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

Tue May 27 20:30:04 EDT 2014

I would add only that we should address our protests to Washington rather than TelAviv. Absent Washington's economic, military, and diplomatic cover - which the US provides for its own geopolitical reasons - the Israeli government would be unable to continue is oppression of the Palestinians.

Sent from my iPhone

On May 27, 2014, at 3:11 PM, Karen Medina via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

> 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
> 
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