Israel
and the U.S. outsourced the siege of Gaza to Athens last summer by preventing 8
boats in the Freedom Flotilla 2-Stay Human from sailing from Greek ports to
Gaza. Despite this we were able to bring world-wide attention to the blockade of
the Gaza Strip. Our efforts in Greece only fueled our determination to challenge
the imprisonment of the people of Gaza. We said we would continue to sail and so
we are!!!
At this moment, two boats are in
international waters in the Mediterranean heading to Gaza. One boat, the
Saoirse from Ireland, includes parliamentarians among its passengers. The other, the Tahrir, carries representatives from Canada, the U.S.,
Australia, and Palestine. The U.S. Representative on the Tahrir, Kit
Kittredge, was a passenger on the U.S. Boat to Gaza, The Audacity of
Hope mission in Athens in July. A journalist from Democracy Now is on the
Tahrir also. Civil society organizations in Gaza await their arrival,
and look forward to the delivery of letters collected from thousands of U.S.
supporters in the To Gaza With Love
campaign.
We need your help to make this
mission a success. Please take these actions
immediately.
1. Check these websites for
updates: U.S. to Gaza , Irish Ship to
Gaza and Canadian Boat to Gaza , watch or
listen to Democracy Now for live coverage from the Tahrir. Look for
twitter hashtag #Freedomwaves.
2. Spread the
word far and wide - send this alert to your
contacts.
3. Call the State Department and
the White House- demand that they take immediate action to ensure the safe
passage of these boats and to put an end to the siege of
Gaza.
Call the State Department:
- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 202-647-5291
- U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro 011-972-3-519-7575
- Office of Israel/Palestinian Affairs Paul Sutphin 202-647-3672
- Office of Consular Affairs, Kim Richter 202-647-8308
- and the White House: 202-456-1414
- email President Obama at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Here
are some talking points or suggested
messaging:
Gaza has been under siege since
mid-2006, depriving 1.6 million people of their liberty and basic human rights.
Although the siege has been condemned by the United Nations, the Red Cross, and
many national governments, nothing has been done to ease the plight of these
civilians. Civil society has had to act where governments would not. Two ships
with 27 passengers from 5 countries are sailing to Gaza to confront the Israeli
naval blockade, and to bring medical supplies and letters of
support.
As Americans we insist that our
government (which sends Israel $3 billion in military aid every year), demands
that Israel insures the ships' safe passage and ends its illegal blockade of
Gaza. There is absolutely no excuse to subject 1.6 million people to collective
punishment. Ask your local press to cover this story. Up-to-date information
will be available at www.ustogaza.org , www.irishshiptogaza.org and
www.tahrir.ca
FORWARD
THIS ACTION ALERT TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS, PLEASE INCLUDE THE PRESS
RELEASE.
THANKS
FELICE GELMAN,
JANE HIRSCHMANN AND ANN WRIGHT
----------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS
For immediate release, November 2, 2011
Contact:
In New York: Felice Gelman, 917-912-2597 , 917 679 8343
At sea: phone numbers will be released when you call the above press contact
TWO BOATS WITH PASSENGERS FROM 5 COUNTRIES (INCLUDING THE U.S.) HAVE SET SAIL TO GAZA
Organizers say: "It is time to lift the siege of Gaza which deprives 1.6 million civilians of their rights to travel, work, study, develop their economy and be free."
The Canadian ship Tahrir and the Irish ship Saoirse have successfully reached international waters, initiating the "Freedom Wave to Gaza." The boats have embarked from Turkey and are on the Mediterranean Sea. In all, the 2 boats carry 27 passengers from Canada, Ireland, U.S., Palestine, and Australia.
Kit Kittredge on board the Tahrir was previously a passenger on the American ship, The Audacity of Hope, which attempted passage to Gaza last July. Kittredge says, " The only obstacles in our way are Israel's military and the complicity of the Obama administration but in our sails is the wind of worldwide public opinion which has turned against the illegal blockade."
Ann Wright retired US army Colonel and former US Diplomat says, "We carry inspiration from the Arab Spring and the worldwide "Occupy" movements that are demanding freedom and justice. Where governments fail, civil society must act. As Americans we are fed up with our government's unquestioning support of Israel no matter how violent, illegal and oppressive its actions. We will not stand by and watch $30 billion of our tax money committed to buying Israel weaponry used to carry out this illegal occupation of Palestine including the blockade of Gaza."
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