the Canadian Delegates / Couverture de presse entourant le départ de la délégation canadienne
As they departed from Montreal and Toronto the Canadian delegates got a lot of media attention in both French and English media.
Le départ des délégué-e-s de Montréal et de Toronto, a retenu l'attention de plusieurs média francophone et anglophone.
Radio-Canada:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2011/CBF/DimancheMagazine201106191008_2.asx
Metro Toronto:
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/local/article/894525--filmmaker-s-anxiety-inspires-flotilla-doc
Le Devoir:
http://www.ledevoir.com/international/actualites-internationales/325890/embarquement-pour-gaza
The Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1011462--toronto-residents-prepare-to-set-sail-for-gaza
Radio-Canada:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/International/2011/06/19/005-flotille-blocus-gaza.shtml
CTV:
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110619/freedom-flotilla-boat-canadians-gaza-110619/
Other CBG / Autres sur le bateau:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2011/06/17/002-flotille-gaza-canadiens.shtml
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/06/17/gaza-flotilla-canadians.html
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/canada/article/893211--canadians-on-gaza-trip-expect-help-from-feds
For more information on the Canadian boat to Gaza, please go to Tahrir.ca
~ Sofia Smith
Le départ des délégué-e-s de Montréal et de Toronto, a retenu l'attention de plusieurs média francophone et anglophone.
Radio-Canada:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2011/CBF/DimancheMagazine201106191008_2.asx
Metro Toronto:
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/local/article/894525--filmmaker-s-anxiety-inspires-flotilla-doc
Le Devoir:
http://www.ledevoir.com/international/actualites-internationales/325890/embarquement-pour-gaza
The Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1011462--toronto-residents-prepare-to-set-sail-for-gaza
Radio-Canada:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/International/2011/06/19/005-flotille-blocus-gaza.shtml
CTV:
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110619/freedom-flotilla-boat-canadians-gaza-110619/
Other CBG / Autres sur le bateau:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2011/06/17/002-flotille-gaza-canadiens.shtml
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/06/17/gaza-flotilla-canadians.html
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/canada/article/893211--canadians-on-gaza-trip-expect-help-from-feds
For more information on the Canadian boat to Gaza, please go to Tahrir.ca
~ Sofia Smith
The blockade *is* illegal no matter what Israel claims!
An expert legal opinion on International Maritime Law and the Gaza blockade
Ambassador Craig Murray is a former Alternate Head of the UK Delegation to the United Nations Preparatory Commission on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He was deputy head of the teams which negotiated the UK's maritime boundaries with France, Germany, Denmark (Faeroe Islands) and Ireland.
www.tahrir.ca
---Français---
Le blocus est illégal quoi qu'en dise Israel:
AVIS LÉGAL CONCERNANT LE DROIT MARITIME INTERNATIONAL
L'ambassadeur Craig Murray a été chef suppléant de la délégation britannique à la Commission préparatoire des Nations Unies sur la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer. Il a également été directeur adjoint de l'équipe qui a négocié les frontières maritimes du Royaume-Uni avec la France, l'Allemagne, le Danemark (îles Féroé) et l'Irlande.
En tant que chef de la Section maritime du Foreign Office et du Commonwealth, il était responsable de fournir en temps réel les autorisations juridiques et les approbations politiques liées aux manœuvres d’accostage de la Royal Navy dans le Golfe Persique suite à l’invasion irakienne du Koweït, dans le cadre de la mise en application du blocus autorisé par l’ONU sur les cargaisons d'armes irakiennes.
L'ambassadeur Craig Murray est une autorité mondiale sur le droit maritime et sur les questions d'arraisonnement des navires.
Voici son analyse du blocus israélien de Gaza et du droit de la flottille de Gaza d'appareiller :
« Sur le plan légal, la situation est claire. Un navire qui se trouve hors des eaux territoriales (limite des 12 milles marins) d'un État côtier se trouve en haute mer et sous la juridiction exclusive de l'État duquel il bat pavillon. Le navire dispose du droit de passage en haute mer. L'État côtier concerné peut réguler l'activité économique et exploiter les ressources de la mer et du plateau continental jusqu'à une distance 200 milles marins, jusqu'à la fin du plateau continental, ou à l'intérieur d’une frontière convenue. Mais dans le présent cas, il n’y a aucune indication de pêche, de forage ou d'autre activité économique. Le navire a donc le droit de libre passage ».
« Le droit de libre passage est garanti par la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer dont les États-Unis sont signataires. Lorsqu'un incident survient en haute mer sur un navire battant pavillon des États-Unis, l’incident tombe sous la compétence des États-Unis. Un navire est autorisé à faire appel à la protection de l'État du pavillon du navire contre les attaques en haute mer ».
« Israël a imposé un blocus sur Gaza et a justifié ses précédentes attaques meurtrières contre des navires civils neutres en haute mer en s’appuyant sur la couverture juridique du Manuel de San Remo sur le droit international applicable aux conflits armés en mer ».
« Mais l’argument est faussé à la base et il perd toute substance à la lumière d’un seul fait central: San Remo ne concerne que les blocus mis en application dans le cadre de conflits armés. Présentement, Israël n'est pas engagé dans un conflit armé et dit ne pas rechercher le conflit armé. San Remo ne confère aucunement le droit d'imposer un blocus permanent hors du cadre d'un conflit armé, et de fait, il exclut spécifiquement l'application qu'il considère comme illégale d'un blocus à une population entière ».
« Il ne s'agit pas de nier qu'Israël subit des attaques terroristes sporadiques émanant de la bande de Gaza. Mais cela est loin d'atteindre le niveau d'un conflit armé pouvant engendrer le droit d'imposer un blocus naval limité selon les critères de San Remo. À titre de comparaison, l'impact meurtrier des attaques de l’Armée républicaine irlandaise (IRA) sur le Royaume-Uni durant les années 1970 et 1980 a été bien plus lourd et a causé beaucoup plus de morts que toutes les pertes infligées par Gaza à Israël. Malgré cela, il ne viendrait à l'idée de personne de soutenir que le Royaume-Uni aurait eu dans les années 1970 et 1980 le droit d'imposer un blocus naval général contre la République d'Irlande, même s’il était évident qu'elle constituait la base opérationnelle et d'approvisionnement de l'IRA. Les arguments avancés par Israël pour légitimer ses actions maritimes contre des navires civils neutres en vertu de San Remo sont fondés sur un plaidoyer de justification et sur une définition restreinte à l’excès du terme « conflit armé ».
Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez contacter Craig Murray à craigmurray1710@btinternet.com.
www.tahrir.ca
Ambassador Craig Murray is a former Alternate Head of the UK Delegation to the United Nations Preparatory Commission on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He was deputy head of the teams which negotiated the UK's maritime boundaries with France, Germany, Denmark (Faeroe Islands) and Ireland.
As Head of the Maritime Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, he was responsible for giving real time political and legal clearance to Royal Navy boarding operations in the Persian Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, in enforcement of the UN authorised blockade against Iraqi weapons shipments.
Ambassador Craig Murray is therefore an internationally recognised authority on maritime jurisdiction and naval boarding issues.
His analysis of the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the right of the Gaza flotilla to sail.
His analysis of the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the right of the Gaza flotilla to sail.
"The legal position is plain. A vessel outwith the territorial waters (12 mile limit) of a coastal state is on the high seas under the sole jurisdiction of the flag state of the vessel. The ship has a positive right of passage on the high seas. The coastal state can regulate economic activity exploiting the resources of the seas and continental shelf up to 200 miles, the extent of the continental shelf, or the agreed boundary, but there is no indication of fishing, oil drilling or analagous economic activity in this case. The vessel is entitled to free passage."
"This right of free passage is guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, to which the United States is a full party. Any incident which takes place upon a US flagged ship on the High Seas is subject to United States legal jurisdiction. A ship is entitled to look to its flag state for protection from attack on the High Seas."
"Israel has declared a blockade on Gaza and justified previous fatal attacks on neutral civilian vessels on the High Seas in terms of enforcing that embargo, under the legal cover given by the San Remo Manual of International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea."
"There are however fundamental flaws in this line of argument. It falls completely on one fact alone. San Remo only applies to blockade in times of armed conflict. Israel is not currently engaged in an armed conflict, and presumably does not wish to be. San Remo does not confer any right to impose a permanent blockade outwith times of armed conflict, and in fact specifically excludes as illegal a general blockade on an entire population."
"It should not be denied that Israel suffers from sporadic terrorist attacks emanating from Gaza. However this does not come close to reaching the bar of armed conflict that would trigger the right to impose a limited naval blockade in terms of San Remo. To make a comparison, in the 1970's and 1980's the United Kingdom suffered continued terrorist attack from the Irish Republican Army, with much more murderous impact causing many more deaths than anything Israel has suffered in recent years from Gaza. However nobody would seek to argue that the UK would have had the right to mount a general naval blockade of the Republic of Ireland in the 1970's and 1980's, even though the Republic was undoubtedly the base for much IRA supply and operations. Justifications of Israeli naval action against neutral civilian ships by San Remo is based on special pleading and an impossibly strained definition of the term
"armed conflict". "
For more information Craig Murray can be reached at craigmurray1710@btinternet.com"armed conflict". "
www.tahrir.ca
---Français---
Le blocus est illégal quoi qu'en dise Israel:
AVIS LÉGAL CONCERNANT LE DROIT MARITIME INTERNATIONAL
L'ambassadeur Craig Murray a été chef suppléant de la délégation britannique à la Commission préparatoire des Nations Unies sur la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer. Il a également été directeur adjoint de l'équipe qui a négocié les frontières maritimes du Royaume-Uni avec la France, l'Allemagne, le Danemark (îles Féroé) et l'Irlande.
En tant que chef de la Section maritime du Foreign Office et du Commonwealth, il était responsable de fournir en temps réel les autorisations juridiques et les approbations politiques liées aux manœuvres d’accostage de la Royal Navy dans le Golfe Persique suite à l’invasion irakienne du Koweït, dans le cadre de la mise en application du blocus autorisé par l’ONU sur les cargaisons d'armes irakiennes.
L'ambassadeur Craig Murray est une autorité mondiale sur le droit maritime et sur les questions d'arraisonnement des navires.
Voici son analyse du blocus israélien de Gaza et du droit de la flottille de Gaza d'appareiller :
« Sur le plan légal, la situation est claire. Un navire qui se trouve hors des eaux territoriales (limite des 12 milles marins) d'un État côtier se trouve en haute mer et sous la juridiction exclusive de l'État duquel il bat pavillon. Le navire dispose du droit de passage en haute mer. L'État côtier concerné peut réguler l'activité économique et exploiter les ressources de la mer et du plateau continental jusqu'à une distance 200 milles marins, jusqu'à la fin du plateau continental, ou à l'intérieur d’une frontière convenue. Mais dans le présent cas, il n’y a aucune indication de pêche, de forage ou d'autre activité économique. Le navire a donc le droit de libre passage ».
« Le droit de libre passage est garanti par la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer dont les États-Unis sont signataires. Lorsqu'un incident survient en haute mer sur un navire battant pavillon des États-Unis, l’incident tombe sous la compétence des États-Unis. Un navire est autorisé à faire appel à la protection de l'État du pavillon du navire contre les attaques en haute mer ».
« Israël a imposé un blocus sur Gaza et a justifié ses précédentes attaques meurtrières contre des navires civils neutres en haute mer en s’appuyant sur la couverture juridique du Manuel de San Remo sur le droit international applicable aux conflits armés en mer ».
« Mais l’argument est faussé à la base et il perd toute substance à la lumière d’un seul fait central: San Remo ne concerne que les blocus mis en application dans le cadre de conflits armés. Présentement, Israël n'est pas engagé dans un conflit armé et dit ne pas rechercher le conflit armé. San Remo ne confère aucunement le droit d'imposer un blocus permanent hors du cadre d'un conflit armé, et de fait, il exclut spécifiquement l'application qu'il considère comme illégale d'un blocus à une population entière ».
« Il ne s'agit pas de nier qu'Israël subit des attaques terroristes sporadiques émanant de la bande de Gaza. Mais cela est loin d'atteindre le niveau d'un conflit armé pouvant engendrer le droit d'imposer un blocus naval limité selon les critères de San Remo. À titre de comparaison, l'impact meurtrier des attaques de l’Armée républicaine irlandaise (IRA) sur le Royaume-Uni durant les années 1970 et 1980 a été bien plus lourd et a causé beaucoup plus de morts que toutes les pertes infligées par Gaza à Israël. Malgré cela, il ne viendrait à l'idée de personne de soutenir que le Royaume-Uni aurait eu dans les années 1970 et 1980 le droit d'imposer un blocus naval général contre la République d'Irlande, même s’il était évident qu'elle constituait la base opérationnelle et d'approvisionnement de l'IRA. Les arguments avancés par Israël pour légitimer ses actions maritimes contre des navires civils neutres en vertu de San Remo sont fondés sur un plaidoyer de justification et sur une définition restreinte à l’excès du terme « conflit armé ».
Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez contacter Craig Murray à craigmurray1710@btinternet.com.
www.tahrir.ca
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Message from the Canadian Boat to Gaza
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Thanks to all of you, in a few short weeks, the Tahrir will be sailing with Freedom Flotilla II - Stay Human. Thirty delegates from across the country are preparing themselves for a difficult but necessary voyage and we are continuing to work with our international partners to organize and coordinate every aspect of the project. We are also assembling a dedicated group of volunteers across the country who will remain in Canada, supporting the launch of the flotilla, tracking and communicating with the Tahrir once it sets sail and handling media and public actions regionally and nationally.
To date, we have raised around $340,000 through generous donations made by you and others like you. Despite recent media claims, we reaffirm that all money raised was donated by Canadian individuals and communities across the country, no government support and no tax benefits either. This is the sign of a true civil society initiative that every contributor believes in, beyond any doubt.
---Français---(Veuillez diffuser largement)
Encore quelques semaines, continuez à appuyer le Bateau pour Gaza!
Chers ami-e-s,
Dans quelques semaines, et ce grâce à vous, le Tahrir va naviguer avec la Flottille de la liberté II – Rester humains. Une trentaine de délégué-e-s du Québec et du Canada se préparent actuellement pour un voyage difficile mais nécessaire. Nous continuons à travailler avec nos partenaires internationaux à l’organisation finale de tous les aspects du projet. Nous avons aussi mis sur pied une équipe de bénévoles qui resteront ici pour appuyer la flottille, notamment en maintenant la communication avec le Tahrir durant son voyage, en assurant les liens avec les médias et en coordonnant les actions publiques qui s’organiseront un peu partout au pays.
Vous avez peut-être entendu parler d’une poursuite légale pour empêcher le bateau de partir. Sachez que celle-ci ne nous arrêtera pas et que nous continuons à nous préparer afin d’atteindre notre objectif, Gaza, d’ici la fin juin.
Jusqu’à maintenant, nous avons recueilli environ 340 000$ en dons provenant de gens comme vous. Contrairement à des affirmations diffusées par certains medias, nous réaffirmons que tout cet argent a été donné par des citoyens et des citoyennes, des organisations communautaires et syndicales, sans appui gouvernemental ni exemption fiscale. Il s’agit donc d’une initiative citoyenne authentique à laquelle toutes ces personnes croient fermement.
En plus du bateau lui-même, qui absorbe la majeure partie des coûts, il y a plusieurs autres dépenses incontournables pour un projet d’une telle importance et d’une telle difficulté. Il nous faut notamment de l’équipement de communication qui doit être plus sophistiqué que prévu afin de répondre aux besoins des médias qui seront à bord et éviter les possibles interférences israéliennes. Nous devons aussi assumer des coûts pour le combustible, les réparations, l’équipement de sécurité, etc. Rappelons aussi que nous avons dû prendre un bateau plus gros que prévu afin de permettre à plus de personnes de participer à l’opération et d’envoyer plus d’aide humanitaire à Gaza.
Pour toutes ces raisons, nous avons besoin de 50 000$ supplémentaires pour assumer tous les coûts du projet. Nous vous prions donc de contribuer à nouveau au Bateau pour Gaza afin que le Tahrir et ses passagers puissent naviguer en toute sécurité et avec tout l’équipement nécessaire à un tel voyage.
Nous comptons sur votre appui dans cet ultime effort. La population de Gaza nous attend. Si vous n’avez pas encore contribué, nous vous prions de le faire maintenant. Si vous pouvez faire une contribution supplémentaire, n’hésitez pas. Et bien sûr, demandez à vos amis, votre famille et à vos collègues de contribuer. Les dons peuvent être effectués par le biais notre site Internet à www.tahrir.ca.
Ensemble, nous allons y arriver!
L’équipe du Bateau canadien pour Gaza
Other than the boat, which is the major expense, there are many large costs associated with a project of this magnitude and sensitivity, such as communications equipment (which needed to be of much higher grade than originally planned to accommodate media needs and operate as efficiently as possible, in the face of Israeli interference), fuel, repairs, safety equipment, etc. We would also like remind you that we bought a bigger boat than was originally planned, allowing more Canadians to participate and more humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza.
With this we still need another $50,000 to fulfill the project's needs. We are asking you to continue contributing to the Canadian Boat to Gaza so the Tahrir and its passengers can sail with all the necessary equipment and security devices needed for this difficult trip.
Some of you (like us) may have heard via media reports that we are the subject of a lawsuit. We wish to inform you that we have not been served notice and that our plans are and will be progressing normally and legally towards our goal of reaching Gaza.
The Canadian Boat To Gaza
---Français---(Veuillez diffuser largement)
Encore quelques semaines, continuez à appuyer le Bateau pour Gaza!
Dans quelques semaines, et ce grâce à vous, le Tahrir va naviguer avec la Flottille de la liberté II – Rester humains. Une trentaine de délégué-e-s du Québec et du Canada se préparent actuellement pour un voyage difficile mais nécessaire. Nous continuons à travailler avec nos partenaires internationaux à l’organisation finale de tous les aspects du projet. Nous avons aussi mis sur pied une équipe de bénévoles qui resteront ici pour appuyer la flottille, notamment en maintenant la communication avec le Tahrir durant son voyage, en assurant les liens avec les médias et en coordonnant les actions publiques qui s’organiseront un peu partout au pays.
Vous avez peut-être entendu parler d’une poursuite légale pour empêcher le bateau de partir. Sachez que celle-ci ne nous arrêtera pas et que nous continuons à nous préparer afin d’atteindre notre objectif, Gaza, d’ici la fin juin.
Jusqu’à maintenant, nous avons recueilli environ 340 000$ en dons provenant de gens comme vous. Contrairement à des affirmations diffusées par certains medias, nous réaffirmons que tout cet argent a été donné par des citoyens et des citoyennes, des organisations communautaires et syndicales, sans appui gouvernemental ni exemption fiscale. Il s’agit donc d’une initiative citoyenne authentique à laquelle toutes ces personnes croient fermement.
En plus du bateau lui-même, qui absorbe la majeure partie des coûts, il y a plusieurs autres dépenses incontournables pour un projet d’une telle importance et d’une telle difficulté. Il nous faut notamment de l’équipement de communication qui doit être plus sophistiqué que prévu afin de répondre aux besoins des médias qui seront à bord et éviter les possibles interférences israéliennes. Nous devons aussi assumer des coûts pour le combustible, les réparations, l’équipement de sécurité, etc. Rappelons aussi que nous avons dû prendre un bateau plus gros que prévu afin de permettre à plus de personnes de participer à l’opération et d’envoyer plus d’aide humanitaire à Gaza.
Pour toutes ces raisons, nous avons besoin de 50 000$ supplémentaires pour assumer tous les coûts du projet. Nous vous prions donc de contribuer à nouveau au Bateau pour Gaza afin que le Tahrir et ses passagers puissent naviguer en toute sécurité et avec tout l’équipement nécessaire à un tel voyage.
Nous comptons sur votre appui dans cet ultime effort. La population de Gaza nous attend. Si vous n’avez pas encore contribué, nous vous prions de le faire maintenant. Si vous pouvez faire une contribution supplémentaire, n’hésitez pas. Et bien sûr, demandez à vos amis, votre famille et à vos collègues de contribuer. Les dons peuvent être effectués par le biais notre site Internet à www.tahrir.ca.
Ensemble, nous allons y arriver!
L’équipe du Bateau canadien pour Gaza
Other than the boat, which is the major expense, there are many large costs associated with a project of this magnitude and sensitivity, such as communications equipment (which needed to be of much higher grade than originally planned to accommodate media needs and operate as efficiently as possible, in the face of Israeli interference), fuel, repairs, safety equipment, etc. We would also like remind you that we bought a bigger boat than was originally planned, allowing more Canadians to participate and more humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza.
With this we still need another $50,000 to fulfill the project's needs. We are asking you to continue contributing to the Canadian Boat to Gaza so the Tahrir and its passengers can sail with all the necessary equipment and security devices needed for this difficult trip.
We count on your backing in this final push towards our common goal. The people of Gaza are waiting for us. If you can dig into your pockets one more time, please do. If you haven't yet, now is the time. In any case, please ask your family, friends and co-workers to donate as well. Donations can be made online at our website at www.tahrir.ca.
Together we will make it.
~ reposted by Sofia Smith
Together we will make it.
~ reposted by Sofia Smith
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Keffiyeh
Originally pOSTED BY @earthtonadine on JUNE 10, 2011 at http://bit.ly/iCuPJF
Keffiyeh (كوفية) is a traditional headdress typically worn by Arab men made of square cloth, usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles.
The keffiyeh became a symbol of Palestinian nationalism during the 1936-1939 revolt against British colonialism. Jews of Palestine also wore the keffiyeh. Now what is it a symbol of?
Urban Outfitters recently stopped selling keffiyehs after a pro-Israel activist complained about it; the store issued a statement that “the company had not intended to imply any sympathy for or support of terrorists or terrorism.”
Caroline Glick, my favorite person on Earth (sarcasm), equates the Palestinian keffiyeh with the fascist wearing of brown shirts. I had to laugh out loud at that one. This is what the keffiyeh has come down to:
As a Palestinian, it is quite irritating to watch the keffiyeh turn into a symbol of “terrorism.” It is also quite irritating to watch the keffiyeh turn into a fashion statement when it means so much more. On twitter, I asked Palestinians and non-Palestinians “What does the keffiyeh represent in your eyes?”
@SoulFYA: To me, the keffiyeh is dignity. Humanity with its head up. The struggle on its feet and marching forward. It’s persistence in the face of defeat. Steadfastness and dedication to Palestine, this is what the keffiyeh means to me.
@JamilSbitan: Resistance and Palestinian identity.
@the_medstar: It’s a sense of identity, nostalgic and a reminder that we will never forget Palestine. Wear it with pride like Yasser Arafat did.
@adamhudson5: To me, the keffiyeh represents Palestinian nationalism and solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation.
@hamzah_1992: It stands for my solidarity with the Palestinian people, and for all those who are oppressed from all corners of the world.
@Zinvor: In the West, the keffiyeh has unfortunately turned into a hipster fashion statement.
@ToastAndBanana: Struggle against foreign occupiers, a symbol of independence in a way, definitley one of strength.
@MagnusREriksen: Dignity
@Hala_Ab: It’s part of your identity as a Palestinian.
@dream23fb: represents resistance against the Zionist project of erasing Palestine.
@YasirTineh: It’s my ID-card, It represents me as a Palestinian, The Struggle for Palestine, A culture that is rich in customs, Our Resistance and Our Love.
Leila Khaled, [in]famous Palestinian woman
Friday, June 10, 2011
Not Taking No For an Answer. Kevin Neish, The Mavi, and the Freedom Flotilla...Take II
Written by Miles Howe and originally posted by the Halifax Media Coop at http://bit.ly/kCI0WP
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Neish on the Mavi, Holding a Passenger List from an IDF Commando's Backpack. Photo by culturesofresistance.com
It has been just over a year since Kevin Neish bore witness to the Israeli Defence Force-orchestrated massacre of nine activists aboard the Turkish ship MV Mavi Marmara, events that shocked the world, and brought an end to last year's Freedom Flotilla and its attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Since his return to Canada, Neish has indefatigably criss-crossed the seemingly endless expanses of this nation, speaking to thousands.
At each stop Neish has narrated the harrowing 30 minutes of Iara Lee's footage of the attack upon the Mavi. His decision to relive these moments through video, night after night, has been instrumental in raising funds so that Canada might sail it's own ship, christened the Tahrir, alongside the Mavi, in the quickly-approaching Freedom Flotilla II. The Tahrir's crew, myself included, would undoubtedly welcome Neish's leadership, and mechanical skills, aboard the vessel. But Neish has a prior engagement.
“When I was in Be'er Sheva prison in Israel,” says Neish, “after I was kidnapped by the Israelis...the fellow prisoners that were in there with me...they seemed impressed with the fact that a Canadian would travel halfway around the world to join them. They almost ordered me to join them on the Mavi Marmara, and I agreed, not knowing that there was going to be a Canadian ship.”
Last December, the Mavi returned on her own steam back to Turkey from Israel, where she had been held against Turkish demands since the massacre occurred. Neish was part of a crowd that numbered in the tens of thousands, on hand to welcome the Mavi back home.
The Mavi exists now in that rare-air where inanimate objects, otherwise emotionless, become focal points of remembrance and spirit. She is a mobile shrine to martyrs, and very much a link between the Turkish people, indeed the world's people, and the desire for an end to Palestinian oppression.
“They sailed her back into Istanbul.” says Neish. “Back into the Golden Horn of the Bosphorus. She was surrounded by I don't know how many ships. Everybody was blowing their horns. People were screaming on the gang-rails. There were thousands of people at this park where she pulled up...I don't know what support was like before, but now, it's just a blanket of support from Turkey. The people are 100% behind the Palestinian people.”
“They had 10,000-20,000 people a day, lined up to see that ship.” he continues. “There was this huge line, ten or fifteen people wide, running all the way down the street, just waiting to walk through the ship. People crying...many people crying...just walking through and stopping and crying. They had all the spots where the martyrs had fallen marked with descriptive banners, showing who they were and where they fell.”
For a week in Istanbul, Neish met up with other Mavi survivors. He mentions that he was constantly recognized on the street, treated to the hospitality that befits a returning, if unwitting, hero.
Back in Canada however, the reception has been mixed. According to Neish, the average Canadians he has met on his tours have been outwardly kind, understanding, and supportive of ending Palestinian oppression. Not so the Harper government, who apparently have no interest whatsoever in the crimes against humanity that occurred aboard the Mavi.
“The Harper government, I'm sure they'd have been just as happy if I was still stuck in prison.” says Neish. “No one from the government has approached me. No one's asked me a question. No one's come near me. The only official report I made was for the Turkish government. They asked me to make a report about Geneva Convention violations. I made a two page report for them, and they took my report and presented it to the UN. It's pretty embarrassing when they do it, but my own government doesn't even ask me what happened.”
There have also been threats against his life from less-than-reputable sections of Canadian society.
“The Zionists...one of them sent me a death threat.” says Neish. “He emailed me a death threat while I was still on the ship under attack by the Israelis. I saved that email and sent it to the media...My daughter has gotten some off-emails and some threats. Just low-lives...people lashing out.”
Lockstep Canadian media has also at times been less than kind to Neish, questioning his credibility, and his intentions. But after being besieged on the high seas by the IDF, the bluster of the 'yellow journalists' at the National Post, and elsewhere, must seem like the toothless mewling of so many paper tigers.
“It's good that they're angry.” says Neish. “I wouldn't want the mainstream, right-wing, press to be ignoring what we're doing. It's good that they have to respond...And to some degree, hopefully, it will give us something of a platform. Every time they write an editorial like that, you would think, if fair is fair, they would print a letter from one of us...as a response.”
As for John Baird and his recently-released warning to the crew of the Tahrir, Neish has some blunt words of advice.
“Just ignore John Baird.” says Neish. “What if Rosa Parks had listened to the John Bairds of her day, and had not sat in the front of the bus, where would we be today? What if the John Bairds of the day had had their way with the Freedom Riders going into Mississippi and Alabama?”
“Harper and his gang are a throwback to the race days of apartheid, and Jim Crow laws. They're going to order their citizens what to do...We're in a situation where we really have to count on people to act on their own instincts, on their own moral beliefs, and not try and follow the line of the main media, and the government.”
Kevin Neish, the Mavi Marmara, the Tahrir, me, and the international contingent of peaceful activists that make up the Freedom Flotilla II, sail for Gaza to break Israel's illegal blockade at the end of June.
~ reposted by Sofia Smith
Neish on the Mavi, Holding a Passenger List from an IDF Commando's Backpack. Photo by culturesofresistance.com
It has been just over a year since Kevin Neish bore witness to the Israeli Defence Force-orchestrated massacre of nine activists aboard the Turkish ship MV Mavi Marmara, events that shocked the world, and brought an end to last year's Freedom Flotilla and its attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Since his return to Canada, Neish has indefatigably criss-crossed the seemingly endless expanses of this nation, speaking to thousands.
At each stop Neish has narrated the harrowing 30 minutes of Iara Lee's footage of the attack upon the Mavi. His decision to relive these moments through video, night after night, has been instrumental in raising funds so that Canada might sail it's own ship, christened the Tahrir, alongside the Mavi, in the quickly-approaching Freedom Flotilla II. The Tahrir's crew, myself included, would undoubtedly welcome Neish's leadership, and mechanical skills, aboard the vessel. But Neish has a prior engagement.
“When I was in Be'er Sheva prison in Israel,” says Neish, “after I was kidnapped by the Israelis...the fellow prisoners that were in there with me...they seemed impressed with the fact that a Canadian would travel halfway around the world to join them. They almost ordered me to join them on the Mavi Marmara, and I agreed, not knowing that there was going to be a Canadian ship.”
Last December, the Mavi returned on her own steam back to Turkey from Israel, where she had been held against Turkish demands since the massacre occurred. Neish was part of a crowd that numbered in the tens of thousands, on hand to welcome the Mavi back home.
The Mavi exists now in that rare-air where inanimate objects, otherwise emotionless, become focal points of remembrance and spirit. She is a mobile shrine to martyrs, and very much a link between the Turkish people, indeed the world's people, and the desire for an end to Palestinian oppression.
“They sailed her back into Istanbul.” says Neish. “Back into the Golden Horn of the Bosphorus. She was surrounded by I don't know how many ships. Everybody was blowing their horns. People were screaming on the gang-rails. There were thousands of people at this park where she pulled up...I don't know what support was like before, but now, it's just a blanket of support from Turkey. The people are 100% behind the Palestinian people.”
“They had 10,000-20,000 people a day, lined up to see that ship.” he continues. “There was this huge line, ten or fifteen people wide, running all the way down the street, just waiting to walk through the ship. People crying...many people crying...just walking through and stopping and crying. They had all the spots where the martyrs had fallen marked with descriptive banners, showing who they were and where they fell.”
For a week in Istanbul, Neish met up with other Mavi survivors. He mentions that he was constantly recognized on the street, treated to the hospitality that befits a returning, if unwitting, hero.
Back in Canada however, the reception has been mixed. According to Neish, the average Canadians he has met on his tours have been outwardly kind, understanding, and supportive of ending Palestinian oppression. Not so the Harper government, who apparently have no interest whatsoever in the crimes against humanity that occurred aboard the Mavi.
“The Harper government, I'm sure they'd have been just as happy if I was still stuck in prison.” says Neish. “No one from the government has approached me. No one's asked me a question. No one's come near me. The only official report I made was for the Turkish government. They asked me to make a report about Geneva Convention violations. I made a two page report for them, and they took my report and presented it to the UN. It's pretty embarrassing when they do it, but my own government doesn't even ask me what happened.”
There have also been threats against his life from less-than-reputable sections of Canadian society.
“The Zionists...one of them sent me a death threat.” says Neish. “He emailed me a death threat while I was still on the ship under attack by the Israelis. I saved that email and sent it to the media...My daughter has gotten some off-emails and some threats. Just low-lives...people lashing out.”
Lockstep Canadian media has also at times been less than kind to Neish, questioning his credibility, and his intentions. But after being besieged on the high seas by the IDF, the bluster of the 'yellow journalists' at the National Post, and elsewhere, must seem like the toothless mewling of so many paper tigers.
“It's good that they're angry.” says Neish. “I wouldn't want the mainstream, right-wing, press to be ignoring what we're doing. It's good that they have to respond...And to some degree, hopefully, it will give us something of a platform. Every time they write an editorial like that, you would think, if fair is fair, they would print a letter from one of us...as a response.”
As for John Baird and his recently-released warning to the crew of the Tahrir, Neish has some blunt words of advice.
“Just ignore John Baird.” says Neish. “What if Rosa Parks had listened to the John Bairds of her day, and had not sat in the front of the bus, where would we be today? What if the John Bairds of the day had had their way with the Freedom Riders going into Mississippi and Alabama?”
“Harper and his gang are a throwback to the race days of apartheid, and Jim Crow laws. They're going to order their citizens what to do...We're in a situation where we really have to count on people to act on their own instincts, on their own moral beliefs, and not try and follow the line of the main media, and the government.”
Kevin Neish, the Mavi Marmara, the Tahrir, me, and the international contingent of peaceful activists that make up the Freedom Flotilla II, sail for Gaza to break Israel's illegal blockade at the end of June.
~ reposted by Sofia Smith
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Twitter Censor-Caged Occupied Palestine
On May 20, 2011
On this day we posted on this weblog the blogpost: Twitter Death for Occupied Palestine.
Twitter suspended the account of occupiedpalestine. Also twitter unsuspended it again a few days later with the message that we had been tweeting “unrelated tweets” into a “trending topic”. This trending topic was the #MESpeech and discussing or posting #Palestine related news or resources is definitly not unrelated at all. But hence, twitter is to be added to the Free Speech killers as Facebook the new online checkpoint, for indiscriminately censoring specific tweeps or hashtags from use or trending or worse than that, allowing tweeps to tweet but exclude them from worldwide searches and thus trending.
The concept of twitter and it’s hashtags implicates, that when someone is interested in a specific topic, she or he goes after the hashtag, uses a monitor or looks for tweeps using those to follow. But excluded from this, no tweep can find a co-tweep to exchange knowledge, opinion or just conversate about it. Which is at least the destinated use of twitter to “social network”.
But as all experienced (pro) Palestine bloggers/posters know, whenever we hit the topic PALESTINE we are deleted very quickly, restricted or removed. Especially on Facebook we even get errorpages which have literally the names: roadblock.php and checkpoint.php. Speaking about #Sarcasm…
May 22, 2011 : Ynet Publishes a “Web War Declaration”YNet published an article to call all pro-zion Israelis to “webduty” (again) and announced a “Web War declaration” in which “recruits” are called to do their duty to influence people aka sustain the hasbara.
This also not new. Amir Gissin, Director Public Affairs (Hasbara) Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem posted on July 22 on the website of www.standwithus.com — an pro-Israel advocacy organization a previous call which was immediately reported by Electronic Intifada . Head hasbara issued in the same months a tool named Megaphone, to “weapon” online pro-israeli activists to save hasbara and sustain dying romatic myths about Israel preventing them from a digital and even global awakening or even meltdown!
On the same day – because we are not to chicken to engage in an offer to a digital sparring-party, we launched an answer: The Digital Intifada 3.0, no live rounds like Israel uses to oppress or even literally silence to death people which protest the regime, but plain bytes of truth, with a load of resources, handbooks, howto’s and history. Hence, this whole blog is designed as an archive for we know, if we just post links, GIYUS and company will censor or complain themselves anywhere to get something removed from the web.
The latest example is the GIYUS efforts on Youtube on the song of Oneworld, even trying to shut up passionate Human Rights & Justice Lovers from singing, and within one day thousands of “dislikes” were pushed on the song and of course Facebook was the first to destroy the initiative by removing all links, blocking them as well on which we replied with this post: Checkpoint “HaSefer Bli Paneem” (Book without Face) Can’t Stop “One World” From Singing for Palestine!
In the cage…
Now it seems, #Palestine or Palestine loving mankind, again, is being harressed by restrictions, and the siege on Palestine is not only physical in the occupied territories but extended to Cyberspace as well, restricting the freedom of movement of bytes by excluding tweeps from being visible in searches. We regard this a very lame act of censorship for the Internet is designed to exchange knowledge, data, communication and these kind of free speech killers oppose everything what the Internet stands for.
An Insult…
It is also a great insult to anyone seeking information, offering them a limited censored selection of tweets, posts or links, or block even a whole topic from trending at all. We do not live in the ages of stone it’s 2011!
So we want to Announce…
We are waiting for quick removal of this restriction and new online otser ( curfew) on twitter. Because even if we have to go throw bottles in the sea with news, you can not stop us anyway. There is a movement going on of people, who ARE interested in the truth, in both sides, or just seeking all information and it is a severe violation of the right and freedom of speech to restrict people of (re)posting, links or articles which were -by the way- already covered by mainstream media in the first place!
Request
We ask you to retweet and repost our links as much as possible.
This blog is covering all news about Palestine available over 24 hours a day and covering almost all news from reliable sources as well as posts live from the ground of Palestine in an effort for Justice and Humanright in Palestine, and as well as Palestine deserves Justice and truth, you deserve it also so we are putting huge efforts in maintaining the spreading of facts in hope the global awakening and the truth will win. Palestine is not waiting on a next remark “Wir haben es nicht gewusst…“
Join us, let the #DigitalIntifada go on and spread the news for the sake of Palestine, it’s people, it’s refugees, the martyrs and the children… which are our future.
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