Cynthia McKinney's Gaza-Bound Boat is Seized by Israeli navy

Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:10 am » by **Wideawakeuk**

Cynthia McKinney Demands Immediate Release After Her Gaza-Bound Boat is Seized by Israeli Navy
Former U.S. lawmaker and Green Party leader Cynthia McKinney, a longtime activist for the Palestinians, says her boat, the Spirit of Humanity, was carrying medical supplies, cement, olive trees and children's toys to Gaza when it was seized by an Israeli navy ship.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06 ... e-release/

Former U.S. lawmaker and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, whose relief boat was seized by an Israeli naval ship Tuesday for the second time in a year, is demanding the immediate release of her and 20 other activists.

McKinney, a longtime supporter of Palestinians, said her Greek-flagged boat, the Spirit of Humanity, was carrying medical supplies, cement, olive trees and children's toys to Gaza when it was boarded by the Israeli navy.

"This is an outrageous violation of international law against us," said McKinney. "Our boat was not in Israeli waters and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip. President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that's exactly what we tried to do. We're asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."

The Israeli military issued a statement Tuesday saying that the boat had attempted to break a blockade of Gaza and was forced to sail to an Israeli port after ignoring a radio message to stay out of Gaza waters.

The statement said navy personnel boarded the freighter Arion without any shots being fired, and those on board were to be handed over to immigration authorities. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Israel was planning to free the crew and passengers.

"Nobody wants to keep them here," he said. "They will be released as soon as they are checked."

The humanitarian cargo was also to be trucked into the Gaza Strip after a security check.

In a statement released by the Green Party, McKinney said she had sent appeals to Obama and the State Department for assurances of protection for the relief mission. She said the boat was sailing in international waters when it was seized.

The White House nor the State Department was immediately available for comment.

This isn't the first time a boat carrying McKinney has clashed with an Israeli navy ship. In December, McKinney was among 16 people aboard a medical supply boat that collided with an Israeli naval ship as it tried to enter coastal waters around Gaza.

At the time, the group claimed the Israeli military fired machine guns into the water in an attempt to the stop the boat's progress. But a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry said "physical contact" was made only after the aid boat failed to respond to radio contact and he denied any gunfire had occurred.

Israel launched an offensive in December against Gaza in an attempt to halt years of Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel. The two sides reached a cease-fire in January.

This shipment i think was part of the $900 million obama gave as aid to help rebuild Gaza after the Israeli incursion http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/washi ... 4gaza.html
So basicly the Israeli's have dont give a toss what america thinks or dose about Gaza as they have Seized the ship and its crew along Cynthia McKinney who is a U.S citizen. I wonder if Iran or N.Korea did this if it would be as easy to get away with as israel have :hmmm:

Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:58 am » by **Flecktarn**

well said

Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:08 am » by **Ph0enix**

we really gotta stop playing little and big brother with Israel and start calling them on their shit. I'm not some neo Nazi or Zionist hater; but when they do shit like this, we need to treat them like ANY OTHER COUNTRY that does shit like this. You're right, if North Korea, Iran, hell if Mexico or South Africa did this we'd be stompin mudholes in some asses. We'd at least sick Hillary on em. I know she's just biting and gnawing at her 3 inch steel chain right now to get at this one...

Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:34 am » by **Fatrock386**

Maybe Israel will do us a favor an throw her ass overboard. :lol:

Ask the people of Georgia about Cynthia . :top:

Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:53 am » by **Lowsix**

Yes, shes grandstanding,
shes the Galloway of the south..

BUT

Its an aid ship, pure and simple, dosent matter whos drivin..
That doesnt negate this evil fucking bullshit Isreal is and has been pulling for some time, to "make their point" about the gazans...and arabs in general..

its sickening and disgusting and evil..
and Phoenix is dead right, we need to start calling them on it, but we wont..

They simply exert too much campiagn dolar influence, and they know it.

Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:55 am » by **Justhuman**

LowSix wrote:Yes, shes grandstanding,
shes the Galloway of the south..

BUT

Its an aid ship, pure and simple, dosent matter whos drivin..
That doesnt negate this evil fucking bullshit Isreal is and has been pulling for some time, to "make their point" about the gazans...and arabs in general..

its sickening and disgusting and evil..
and Phoenix is dead right, we need to start calling them on it, but we wont..

They simply exert too much campiagn dolar influence, and they know it.

How do you know what was on that boat? Are you absolutely sure it was an aid shipment?
Were you there?

Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:03 am » by **Lowsix**

Well, all i can say is that had they found ANY items not approved,
such as arms or other war goods,
the Isrealis would have crowed to high heaven,
charged her with "assisting Terror" or sunk the boat..

Either this time, or the last time we went through this crap.
These are UN sanctioned Aid ships..Food medicine, water pruification....

And it doesnt matter what was on it in the first place becuase they were not in Isreali water..and had no right to stop or detain the crews EITHER of the two times they have done so.

Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:23 am » by **Justhuman**

LowSix wrote:Well, all i can say is that had they found ANY items not approved,
such as arms or other war goods,
the Isrealis would have crowed to high heaven,
charged her with "assisting Terror" or sunk the boat..

Either this time, or the last time we went through this crap.
These are UN sanctioned Aid ships..Food medicine, water pruification....

And it doesnt matter what was on it in the first place becuase they were not in Isreali water..and had no right to stop or detain the crews EITHER of the two times they have done so.

Israelis suck in explaining themselves, always have.
But really I think it is hipocracy to say media lies and then suddenly beleive in what the same media feeds you. That's all I'll say.
And by the way I lived in Israel for 22 years and can tell you alot of what really is going on there.
We all know that things are not exactly as they seem. I have never beleived politicians and this lady is one and as all of them she will do anything to benefit herself only.

Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:36 am » by **Ranger013**

Fuck Israel we need to deport all israelis and cease all aid :badair:

and rahm ... dont they execute spies and traitors?

"WMR has learned from informed U.S. intelligence sources that prospective Barack Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has an active FBI counter-intelligence file maintained on him.
http://aangirfan.blogspot.com/2008/11/r ... ossad.html

Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:42 am » by **Lowsix**

Well, im not one of the conspiracy nuts that either believes NOTHING the media says, or everything they say.

But i know for a FACT that if the Isrealis had found a single bullet on that boat, they would have arrested her, and most likely sunk that boat...and would have spread ALL over the media of the world that the UNited States was militarily assisting Hamas..

Now, living in isreal and being aware of what does go on from both sides.. doesnt negate hamas propaganda, which i am aware comes into play, NOR does it qualify one to say offhand, without any evidence whatsoever, or to even IMPLY... that an Aid boat (which passed inspeaction at Leave port of call, and passed Isreali inspection), wasnt actually an aid boat ...to justify keeping Gaza under seige, undernourished with a complete blockade on medical and material aid.

That IS evil, no matter how you cut it,
and its not something that can be washed away with the Propaganda argument.
I am not anti isreal..but I am 1000000% against the inhumane treatment that the people of Gaza, and the west bank have been forced to endure..

The war is over..the isrealis crushed the rockthrowers..perhaps its time to go ahead and ease up on the egyptian and isreal blockades against aid that are currently in place..
Then perhaps they wouldnt NEED the tunnels which are what isreal is USING as justification for this Antismuggling propaganda..

Right?

Let medical and food aid through, like humans, and it wouldnt NEED to be smuggled.

22 Tonnes of food was left to rot, immediately affter the offensive... and refused to pass...UN aid..left to leak and rot and become unusable. Why? No one has a good answer for that aside form Furhter punishing the defeated Innocents stuck living in the gaza strip..Since they were NOT allowed to escape..so that they could be lumped in with Hamas supporters, to justify Further punishing them..

At some point, and I hope it is soon..Sentiment will Justifiably turn on the Isrealis for their Insane policies..

And i agree..it is time to suspend 100% of the military aid supplied to Isreal, until they becme accountable for their actions..