My dear friend Ann Wright joined the Gaza Freedom Flotilla just days before it left Greece. She posted daily blogs from her voyage, the last one written only hours before the Israeli Navy commandeered her small boat.
Ann Wright has given her entire adult life to service. She served 35 years in the US Army, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She spent the fifteen subsequent years in the U.S. State Department, a career that ended in 2003 with her resignation over the impending invasion of Iraq. For the past eight years she has traveled the world tirelessly as a peace and human rights activist working against the devastating policies of the U.S. Government.
Ann's presence on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla was an attempt at citizens' doing what governments have failed to achieve. The Flotilla set out to break an illegal and immoral blockade that is slowly strangling the life out of Gaza by impoverishing and starving its people. But this non-violent citizens' movement was met by deadly force in international waters.
Once again, the Israeli government has flouted international law. In addition, Israeli officials have impounded the cameras and computers of the captured journalists and peace activists in an attempt to control the portrayal of what happened. They are resisting calls for an impartial investigation of the incidents that happened in the early hours of May 31st, and unfortunately, the Obama Administration appears to be again manipulating events in the U.N. Security Council in order to allow Israel impunity.
I joined the protest at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles yesterday because my dear friend and colleague Ann Wright is being held hostage by the Israeli government. What is her crime? Why is the story about her being kept hostage unavailable to the media? Why do we still have no information on the nine people who were killed and the scores who were wounded? When will the journalists and the tools of their trade be released? Where is the story about the story itself being held hostage?
Yesterday, Ann said she would be freed within 48 hours, and with her I hope the truth of what happened will also be liberated.
In the meantime, we demand our leaders to take action: condemn Israel and put a stop to the United States military aid that funds these acts of terror.
Related: 5 Actions You Can Take In Response to Israel Attacks on the Gaza Flotilla
Follow Jodie Evans on Twitter: www.twitter.com/codepinkalert
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I was there to condemn Israel's inhumane acts in international waters against the peace Flotilla. I was there to condemn Israel's murder of peacemakers and wounding of dozens more. I was there to protest United States' support for Israel's war crimes. I was there to ask my government to move to the side of justice and condemn Israel and adopt a fair and equitable middle east policy that supports the dignity and freedom of Palestinians, as it supports the dignity and freedom of Israelis. I was there as the granddaughter of Austrian Jewish immigrants to the U.S. and a proud member of LA Jews for Peace that demands an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza and systematic destruction its people.
Today I'll return to the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles and again demand that the government of the United States (MY government) and U.S. legislators with questionable loyalties, who bow at the feet of AIPAC, stop being accessories to injustice and enablers of apartheid.
I'm proud to be a Jew who supports equality for all. I'm proud to stand on the side of peace. I'm proud that I have the sensibility to recognize that Israel is NOT my country; that Netanyahu is NOT my leader; and injustice is NOT my cause.
The other truth is that forcing a military blockage is regarded as a military agression according to international law and that you committed an act of war against Israel.
9 (so far) people dead...
3 days later...
its not like you have to search a country for wmd, its just ships...so where is the "heavy weaponry"...???
SHOW ME THE WEAPONS...!!!
BE that agent for CHANGE that charmed a nation and enthralled the world.
the nobel committee gave you the ammunition you needed to sort out his mess in the middle east and yet you squander that capital by REFUSING to condemn israel and exacerbated that situation by allowing the u.s. to vote AGAINST an inquiry by the united nations human rights council into the slaughter.
mr. president, if you wish this nation to BELIEVE that you are not just like all the others who have stood by while israel continues to flaunt un resolutions, then you will call for an end to this ILLEGAL BLOCKADE and you will demand that israel makes peace with palestine so that this atrocious treatment of gazans will come to an end.
you sir are that rare blend of politician and statesman; blessed with oratorical skills and intelligence of the first order. however, if you sit back and allow israel to get away with this atrocity, i want you to know mr. president that not only will you lose my support...but you also lose my vote...!!!
be an EXCEPTIONAL president, mr. obama. do something EXCEPTIONAL. BE that agent for CHANGE and CHANGE the world.
fulfill the PROMISE to make this world a better place.
YOU HAVE TO ACT...!!!
Where are all the people standing up for israels rights while rockets keep falling on them indescriminately.
We have already seen Israel's flagrant contempt for the sovereignty of other countries in the identity fraud fiasco in the dubai assassination so the events on the flotilla against other countries citizens were sadly only the natural conclusion of such a rampage. The true question here is what will we, not just a palestinains, muslims, jews, christians, turks, or americans, but as people of the world do to bring an end of such a vile and accepted impunity?
http://www.fpif.org/articles/israels_latest_violation
http://www.fpif.org/blog/us_support_for_israel_mirrors_80s_support_for_el_salvador_junta
The funniest part abou your comment is how irrelevant the location is. As if if the ship wee 40 miles closer when israel tried to intercept the boat then these militants who can be seen in videos saying that they want to be martyrs and preparing for a big fight would have just submitted and said "oh since now were 20 miles out of Israel we'll just give in". Yeah right.
They are also trying to prevent independent investigations....... Makes you wonder why.
By all means, let's see all of the protesters videos, so we can see how "peaceful" they were. Of course, once all the evidence is out in the open, I'm sure you'll find some way of explaining it away - it was taken out of context, the Israelis tampered with it, whatever...
This is confirmed by raw footage and every witness account from the boat thus far.
They scrambled all phone and satellite signals before they surrounded the flotilla (gee, why would they do that?) and later they confiscated all phones, laptops and cameras. One Al Jezeera news camera remained active and clearly shows many seriously injured and one dead, 5 minutes before they boarded the ship. I suppose they put 4 bullets in the head of the 19 year-old American as self-defense, too, right?
here is the raw footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn-l_JltCB4
As for the video - it is plainly out of context. You can't possibly dispute that. The videos begin at an undisclosed point in time and end at an undisclosed point in time.
No IDF video has been shown of the beginning of the raid - which is where the story is murky.
Germany, ironically, gave three nuclear subs to Israel and it's not enough it seems.
Why do you want to kill your fellow human beings? Is it a fear that somehow and someway Hamas will get some crappy rockets and sent it into Israel?
Thus killing innocent civilians is fine with you?
Yes Hamas is using the Palestinians and so is Israel collectively punishing a population for electing a democratic government. Two wrongd dont make a right.
Does that satisfy your bloodlust?
Shalit on exactly that basis: Palestinians are at war with Israel. The flotilla was - and is, more ships are apparently coming, not an humanitarian aid flotilla, it was/is a military coup against Israel and its blockade on Gaza. Why is there a blockade on Gaza again? There was a real bloodbath between Hamas and Fatah. Hamas lobbes rockets into Israel. Palestinians tunnel into Israel (and into Egypt) and use the tunnels for smuggling contraband and black market supplies which they sell to the poor Paletinians at inflated prices. Oh, and by the way, there are other bloodbaths going on executed by terrorists, a.o. last year in Mumbai. Remember Mumbai. A jewish family was murdered. A real bloodbath. But, shhht, we are not talking about them, also not about the Indians killed. We are ONLY talking about Ann Wright and about the Palestinians.
You and Ann and all the code pink ladies are awesome! I know how abusive people journalists and politicians have been to you all and the fact that you continue to speak up for justice and peace shows your integrity and commitment to the society.
Keep on doing the excellent work and thanks!
Stick to issues of facts and stop writing about things you know little of.
BOYCOTT ISRAEL
CALL YOUR REP IN WASH. AND TELL THEM NO MONEY FOR ZIONISM