Emails Surge Urging the Protests against Israeli Killing of the International Activists in the Sea!

* Image source: Pressian(Korean progressive site), June 1, 2010
'People in Turkey protest against Israel on the worldwide protest day on June 1, 2010.'

* Image source: Sabbah Report
'A young boy protests outside Downing St, London on May 31, 2010.A large demonstration took place in London after more than 16 people were killed by Israeli commandos when they stormed a ship part of a flotilla of six carrying 1,000 tonnes of aid to the Gaza Strip, AFP/Getty Images'
* Image source: Sabbah Report
'Illustration by Carlos Latuff'
* Image source: Face Book
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* For the videos in Bruce Gagnon blog, see HERE

* See also Sabbah Report (For Raw Footages, See Here)

* See also DMZ Hawai'i (Kyle Kajihiro also informs the Al Jazeera News and New York Times article.)

* See also Ten Thousand Things:
NGOs & governments of Britain, France, Germany, Lebanon & Turkey condemn Israeli military assault killing 19 humanitarian aid workers en route to Gaza

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* Text sent from Corazon Fabros on June 1, 2010

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123862724315095

INDIGNATION RALLY

Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Time: 10:00am - 11:30am
Location: Infront of Israel Embassy
Street: Trafalgar Plaza, 105 H. B. dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati
City/Town: Manila, Philippines

STOP the War Coalition Philippines
CONDEMN ISRAEL'S ATTACK ON THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA.
END THE OCCUPATION OF GAZA!

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* Text sent from Stephanie Westbrook on Tue, June 1, 2010

From [USC4P&J Members] demo today, 5pm, Israeli Embassy

Please join a demonstration today called by the Palestinian Community at 5pm at the Israeli Embassy, intersection of Via Aldovrandi and Via Mercati, near Villa Borghese and the Rome Zoo.

The protest calls for the immediate release of the international activists, including 5 Italians seized yesterday in the Mediterranean and condemns this act of piracy by the Israeli navy resulting in 10 dead and dozens injured.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 5pm
Israeli Embassy
Via Ulisse Aldovrandi and Via Michele Mercati
Buses 88, 95, 409, 495, M or Tram 3, 19

Please try to make it. US tax dollars pay for Israeli combat vessels.


* Stephanie Westbrook has also sent on May 31, 2010

See below press release from Free Gaza from ealier this morning. Reports of 10-16 dead, dozens of injured. Please come out today at 5pm at Piazza San Marco (P. Venezia) to protest this vile attack on human rights activists in international waters. Stephanie

(Cyprus, June 1, 2010, 6:30 am) Under darkness of night, Israeli commandoes dropped
from a helicopter onto the Turkish passenger ship, Mavi Marmara, and began to shoot the
moment their feet hit the deck. They fired directly into the crowd of civilians asleep.
According to the live video from the ship, two have been killed, and 31 injured. Al Jazeera
has just confirmed the numbers.

Streaming video shows the Israeli soldiers shooting at civilians, and our last SPOT beacon said, "HELP, we are being contacted by the Israelis."

We know nothing about the other five boats. Israel says they are taking over the boats.

The coalition of Free Gaza Movement (FG), European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG), Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), the Perdana Global Peace Organisation , Ship to Gaza, Greece, Ship to Gaza Sweden, and the International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza appeal to the international community to demand that Israel stop their brutal attack on civilians delivering vitally needed aid to the imprisoned Palestinians of Gaza and permit the ships to continue on their way.

The attack has happened in international waters, 75 miles off the coast of Israel, in direct
violation of international law.

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* Text sent from International Action Center on Tue, June 1, 2010

Protest Israeli Massacre and Piracy –

10 killed, 50 injured in Israeli attack in international waters on unarmed Free Gaza Flotilla

Emergency demonstrations in NYC
Monday: 3pm - Times Square 47th St & 7th Ave.

and

Tuesday: 5pm - Israeli Mission 42nd St & 2nd Ave.

The International Action Center joins with the Gaza Freedom March, Al Awda Palestine Right to Return Coalition NY and a number of Palestine solidarity and human rights activists and organizations in calling for Emergency protests on Monday and Tuesday in response to the brutal Israeli attack on 600 unarmed Palestine Solidarity activists participating in the Free Gaza Flotilla.

The Free Gaza Flotilla, comprised of 6 ships bringing emergency supplies to the Palestinians held under Israeli siege in Gaza , was attacked in international waters by 14 Israeli ships, helicopters and masked Israeli commandos.

Sara Flounders, Co-Director of International Action Center, said "This attack and the brutal starvation siege of Gaza would not have been possible without the billions of dollars in international aid that Washington gives to Israel every year for more than 60 years. This latest massacre is an act of international piracy. We must reinforce the efforts to Boycott, Divest and Sanction this racist regime and demand an end to all U.S. aid to Israel .

AlAwda NYC points out that live footage from one of the boats reveals the Israeli soldiers were heavily masked and carrying live ammunition which they used on the unarmed passengers. None of the passengers or activists were armed. Israel has continuously seized and refused to release emergency aid supplies to the besieged people of Gaza.

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* Text sent from USC4P&J Announcements on Tue, June 1, 2010

Dear Members,

Please join us in protesting against the war in Afghanistan and against all wars and military occupations tomorrow, on “Italian Republic Day”, which will be celebrated in Rome with an ostentatious military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali.

We will be gathering at Ponte Sant’Angelo together with a network of Italian peace groups to metaphorically “Sweep Away” war and all its filth and dirty lies! While children from the Iqbal Masih school create an outdoor “peace studio” devoted to anti-war drawings, a number of us, dressed as street cleaners and wielding brooms and wheelbarrows, will sweep away fake arms and miniature columns of (toy) tanks and artillery from the roadway. Join in!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
10 am – 1:30 pm
Ponte S. Angelo
(spanning the Tiber from Castel Sant’Angelo to Lungotevere Tor di Nona)

On May 27th, the U.S. Senate voted 80 to 18 to approve $33.5 billion for the Pentagon and fully pay for the additional 30,000 troops in the administration’s build-up in Afghanistan. Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, an opponent of the war in Afghanistan, decried the lack of discussion about the nation’s role in Afghanistan even as Congress was providing new financing for the almost nine-year-old conflict.

“I’m disappointed we are about to pass a bill providing tens of billions of dollars to keep this war going with so little public debate about whether this approach even makes sense,” Mr. Feingold said. “I hope my colleagues will agree that the American people deserve an answer to the question: How much longer?”

Let’s add our voices in trying to stop this supplemental military spending bill from being passed in Congress: go to http://noescalation.org/ for information on how to join the call in.

Let’s call on President Obama to make real changes in U.S. foreign policy: to withdraw troops in Afghanistan, condemn Israel’s repeated violations of international laws and truly work towards achieveing a just peace in the Middle East.

Join us in our “counter parade” on June 2nd at Ponte Sant’Angelo! If you can, please email us to let us know you're coming and if you’d like to put on a street cleaner’s outfit, too: info@peaceandjustice.it.

Please help us draw greater numbers to this lively anti-war event by circulating our flyer among your friends and acquaintances. You can download it from our site: www.peaceandjustice.it. There you'll also find the minutes from our last General Meeting (www.peaceandjustice.it/meeting-190510.php).

See you tomorrow!

Anna, Becky, Gene, and Maria Chiara
--
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
info@peaceandjustice.it www.peaceandjustice.it

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* Text from Joanne Landy-Campaign for Peace & Democracy on June 1, 2010

Emergency! - Protest Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla!
CPD urges you to join the protest!
PROTEST ISRAELI ATTACK
ON GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA
From United for Peace and Justice

Last night the Israeli navy attacked humanitarian ships in international waters in the middle of the night. Reports indicate that 10-16 humanitarian activists were killed and 50-60 were injured. The ships were seized by the Israeli navy and taken to Haifa to avoid press at Ashdod. UFPJ condemns the Israeli Government for their brutal attack on unarmed civilians. Protests have taken place across the world and a number of Governments are taking action.

The U.S. arms Israel to the tune of billions of dollars a year and hence shares responsibility for this atrocity. How many more must die before the Obama Administration cuts off the aid we give to Israel each year?

On board were 750 people of conscience from 40 different countries, including 35 international politicians intent on breaking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. We offer our sincerest condolences to family and friends who have lost loved ones in the attack. One of the boats was named after Rachel Corrie, to honor this strong young woman killed by the Israel Defense Forces in April 2003.

Demonstrate!

Demonstrations are being organized in Washington DC, New York, and Boston. Please join in where you can or organize your own. It is time to end the blockade of Gaza and the Israeli occupation of Palestine by ending US support for Israeli slaughter.

New York - 3pm today (Monday, May 31), Times Square

Washington, DC - 3pm today, Israeli Embassy, 3514 International Drive NW (Van Ness metro) - Moving on to the White House at 5pm

Boston - 4pm today, Park Street Station

Use Memorial Day to memorialize all the brave activists, show our outrage, and let the world know we are not sleeping!

Contact the White House!

Call or email to demand an immediate cutoff of U.S. aid to Israel.
Email the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Contact the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and demand that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice vote to support a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel's action and initiating an investigation. 212-415-4062

Background

The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Richard Falk, urged Monday the international community to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of some 16 unarmed peace activist, when Israeli armed commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to Gaza.

"Israel is guilty of shocking behavior by using deadly weapons against unarmed civilians on ships that were situated in the high seas where freedom of navigation exists, according to the law of the seas," Mr. Falk said. "It is essential that those Israelis responsible for this lawless and murderous behavior, including political leaders who issued the orders, be held criminally accountable for their wrongful acts."

By sailing directly to Gaza, outside of Israeli waters, with cargo banned illegally by Israel, such as the 10,000 tonnes of badly needed concrete, toys, workbooks, chocolate, pasta and substantial medical supplies, the flotilla is exercising international law and upholding article 33 of the Geneva Convention which clearly states that collective punishment is a crime against humanity.

The hardships of Israel's closure of Gaza have been well documented by all human rights groups operating, most recently by Amnesty International in their Annual Human Rights Report concluding that the siege has "deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages left four out of five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid. The scope of the blockade and statements made by Israeli officials about its purpose showed that it was being imposed as a form of collective punishment of Gazans, a flagrant violation of international law."

For updates go to http://witnessgaza.com/ and http://www.freegaza.org/


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