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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRf3XCLHWhU

July 8, 2009 - Wednesday

Bristish human rights activists released from Israeli prison

01:48

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d6UPOnxP5E

July 8, 2009 - Wednesday

Cynthia McKinney Speaks on Return to U.S. After Being Held by Israel

01:47

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ri8jWj_KbY

July 8, 2009 - Wednesday

5th July 09 Video Free Gaza News Prisoners

01:46

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v558kjFaYGQ

July 8, 2009 - Wednesday

Gaza activist talks to Al Jazeera from Israeli jail - 4 Jul 09

01:45

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http://la.indymedia.org/news/2009/07/228806.php

July 7, 2009 - Tuesday

AUDIO FILE OF CYNTHIA MCKINNEY
Current mood:

determined
Category: News and Politics

AUDIO FROM CYNTHIA MCKINNEY: PT 2 of 2 but is actually the 1ST part! FORWARD THIS!

19:13

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http://www.thestar.com/world/columnist/article/661855

July 7, 2009 - Tuesday

Those still in custody from the Spirit of Humanity...
Current mood:

aggravated
Category: News and Politics

AS OF TWO HOURS AGO:

Still in custody were Irish Nobel Peace laureate Mairead Maguire and another Irish citizen, identified as Derek Graham, along with a Dane and a Yemeni cameraman for the Arab TV network Al-Jazeera."

12:58

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July 7, 2009 - Tuesday

A note from Cynthia...
Current mood:

ecstatic
Category: News and Politics

I just spoke with Cynthia and she wants to say THANKS to every single person who assisted with her journey, during her detainment and her release. From the spontaneous demonstrations in front of the embassies and state departments, the people in the state department who assisted with her release, to each person who wrote an article, sent an email or just forwarded a message along, everyone working together made all of this happen...the welcoming party in the Kennedy airport was great with Pan Africa, Free Mumia and so many other groups...the signs seen were FREE MUMIA and HANDS OFF CYNTHIA! Let's get this movement GOING!

NOTE from Anita: VIDEO and/or PICS are coming!

12:53

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0907/S00067.htm

July 7, 2009 - Tuesday

UPDATE: 7/7/09 Cynthia McKinney is in NYC NOW and arrives in DC @ 1135AM!
Current mood:

relieved
Category: News and Politics

Cynthia McKinney is now in NYC. She will leave Kennedy Airport at 1042AM on the commuter division of American Airlines.

Her flight is ELY8139 and she will arrive at DCA (Ronald Reagan Airport) at 1135AM this morning...

ORGANIZE PEOPLE, SO YOU CAN GREET HER AT THE AIRPORT!

**********************************

Two articles to read and forward:

Cynthia McKinney honored America on July the 4th

Tuesday, 7 July 2009, 10:04 am

How Cynthia McKinney honored America on the 4th of July from an Israel Jail

by Franklin Lamb, Beirut

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney returned home today after 6 days being held by the government of Israel while attempting with 21 colleagues to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza on the vessel, the Spirit of Humanity.

"Don’t sign Miss Cynthia don’t sign!" So chanted a boisterous group of Palestinian teens and pre-teens in Beirut’s Shatila Refugee Camp demonstrating support for the Freegaza Humanity boat abductees on the 4th of July.

The students understood that those illegally arrested while in International waters had been offered a "get out of Jail Free" pass if they confessed in writing to violating Israel’s territorial waters.

The Spirit of Humanity boat, trying to bring emergency humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, was the topic of a lively discussion during a Sabra Shatila Foundation summer school civics lesson on "International law and the Question of Palestine". The students were interested in the plight of some of their relatives and countryman in Palestine and the continuing siege of Gaza. Some had just finished their Baccalaureate exams and were wondering how they could continue their education given the severe impediments the government of Lebanon places on Palestinian civil rights, and their post exam relief seemed to energize them for the discussion.

A couple of the students had met Cynthia during her recent visits to Lebanon. When they learned that as a Congresswoman, she had introduced articles of impeachment against Bush, was a consistent anti-war voter during her twelve years in Congress, and that no member in Congress had achieved a more consistent, principled, voting record of issues of civil and human rights, including Palestinian rights, they really connected with the subject of the Freegaza aid boat, the Spirit of Humanity and her travails. "Those supporters of Palestine should not accept a false confession and should stay in Jail if necessary. They are patriots" was a commonly expressed sentiment.

The students understood that in refusing to sign the Israeli government prepared "acknowledgement/confession" the Freegaza group acted consistent with International Law. They learned that territorial waters, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is a belt of coastal waters extending at most twelve nautical miles from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state. The territorial sea is regarded as the sovereign territory of the state, although foreign ships (both military and civilian) are allowed innocent passage through it. They learned from media reports that in any case the Humanity was in International waters and that consequently Israel had no right to molest it.

The class adjourned sharing a general consensus that the Spirit of Humanity, enjoyed and will continue to enjoy on every subsequent humanitarian voyage, these freedoms as well as other internationally lawful uses of the sea within contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, and on the high seas. Needless to report, were it possible for them, the whole class would like to be on the next Freegaza boat.

Dershowtiz discussed the Spirit of Humanity

On July 2, 2009 Harvard Law School Professor and Israeli legman Alan Dershowitz, explained plenty to the Jerusalem Post Alan now has his special blog featured by the JP called "Double Standard Watch" (similar is some ways to Campus and Media Watch) that is instantaneously sent out to hundreds of pro-Israel organizations so defenders of Israel and its US Amen chorus can all be singing from the same Hymnal sheet when critical political and legal matters relating to Israel are raised.

Dershowitz has also blasted the "appalling ignorance" of those who say Israel committed Piracy or Kidnapping. In the likely forthcoming litigation resulting from Israel’s attacks on Freegaza.org boats this past year, Israel’s legal team, Israel may well skate from under current piracy and kidnapping claims. Israel is unlikely to be found to have engaged in piracy or common law kidnapping against the Humanity group. Under customary international law, pirates were considered "hostis humani generis" or "the enemy of mankind" and any country could arrest and try them under their jurisdiction. The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines piracy as illegal acts of violence, detention, or depredation (plundering, robbing or pillaging) committed for private ends by a private ship on the high seas, i.e. outside the jurisdiction of any country.

The law is fairly clear that ‘piracy" applies to non-State actors unless a State can be shown in court to have employed non state actors in a criminal enterprise.

Kidnapping, as Israel learned in the July 2006 war, applies normally to children and not to soldiers who are captured but not kidnapped. Those on the Humanity were abducted, falsely arrested, assaulted and some battered, and all falsely imprisoned but not kidnapped.

Preparing for the 4th of July, Deschowitz spoke of "phony war crimes investigations of Israel", tells his readers that " the UN Human Rights Council is a scandal", claiming it has condemned Israel more times than all the other 191 UN member states combined", complains that many consider that Gaza is still occupied due to the blockage and siege "despite Israel having withdrawn in 2005", asserts that "the very idea of the UN Council conducting an "independent" or objective investigation Israel is preposterous".

He endorsed Richard Kemps oft repeated statement that " I don't think there has ever been a time in the history of warfare when an army has made more efforts to reduce the civilian casualties and deaths of innocent people than the IDF is doing today in Gaza."

Finally, Alan condemned Richard Goldstone, recently appointed to lead a Human Rights Council high-level investigative mission to Gaza for allowing himself "to be played" because as a Jew well connected to Israel, it will make it hard for Dershowitz and Israel to condemn his findings. Dershowitz calls on Goldstone to resign to clear the way.

Alan’s July 4th eve celebration JP article was just for warm-ups. At an Independence Day eve gathering at Society Ohabei Shalom Synagogue on Beacon St., Brookline, Massachusetts, Dershowitz blasted critics of Israel and presented a heated and spirited defense of Israel’s June 30, 2009 actions against the Freegaza boat, the Spirit of Humanity. The increasingly shrill AIPAC shill, is reported to consider former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney "dangerous and misguided."

What may have got Dershowitz off to a crumply July 4th was a spate of critical reports this week concerning Israel’s brutal occupation and its continuing strangulation of Gaza. Among others were the following:

Amnesty International issued a major report claiming that Israel inflicted "wanton destruction" in the Gaza Strip in attacks that often targeted Palestinian civilians during an its 22 day war this past December and January. Among other conclusions, Amnesty said it found no evidence to support Israeli claims that Gaza guerrillas deliberately used civilians as "human shields," but it did, however, cite evidence that Israeli troops put children and other civilians in harm's way by forcing them to remain in homes taken over by soldiers. Accusing Israel of "breaching laws of war," Amnesty said: "Much of the destruction was wanton and deliberate, and was carried out in a manner and circumstances which indicated that it could not be justified on grounds of military necessity."

A UN human rights mission investigating alleged violations committed during the war in the Gaza Strip at the turn of the year resumed its public hearings on 7/7/09.The two-day session in Geneva follows hearings in the Gaza Strip last week that included gruesome testimony of Palestinians caught under Israeli shelling during the 22 day offensive. The session at the UN's human rights headquarters in Switzerland is meant to allow those who were not able to travel to Gaza to provide public testimony, notably witnesses from Israel who were targeted by rocket attacks.

The mission has a broad scope to investigate alleged violations committed by all sides during the offensive in December and January, which Israel said was aimed at stemming rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave. The mission headed by Richard Goldstone, former war crimes prosecutor for both ex-Yugoslavia and Rwanda, has not been allowed into Israel or been given access to the occupied West Bank, according to the United Nations.

The hearings are to allow "victims from all sides in the conflict as well as experts on its consequences to speak directly to the international community of their experiences," said the UN human rights office. Although this kind of public testimony is a novelty for the world body, Goldstone, insisted on it when he accepted to take up the probe A former South African judge, he wanted to apply some of his experience from post-apartheid South Africa.

Special UN Rappatour, Richard Falk, condemned from Geneva Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza. that "Such a pattern of continuing blockade under these conditions amounts to such a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions as to constitute a continuing crime against humanity. Falk, said Israel's two-year blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza restricted vital supplies such as food, medicine and fuel to "bare subsistence levels".

Falk called Israel's seizure of the Freegaza boat, Humanity, carrying relief aid for the Gaza Strip "unlawful" and said its blockade of the territory constituted a "continuing crime against humanity". The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories said the move was part of Israel's "cruel blockade of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza" in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibiting any form of collective punishment against "an occupied people".

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a Report this this week in which it claimed that Israel was also halting entry to Gaza of building materials and spare parts needed to repair damage from its 22-day invasion late last December.

Alan defends Israel’s actions against the Spirit of Humanity

Israel unsuccessfully sought (since no one apparently signed) to avoid international capability for its criminal conduct against the Humanity group by getting their victims to sign a statement agreeing that they violated Israeli territorial waters.

Dershowitz, wasted no time coming to Israel’s defense. He asserted on July 3, 2009 that "The Palestinians agreed and the International agreed to a blockade of Gaza to prevent arms smuggling."

In fact, that agreement never happened. No Palestinians have agreed nor did the international community agree to a blockade of Gaza by land or Sea. Nor could they have without an International Convention on the subject because other countries have equal (mare librum) rights to use the world’s seas and could not be deprived of those rights without explicit consent.

Dershowitz also argues that the Humanity had been warned while at sea that it would not be allowed to enter Gazan waters "because of security risks in the area and the existing naval blockade." This assertion also finds no support in the principles, standards or rules of International law. Indeed, accepting for sake of argument that the Humanity group was given such a warning, it had no legal effect and created no legal obligation on the Humanity group. If given, the warning or order was invalid on its face because Israel’s Gazan blockage itself is illegal and there were no "security risks in the area" other than the one created by the Israeli navy.

In addition, the Israeli navy force intercepted, boarded and took control of the Greek registered Humanity with full knowledge that Cypriot authorities had searched the boat for weapons at the group’s request before its departure, and that the Humanity was in international waters heading for Gazan coastal waters from which Israeli vessels are legally barred, and forced the Humanity inside Israeli territorial waters and into the Israel port at Akka (Ashdod). These actions make Israel’s claims that it was trying to prevent weapons and suicide bombers from entering Gaza appear disingenuous.

Israel’s new raft of legal problems include numerous common law and statutory crimes against all those on board the Humanity including, but not limited to false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious destruction of property, conversion of personal property, assault and battery, abduction, theft, for beginners.

The Israel/Dershowitz’ claim that the Humanity was sailing in a "closed military zone" is also bogus. Since its 1967 aggression, Israel has used an obscure 1858 Ottoman Lands Law to create "closed military zones" in order to steal thousands of acres of Palestinian land using complex ‘legal’ and catch-22 bureaucratic measures. These ‘special security areas (SSAS) were designed to meet Israel’s expansionist goals and are now being applied by the Israeli government to International waters. The Humanity had every right and indeed responsibility to reject Israel’s transparent efforts at expanding its control of the high seas. The freegaze boat, the Humanity, enjoyed and will continue to enjoy on every subsequent humanitarian voyage, these freedoms and other internationally lawful uses of the sea within contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, as well as on the high seas.

Reflecting this obligation, the LOSC reserves the high seas for ‘peaceful purposes’.

Only Military activities that are consistent with the UN Charter are allowed within the ‘peaceful purposes’ for which the high seas are reserved. Israel’s actions on June 30, 2009, reflecting its three year siege of Gaza, clearly did not meet the international standard of ‘peaceful purposes’ and its crimes against the Humanity boat group are part and parcel, as Professor Falk noted, of its continuing crimes against Humanity itself.

Israeli violations of the rights of Journalists on board the Humanity.

Israel's false arrest and false imprisonment of Journalists on board the Humanity contravened its international legal obligations, imposed by international customary law as well as statutory enactments. The Johannesburg Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information of 1995, an amalgam of general principles of international law and customary international law, states that the government of States that would interfere with the work of Journalists bares the "burden of demonstrating the validity of the restriction." The blanket ban instituted by Israel in November 2008, as its prepared its assault of Gaza and its response did not meet this standard nor did the arrests of Journalists on board the Humanity, including Al Jazeera’s Othman Al-Battiri and cameraman Mansour Al-Ibbi, and Press TV’s Cynthia McKinney.

Israel was required to give the journalists on board the Humanity respect for their life, property and personal dignity based on General principles of the international law relating to the protection of human rights including Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols as well as international practice of States and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Journalists on the Humanity were civilians and they share the rights of any member of the civilian population and must be treated as such. Abducting, falsely arresting and falsely imprisoning a journalist is prohibited as are acts or threats of violence, psychological pressure and intimidation in order to pressure them into signing ‘confessions’ or summary ‘convicted’ without a due process court proceeding. Israel’s treatment of journalists on the Humanity grossly violated these international norms.

The International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ), an NGO based in Geneva, condemned the Israeli arrest of Humanity’s journalists and International Lawyers Sans Frontiers has asked the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Arab Federation of Journalists (AFJ), as well as the Palestinian Syndicate of Journalists and the Israeli Association of journalists to start an immediate investigation into the Israeli arrest of the journalists.

Cynthia Mckinney, without support from her own government, stood up for the principals on which her country was founded 233 years ago and spent Independence Day inside a foreign jail. All people of peace and good salute her and her colleagues who sailed the Freegaza Spirit of Humanity with the universal message of self determination.

Franklin Lamb is doing research in Lebanon can be reached at fplamb@sabrashatila.org

**********************************

Cynthia McKinney, Our White House, Congress and the Palestinians are Imprisoned

by Mohamed Khodr

(Sunday, July 5, 2009)

"I urge you to tap once again into your conscience, your historical experience, your innate belief that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, that all men are truly created equal and in a divinely just world deserve the inalienable rights to freedom, justice, and the pursuit of a life where equality with their fellow man is their highest calling."

To the Honorable Members of the Congressional Black Caucus,

"I submit that an individual who breaks the law that conscience tells him is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Peace and Greetings,

All of you are either soldiers, molders, or beneficiaries of the civil rights movement, a movement that will live in history as a light for freedom, justice, equality and hope for all who are denied their divine right to be free from another man's oppression, brutality, arrogant supremacy, racism, and murder with self declared impunity. Much blood, lynching, beatings, imprisonment, and sacrifice was offered so that a black child grew up to become President. You honorable members of the House know first hand that your journey to power was paved with the flesh of the innocent. The oppressors did not voluntarily and altruistically grant you your rights, as of yet unfinished rights, but your rights were wrestled away by your just demands and rightful activism.

Much has been achieved yet much needs to be done. As America looks at Congress it sees an enduring equality where wealth and whiteness still dominate our political corridors. The Senate has only one black Senator while Jewish Americans, to their economic and educational credit, have thirteen Senators although they constitute less than two percent of the population. Both in the executive and legislative branches African American leadership is absent in matters of economics, defense, and foreign policy (not withstanding Rep. John Conyers as Judiciary Chair). Housing and urban renewal seem to the niche for Black politicians.

Give the black experience in America it is both shocking and disappointing that the CBC is deliberately absent and neglectful of the struggles of people around the world for their freedom and civil rights, especially if such has been taken away because of our own foreign policy, militarism, and our total blind subservience to Israel's brutal military occupation of millions of Palestinians. The persecuted Jews of Europe are now the brutal persecutors of Palestinians while you, the descendants of slaves, are now by your silence toward the plight of the Palestinians who yearn to be free as they endure decades of injustice, collaborators in the tragedy and suffering of millions of Palestinian refugees, because of our support and because of your silence.

Dr. King spoke eloquently of your incredulous silence toward the imprisonment of one of your own: Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney who for days is languishing in an Israeli jail because she believed enough, cared enough, and was moved enough as a black descendant of slaves and as a child of the civil rights movement to sacrifice herself to bring milk and medicine to the besieged children of Gaza, a siege that none of you have spoken against, although Rep. John Lewis and others have spoken publicly against Anti-Semitism and have never passed an opportunity to support all the Jewish introduced Congressional Resolutions that attack Israel's enemies.

Dr. King wrote: "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

Cynthia McKinney is truly an honorable woman with courage and principles missing in our political arena and for which sadly there are such few extraordinary role models for America 's children.

This is Ms. McKinney's second attempt to break Israel 's two year siege of 1.5 million Palestinians whom the U.N. has repeatedly declared are living in a dire humanitarian crisis. The majority of children are malnourished and dying from preventable diseases. Their drinking water is contaminated with Israel 's sewage and military waste. The last time Ms. McKinney's boat was deliberately rammed by an Israeli gunboat and forced to return to Lebanon in a damaged boat. This time she and other international activists including the Irish Nobel Peace Prize winner, Mairead Maguire(please see her letter to President Obama below) were aboard the ship "Spirit of Humanity" when Israel's navy attacked the boat in international waters and took all aboard to an Israeli prison where till this day they are imprisoned and mistreated.

I cannot fathom your silence toward the imprisonment of a prominent American citizen, a former House colleague, a black woman with more courage and honor than the White House and Congress combined. Two institutions that would rather spend hundreds of billions of our dollars (during our deficits and crisis) and send our youth to fight Israel's enemies than have the chutzpah to even "beg" for the release of Ms. McKinney. Please don't reassure America that negotiation on her behalf is being done privately for all that does is reinforce the image that our politicians are loathe to speak publicly when it comes to Israel . Where are Reverends Jackson and Al Sharpton? Where are black radio and other media?

America knows far more than you credit it that to speak against Israel , even for the sake of American citizens, is political suicide. Perhaps a calculation has been made that Ms. McKinney, a black American, is not worth the potential political downfall, after all, no one wants to be an Anti Semite. (Semitism as you know refers to the Semitic "languages"; not to religion or ethnicity)

Have you abandoned the civil rights of Ms. McKinney to free speech, freedom to assemble and protest, her freedom to live her passion for freedom and justice for all? Does her plight immortalize Frederick Douglas' call that July 4th does not apply to him?

I urge you to tap once again into your conscience, your historical experience, your innate belief that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, that all men are truly created equal and in a divinely just world deserve the inalienable rights to freedom, justice, and the pursuit of a life where equality with their fellow man is their highest calling.

I urge to demand Israel immediately release Ms. McKinney and her comrades. I urge you to follow the voice and sacrifice of Dr. King and all those who preceded you to demand Israel end its decade’s long illegal occupation of Palestinians that the entire world demands. The U.N., every International Human Rights Organizations (including those in Israel), Former Archbishop Desmund Tutu, President Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, and scores of European and world leaders have described the living conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories as "Apartheid."

America's peace and prosperity depends on freedom of the Palestinians as the surest step to end most hostilities with the Muslim world.

America is waiting for the clarion call from our leaders. Join your voices to the world's demand for freedom and justice for the Palestinians and discover the overwhelming support Americans will be free to finally express without fear of retaliation or intimidation.

God bless you, your families, our nation, and all the huddled masses oppressed and imprisoned yearning to be free.

Respectfully,

Mohamed Khodr, M.D.

P.S.: Cognizant of the enormous media bias toward Israel it's understandable that the true picture of Israel's founding, history, and militarism is slanted toward Israel's narrative; thus, should you wish, I would be more than happy to come and speak with any of you on this matter, or share any DVDs or materials that will highlight the injustice that we support actively and by our silence.

P.S.S.: I have also sent a letter on Ms. McKinney to President Obama.

External Links:

· Open Letter to President Barack Obama

From: Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate

http://www.peacepeople.com/2009/obama.htm

· A message from Cynthia from a cell block in Israel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkPvzSZRuDo

12:07

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6 Kudos

July 6, 2009 - Monday

Cynthia McKinney's travel plans have changed!
Current mood:

accomplished
Category: News and Politics

Brianne Marwaha called from the State Department to report that there is a change in flight plans for Cynthia McKinney, who is traveling with another person. They had not yet left Israel and were planned to go out at 1:00 pm on El Al Flight 001 to arrive at JFK Airport in NYC at 5:00 am tomorrow morning. I do not have any other information at this time.

20:51

4 Comments

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7 Kudos

July 6, 2009 - Monday

Cynthia McKinney is on the plane and heading HOME!
Current mood:

accomplished
Category: News and Politics

Monday, July 06, 2009
Departure: 16:00Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel - Ben Gurion International, terminal 3
Arrival: 20:40 New York, USA - John F Kennedy, terminal 4
Airline:El Al Israel Airlines LY11
Duration 11:40 equipment: Boeing 747-400
She is coming to NY as above BUT connecting to DC for arrival there at midnight.
Do not have details on the length of layover in NYC nor do I have ETA for DC.
Trying to get that.
(***If U R in NYC, call Suzanne Ross 212 927-2924 she is working on greeting in NYC only).
Need greeters in DC also!!!
ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!

Forward to your DC and NYC contacts please!

13:30

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http://www.opednews.com/articles/McKinney-Relocated-from-Is-by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-090705-681.html

July 6, 2009 - Monday

7/5/09 LATEST UPDATES on the GAZA 21 and Cynthia McKinney
Current mood:

accomplished
Category: News and Politics

7/5/09 LATEST UPDATES on the GAZA 21 and Cynthia McKinney

As of this morning, the Americans were moved to a detainment facility that is close to the airport.

FLASH: As I am writing this at 7PM EST, the latest unconfirmed reports have Cynthia McKinney returning to the US with the port of entry being NYC sometime in the late afternoon/early evening on Monday 7/6/09. Approximately 24 hours from now. Plan on a welcoming party and a press conference. GET READY! More info will be posted as soon as it is confirmed!

You can read more here:

**************************************

***From John Judge:

Friends,
I just got a call confirming that former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and three other U.S. citizens were transferred from the Israeli prison at Ramale to Ben Gurion airport in Israel, the standard site for deportations. This information came originally from Mairead Maguire, the Irish Nobel laureate and was confirmed by the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, which is sending representatives to the airport. Maguire was told that the authorities would return to take her next, but she stated she is concerned about the fate of the remaining prisoners from Yemen, Jordon, the UK, Scotland, Palestine and Denmark, and may refuse to be released until all are released.

My note:
What possible grounds do the Israelis have to release these kidnapped prisoners a few at a time? If one is released then all should be released, since none of them acted differently than the others. I have been told that the form Cynthia McKinney was asked to sign was written in Hebrew, which if true is also illegal. She refused to sign the form, in any case, and then the Israeli authorities claimed that Israeli law required her to be held an additional three days, until Monday, July 6. Her early release today may reflect the level of pressure on Israel and the U.S. authorities generated by your work. By my count, the following twelve prisoners remain in Ramale:

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

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

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.

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.

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.

-- John Judge
Researcher, Lecturer, Congressional staff
Real Democracy Project
PO Box 7147
Washington, DC 20044
202-583-5347
*******************

FROM FREE GAZA:

Some of the UK FreeGaza 21 detainees likely to be deported Monday, should arrive to Heathrow 13.30 Monday.

We have just heard that at least 3 of the 6 British FreeGaza detainees are being put on a flight to London in the morning, due to arrive at Heathrow at 13.30 p.m.

Because it is a Sunday and we have only just heard this news, we are trying to spread the word as well as we can - so we'd be really really grateful if you could forward this email to your contacts. Some relatives and supporters will be there to meet them - but we ask anyone in the London area who is able to go to the airport to meet them to do so.

We are currently unable to make contact with the group, who have been moved to cells at Ben Gurion airport detention center. Once we have confirmation that they are on the morning flight, we will post to our website:

www.freegaza.org

If you live in the London area, please try and make it down to Heathrow to meet them. We expect to have journalists at the airport to report on their deportation, and we are trying to arrange for a press conference in London for later in the afternoon.

More to follow! ... http://www.freegaza.org

00:13

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July 5, 2009 - Sunday

7/4/09 LATE NIGHT EDITION: the Gaza 21 speak from prison and assorted articles!
Current mood:

accomplished
Category: News and Politics

Friends,
On Friday, I made signs and held vigil at the intersection of Van Ness and Connecticut Aves. NW, just below the Israeli Embassy from 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Today I stood vigil at the intersection of Independence and 14th. One tourist took exception saying I should not be so close to the Holocaust Musuem, that it was insensitive. I was met there by three women from Code Pink who hung around, made more signs and extended the vigil by about 20 minutes, further down the street. They promised to return for tomorrow's vigil at the same time in Dupont Circle by the fountain. A few others indicated that they will attend that one. The more visible we are the better, hundreds of people saw us today and some asked us questions. Some Palestinians took our pictures saying they wanted to send home a message of hope that some Americans are changing in their views. Please keep up your calls to US and Israeli authorities. I am attaching the flyer about the vigils, please reprint and bring with you to the events for distribution. I have markers but poster board is needed for signs also. Hope to see you tomorrow and at future vigils, please let your organizations members, friends and others know about them. Our silence is not an acceptable response to theirs!

John Judge

**********************************
Former Rep. Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire filed a new report from Ramle Prison, Israel, today, and they were joined by some of their Gaza 21 colleagues.

Tune in to hear it at http://www.WBAIX.org - playing now until 11am Sun., 05 Jul 2009.

Don DeBar
87 Ferris Pl.
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(((NOTE FROM ANITA***PLEASE GO TO THE LINKS AND BUZZUP, REDDIT, DIGG, rate and comment on the following two stories written by my friend, Meryl Ann Butler***)))

Dept. of State Spokesman Addresses McKinney's Capture by Meryl Ann Butler

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Dept-of-State-Spokesman-A-by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-090704-166.html

Department of State Spokesman Ian Kelly was asked about the capture of the humanitarian vessel "Spirit of Humanity", and about former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who is now in an Israeli prison. In his Daily Press Briefing for July 1, 2009, upon being asked about the capture of the ship and the detainment of those aboard, Mr. Kelly says he doesn't really know and will have to refer the questioner to the government of Israel.

(the full transcript is at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/july/125545.htm )

The applicable portion of the transcript is below:

I have time for one more question.

QUESTION: One more?

MR. KELLY: Yeah, go ahead.

QUESTION: Erin Connors from Press TV. Former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and members of the Free Gaza Movement were intercepted by the Israeli army when they were on a humanitarian mission over there. What's being done about that? Are they on their way home? Will they be deported? What's the next step there, and will their supplies ever get to where they're going?

MR. KELLY: On that last question, I don't know the answer, actually. I think I have to refer you to the Government of Israel. We can confirm that the Israeli navy did arrest those on board this – the ship which is known as Spirit. We can't comment on any of the individuals or the number of individual American citizens on board because of Privacy Act concern. Our Embassy has been in touch with the Israeli authorities. We have been told that the boat was stopped in Israeli waters and is being escorted to an Israeli port, or may have already gone to an Israeli port. We understand passengers are safe and all accounted for. We're seeking consular access to the American citizens who are on board. And we don't take any position regarding the Free Gaza Movement or any of its messages.

See the video at http://www.state.gov/video/?videoid=28224163001

Erin Connors begins her question at 7:11 in the video. Mr. Kelly's body language seems to shift a bit, and he suddenly seems to be making a lot less eye contact. Could it be because he's a little bit embarrassed at having to refer an American reporter to check with the kidnappers of a former presidential candidate and respected Congresswoman in order to find out about her wellbeing

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Former POTUS candidate celebrates Independence Day in Israeli Prison by Meryl Ann Butler

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Former-POTUS-candidate-cel-by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-090704-571.html

Former Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney remains in an Israeli prison after the humanitarian aid vessel she was a passenger on was captured by Israeli Occupation Forces. The ship was bringing suitcases of crayons for children, medicine for the ill and dying in Gaza, and bags of cement for reconstruction.

Twenty-one on board the Spirit of Humanity were abducted, including Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire, who said by phone that there were several injuries sustained. She is now on a hunger strike in prison, in support of the people of Gaza. Both she and McKinney have been able to make infrequent cell calls.

If this kind of naval piracy involving another POTUS candidate had happened in Somalia, or North Korea, or Iran, one expects that there would have been a frenzied response: statements by our Secretary of State, by our President, and Navy seals and helicopters swarming the area, and non-stop news coverage until the kidnapped Americans were rescued.

Not so with the captured passengers and crew of the Spirit of Humanity.

The media, our president, and our secretary of state, are all strangely silent.

Which cat has got their tongues? The one who is turning into the oppressors it say it will "never forget"?

Perhaps a bit of forgetfulness might be balm for the angry soul.

I'm keeping an eye on www.kucinich.us to hear what fellow POTUS candidate and Congressman Dennis Kucinich has to say about this. A call to his congressional office indicated that he was collecting information on this travesty and that a statement would be forthcoming. The Congressman's brother, Frank Kucinich, passed away unexpectedly on June 30, the third sibling that the Congressman has lost in 18 months. So any comments from his office are not expected until after his brother's Mass, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday.

McKinney has a planned phone call update later today, stay tuned.

Resources
Frank Kucinich, brother of U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, dies at age 60. Accessed July 4 2009.
click here
Israel pisses on Britain (again) – and our craven leaders love it. Accessed July 4 2009.
click here
Cynthia McKinney's DIGNITY ACTION MOVEMENT:
http://dignity.ning.com/

http://www.merylannbutler.com

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A REPORT FROM FREE GAZA
***FROM ANITA: This will make you cry if you have any heart at all!

Report from the Kidnapped Passengers in Ramle Prison, July 4, 2009
On Monday, June 30, 21 passengers going to challenge the blockade of Gaza on board the Spirit of Humanity were seized by the Israeli Navy and taken to Israel against their will. All their equipment was taken and some of were roughed up. All were thrown into prison to await Israel’s decision on how and when they would be deported.
The majority of the group ended up in Ramle Prison. Those of us who are Free Gaza organizers had been hearing some news from them, statements, interviews and letters since they arrived. From the first night, the Free Gaza 21 have been busy trying to get news out of the prison about the illegality of Israel’s actions in relation to themselves and the other inmates inside Ramle Prison who have no voice.
Report from E: I received a 2am phone call during one of the first sleepless nights from Ramle Prison to let me know that in one of the cells, four of the FG group had been busy writing a press release on an old phone one of their cellmates had loaned them. It had taken them hours to write the press release. but they were just ready to send it out, and ‘could I check my email to see if I had received it?’
Since that first night I have been hearing more increasingly about the plight of the other inmates of the prison; men and women who have not nearly as good an opportunity as our folk for media coverage of their stories and not nearly as good an opportunity as our folk of ever getting out of Ramle Prison.
To Fathi Jaouadi, Adie Mormesh, Ishmael Blagrove, and Captain Denis Healy, the situation of their fellow inmates is something they want to talk about and act upon. Fathi wanted to pass on news of what they have been doing inside Ramle prison; he wanted to let everyone who supports the Free Gaza Movement know that ‘Free Gaza Members are never lost for things to do when it comes to trying to expose Israel’s appalling treatment of not just Palestinians, but all people who come to Palestine and get caught up in Israel’s abuse of justice and the law.’
Fathi Jaouadi has been actively involved in Palestinian rights since he was 15 years old. Now in Ramle prison, he has already managed to organize a meeting with a UN representative and to raise the issue of the other inmates with him. He said that the UN official has agreed to follow up on some of the cases; Fathi has also been in contact with local NGO’s to raise the issue of many of the inmate’s situations. He told me he wants to focus on the fact that none of the inmates have any access to legal advice or help, most of the inmates have not been able to contact family to let them know of their situation and none of the inmates have committed anything that warrants them to be held indefinitely inside Ramle prison.
Fathi is in the process of collecting statements from all the inmates, and he is translating them from Arabic. He says the majority of the inmates in their cell are from Arab countries, and they have not had access to their embassy officials. He will follow up with the UN and other organizations once he is released, contact all the families and give statements and details to the relevant embassies.
Ishmael Blagrove is a well-known documentary filmmaker and has been speaking extensively about the Palestinian struggle for more than twenty years. In Ramle prison, he has been working tirelessly to get contact with refugee councils and organizations in Britain to present to them the case of the refugees inside. He says that many of the men from neighbouring Arab countries just want to go home, they don’t want to stay in Israel and yet they are not being given the opportunity to speak. Ishmael says that many of the inmates are entitled to legal representation, but they do not know this, nor do they have any idea how to contact any refugee organization to advise them. Ishmael is in the process of establishing links between the refugee councils in Britain and the inmates of his cell in Ramle Prison.
Fathi and Ishmael have already established channels to publish these issues in Britain on their release.
When we called Ramle Prison today Fathi said that Adie had just finished his daily English lesson with the inmates. Adie is reportedly very happy with the progress of his students and said this morning they had successfully completed an intense session on Past Participles. Adie Mormesh has also been very active for the rights of Palestinians for many years. He spent two weeks in the West Bank with the Olive Coop (Zeitoun) and Action Palestine in 2007. He worked with and documented the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Campaign and participated in the World Social Forums for Palestine in Porto Alegre and Mumbai in 2003 and 2004. He has now become a teacher of English in Ramle prison.
Captain Denis Healey who has been the Free Gaza Movement’s captain since October 2008 and bravely steered the DIGNITY to safety in December when she was attacked by the Israeli Navy at sea, has also been quite busy; he has been giving in-depth lectures to his fellow inmates about life at sea. Apparently there are many interested parties amongst the inmates; some hope that they may pursue a life on the sea when (and sadly if) they ever get out. They are full of questions as to the procedure of getting qualified to work on and sail boats in the Mediterranean, and Captain Denis is giving them a good run down on what they should do to follow such a dream.
This is how four of our passengers have been keeping busy during the past week, they wanted to let you all know; they also said they realize the news they are sending out is not new to any of us. We have all been working with these issues of injustice for years. But that doesn’t mean that every new story about the violation of human rights, about the cruelty, brutality and flagrant misuse of justice by Israel should not be published.
Our friends are stuck in Ramle prison, because they tried to visit the war-stricken people of Gaza, and they are furious at what they are seeing. They know they have generated media interest around the world, and that sooner or later, they will leave Ramle Prison, but they also know that the other inmates of the prison have no such privilege, and without our interest in them, they could well be stuck inside Ramle prison for the rest of their lives, or exiled to some foreign country that is not their home, facing a life without family or loved ones to share it with. And so it is for the 11,000 Palestinian prisoners at present inside Israeli jails. Every one of them has a story that ought to be heard.

Statement #1 taken by Fathi Jaouadi.
From Ramle Prison, 3rd July 2009.
My name is M.
I am 26 years old.
I am a Palestinian born in Al Quds and I hold a birth certificate showing this. My family comes from a village called Sour Bahr.
We have two houses there owned by my grandfather who fled in ’48 to Jordan and left the houses with my Aunt.
When I was 5 years old I went with my family to Jordan to bring back the papers that proved our ownership of these two houses. We stayed in Jordan for 2 years and then, when we had all the papers we came back to Sour Bahr.
I lived all my life in one of the houses and some of my family lived in the other. We always used to make our way between our two houses which were only minutes apart from each other.
However when the Wall was built, it split our two houses apart. It used to take minutes and then it took 4 ½ hours to go from house to house.
The house I lived in was in the West Bank, the other on the side of the Wall that is Al Quds.
When I was 16 I began the process to try and obtain Israeli ID so that I could continue to enter Al Quds and go to our house that was on the other side of the Wall.
Every day my mother would go to the Interior Ministry to try and obtain my ID. She contacted many lawyers about the case but although she worked on this for 8 years, there was no result. During this time I tried often to visit our house on the Al Quds side of the wall and every time I was caught by the Israeli forces and sent back to the West Bank.
When I was 24 years old I had a fight with a friend, I was caught by Israel during the fight and imprisoned for 1 ½ years.
I am a normal Palestinian trying to live a normal life. I am not involved in any political movement and I have no security issues with Israel. I am just trying to live my life, but when I had served my time in prison for fighting with a friend, Israel could not decide where to release me.
My birth certificate said Al Quds but I had no Israeli ID. When Israel started investigating, they discovered that when I was 5 years old I had gone with my family to Jordan for 2 years.
It was then that I was told by an Israeli judge that the Law states:
‘Any Palestinian who spends 2 years outside Israel has no right to return’
I have since seen Judge twice in the past two months. and he has told me that I will be returned to Jordan.
But Jordan has refused to accept me. So now I have been told I will just have to wait in prison.
I am very depressed now and hate my life. I am afraid of how long they will make me wait. It could be years. I am afraid I will be sent to Jordan. I have no one in Jordan. I was there when I was 5 years old! All my family are in Palestine. I know if they send me to Jordan I will never be allowed back into Palestine. I will never be allowed to see my family again. And I have done nothing.
I just want to be allowed to live a simple life with my family and the people I know and love, in my own land.

--
Greta Berlin
Free Gaza Movement
357 99 284 102
http://www.freegaza.org
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/

04:06

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHQcikqvzg8

July 4, 2009 - Saturday

ZIONISM vs Cynthia McKinney

Great point of view! PLEASE PASS IT!

23:17

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