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Cynthia McKinney’s Gaza Relief Ship Seized by Israel

“This is an outrageous violation of international law against us,” said McKinney (D-GA). “Our boat was not in Israeli waters and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip. President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that’s exactly what we tried to do. We’re asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey.”

These are the words coming from Cynthia Mckinney, former Congresswoman (and a great one, at that), and former Presidential Candidate for the Green Party. Her ship was heading to Gaza with relief through the  The Free Gaza Movement, which has organized five trips since August of 2008. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, and 19 other activists from Britain, Ireland, Bahrain and Jamaica were also on board when they were seized by a small Israeli ship 23 miles off the coast carrying 3 tons of medical supplies to the people of Gaza.

[An email released yesterday from the Free Gaza Movement said, "According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are “trapped in despair.” Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel’s December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel’s disruption of medical supplies.

“The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of “Cast Lead”. Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone” said fellow passenger Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland."

Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage, stated that: "No one could possibly believe that our small boat constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and reconstruction supplies, and children's toys. Our passengers include a Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach Israeli waters."

Arraf continued, "Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on our unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand our immediate and unconditional release."]

The ship was flying a Greek flag, but no Greek citizens were aboard. The Greek government issued a statement saying it sent a message to Israel demanding that it release the ship, crew and passengers.The ship was flying a Greek flag, but no Greek citizens were aboard. The Greek government issued a statement saying it sent a message to Israel demanding that it release the ship, crew and passengers.” Msnbc.com reported this, in the article “Israeli Navy Commandeers Gaza Aid Boat.”

The Israeli military claims today that the boat attempted to break a blockade of Gaza, and was forced to sail to an Israeli port after ignoring a radio message to stay out of Gaza waters. Cgr. McKinney’s ship, The Spirit of Hummanity, has been stopped once before this year. In December, McKinney was among 16 people aboard a medical supply boat that collided with an Israeli naval ship as it tried to enter coastal waters around Gaza.

FoxNews reports: “At the time, the group claimed the Israeli military fired machine guns into the water in an attempt to the stop the boat’s progress. But a spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry said “physical contact” was made only after the aid boat failed to respond to radio contact and he denied any gunfire had occurred.”

On this trip, the relief cargo included: medical supplies, cement, olive trees, and children’s toys for Gaza when it was boarded by the Israeli navy. The boarding happened peacefullly, with no shots fired.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Israel is planning to free the crew and passengers.

“Nobody wants to keep them here,” he said. “They will be released as soon as they are checked.” They also promise that the humanitarian aid will be sent in cargo trucks after the security check.  The blockade was imposed by Israel when the Hamas seized control of the territory from its Palestinian rivals in June 2007.

McKinney said she had asked Obama, and the State Department for protection on the relief mission. She said the boat was sailing in international waters when it was seized but neither the White House nor the State Department was immediately available for comment.

For more information you can contact:
Greta Berlin (English)
tel: +357 99 081 767 / friends@freegaza.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):
tel: +357 99 077 820 / sahara78@hotmail.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.FreeGaza.org

To HELP you can:

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Justice
tel: +972 2646 6666 or +972 2646 6340
fax: +972 2646 6357

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
tel: +972 2530 3111
fax: +972 2530 3367

CONTACT Mark Regev in the Prime Minister’s office at:
tel: +972 5 0620 3264 or +972 2670 5354

mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

CONTACT the International Committee of the Red Cross to ask for their assistance in establishing the wellbeing of the kidnapped human rights workers and help in securing their immediate release!

Red Cross Israel
tel: +972 3524 5286
fax: +972 3527 0370
tel_aviv.tel@icrc.org

Red Cross Switzerland:
tel: +41 22 730 3443
fax: +41 22 734 8280

Red Cross USA:
tel: +1 212 599 6021
fax: +1 212 599 6009

Kidnapped Passengers from the Spirit of Humanity include:

Khalad Abdelkader, Bahrain
Khalad is an engineer representing the Islamic Charitable Association of Bahrain.

Othman Abufalah, Jordan
Othman is a world-renowned journalist with al-Jazeera TV.

Khaled Al-Shenoo, Bahrain
Khaled is a lecturer with the University of Bahrain.

Mansour Al-Abi, Yemen
Mansour is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera TV.

Fatima Al-Attawi, Bahrain
Fatima is a relief worker and community activist from Bahrain.

Juhaina Alqaed, Bahrain
Juhaina is a journalist & human rights activist.

Huwaida Arraf, US
Huwaida is the Chair of the Free Gaza Movement and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Ishmahil Blagrove, UK
Ishmahil is a Jamaican-born journalist, documentary film maker and founder of the Rice & Peas film production company. His documentaries focus on international struggles for social justice.

Kaltham Ghloom, Bahrain
Kaltham is a community activist.

Derek Graham, Ireland
Derek Graham is an electrician, Free Gaza organizer, and first mate aboard the Spirit of Humanity.

Alex Harrison, UK
Alex is a solidarity worker from Britain. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Denis Healey, UK
Denis is Captain of the Spirit of Humanity. This will be his fifth voyage to Gaza.

Fathi Jaouadi, UK
Fathi is a British journalist, Free Gaza organizer, and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Mairead Maguire, Ireland
Mairead is a Nobel laureate and renowned peace activist.

Lubna Masarwa, Palestine/Israel
Lubna is a Palestinian human rights activist and Free Gaza organizer.

Theresa McDermott, Scotland
Theresa is a solidarity worker from Scotland. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Cynthia McKinney, US
Cynthia McKinney is an outspoken advocate for human rights and social justice issues, as well as a former U.S. congressperson and presidential candidate.

Adnan Mormesh, UK
Adnan is a solidarity worker from Britain. He is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Adam Qvist, Denmark
Adam is a solidarity worker from Denmark. He is traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

Adam Shapiro, US
Adam is an American documentary film maker and human rights activist.

Kathy Sheetz, US
Kathy is a nurse and film maker, traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

YNET reported about the great hopes of the passengers about their trip before the trip, in spite of the threat of being stopped by Israel:

“This is the first time since Operation Cast Lead that we are attempting to break through the naval blockade, and I hope Israel acts reasonably and allows us to enter,” said Greta Berlin, founder of “Free Gaza.”

Setting sail for Gaza (Photo courtesy of ‘Free Gaza’)

“We are not asking for Israel’s permission (to dock in Gaza), because, after all, we are sailing on international waters straight into Gaza’s waters,” she said.

According to activist Luvana Masarwa, a 30-year-old east Jerusalem resident, passengers “are excited about the possibility of contributing to breaking the siege.”

“We want to show the Palestinian people in Gaza that they are not alone, and call on the international community to take a more active role in resolving the situation,” she said. “How can it be that I live just an hour-and-a-half drive from Gaza, and yet I have to fly all the way to Cyprus in order to reunite with my people?”

I can’t say how much I admire Cynthia McKinney, and I hope she is released ASAP and that aid gets to the people. She is truly inspiring, not only for her bravery, but for the depth of her humanitarian beliefs. Get home safe guys, and soon.