[Peace] AWARE on the Air // International Freedom Day for Gaza May 31st, 2014

[Karen Medina via Peace]

I meant to have the subject be:
AWARE on the Air // International Freedom Day for Gaza May 31st, 2014

On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 2:05 PM, Karen Medina <kmedina67 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Peace,
>
> AWARE has its own television show, "AWARE on the Air." This week's
> episode caught me saying the following:
>
> "International Freedom Day for Gaza 2014
>
> "Many people criticize Palestinians for violent acts against Israel,
> their violent oppressor. Those same people seem completely unaware of
> all the peaceful demonstrations for Palestinian human rights.
> Palestinians are often joined by human rights activists around the
> world -- and I will note that many Israelis stand side by side with
> the Palestinians -- in these peaceful demonstrations.  To point out
> how little media coverage occurs here in the United States, I will
> share the following story.
>
> --
> "Human rights activists have called for an International Freedom for
> Gaza Day on May 31 to mark the fourth anniversary of the attack on the
> Mavi Marmara.
>
> "The Mavi Marmara was one of the ships carrying humanitarian aid to
> Gaza as part of a flotilla of ships – all carrying very needed
> humanitarian aid to Gaza – also with the intent to peacefully confront
> Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The people on the ships included peace
> activists and journalists from 37 countries around the world,
> including a good friend of mine.
>
> "The Israeli military boarding of the ship started at 2 am on May 31,
> 2010 and was completed by 8 am.
>
> "Reports from journalists on the ship said that the Israeli military
> opened fire with live rounds BEFORE boarding the ship. The United
> Nations investigation into the incident concluded that these reports
> were accurate and that the ship was attacked before it was boarded.
>
> "The attack was made by the Israeli military in International waters.
> The attack killed nine human rights activists -- the tenth died this
> week after four years in a coma.
>
> "International Freedom for Gaza Day will draw attention to the
> continuing siege on Gaza. Events will take place in Gaza, Turkey, and
> around the world.
>
> "Israel claimed that it relatively eased the blockade for non-military
> goods in June 2010, in direct response to the international outcry
> about the attack on the flotilla. The Israeli NGO “Gisha Legal Center
> for Freedom of Movement” asserted in a July 2010 report that Israel
> continues to prevent normal functioning of the Gazan economy – an
> Israeli group says that the blockade is still too restrictive. Israel
> continues to severely restrict and/or prevent people from entering or
> exiting Gaza according to Gisha. The United Nations Office for the
> Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) conducted an assessment
> of the humanitarian impact of the easing of the blockage in January
> and February 2011 and concluded that the easing did not result in a
> significant improvement in Gazan people’s livelihoods.
>
> "So, join the activities of International Freedom for Gaza Day on May
> 31. Provide peaceful pressure on the Israeli government to ease the
> blockade on Gaza. Or at least read up on the issue – read material on
> all sides -- read material by the Israeli government, by Israelis, by
> groups like Jewish Voices for Peace, by people on the Mavi Marmara, by
> Palestinians, and by the international presses."
>
> -karen medina
>
>                                 # # #



-- 
-- karen medina
"The really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain