Even before the voting began, Israeli politicians and pundits were asking: Will an Obama Administration be good for Israel? “Be good for Israel” is our code for “Will the US allow us to keep our settlements and continue to support our efforts to prevent negotiations with the Palestinians from ever bearing fruit?” For Americans the… Read more »
Here follows a summary of the activities of the Free Gaza Movement, which has now completed three voyages from Cyprus to Gaza and back, the latest boat trip carrying eleven European parliamentarians, including ICAHD UK patrons Baroness Jenny Tonge and Clare Short, MP. On August 22th, 2008, two boats – the Free Gaza and the… Read more »
A consortium of aid agencies involved in providing humanitarian relief to the Palestinians has produced a report demonstrating that the current approach of the Quartet, which comprises of Russia, USA, EU and UN, has failed to make the “visible progress” which it is quoted as requiring in 2008 from the MEPP (Midle East Peace Process)…. Read more »
So rapid is the pace of systemic change in that indivisible entity known as Palestine/Israel that it almost defies our ability to keep up with it. The deliberate and systematic campaign of driving Palestinians out of the country in 1948 was quickly forgotten, the plight of more than 700,000 refugees becoming an invisible _non-issue._ Instead,… Read more »
Now, a few days after my release from jail in the wake of my trip to Gaza, Iam posting a few notes to sum things up. First, the mission of the Free Gaza Movement to break the Israeli siege proved a success beyond all expectations. Our reaching Gaza and leaving has created a free and… Read more »
We are pleased to announce that after spending Tuesday night, 26th August, in Shikme Prison, Prof Jeff Halper, Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), was released this afternoon following his appearance in an Ashkelon court. Jeff will be holding a press conference at 4 pm on Thursday, 28th August, at the American… Read more »
(GAZA CITY, 27 August 2008) – It was standing-room-only in Gaza City studios today as the Free Gaza Movement held a press conference to announce the departure of the Free Gaza and Liberty, and to reaffirm that 12-14 Palestinians who have previously been denied exit visas by Israel will be traveling to Cyprus on the… Read more »
Prof Jeff Halper, Director of ICAHD, is spending Tuesday evening, 26 August, in jail. After being part of the group of international peace activists that sailed from Cyprus to Gaza as part of the Free Gaza campaign to break the seige, Jeff was arrested when attempting to enter Israel through the Erez Crossing. Inititally it… Read more »
Civilians from 17 nations, none of them experienced sailors, set out from Cyprus in two wooden boats and have succeeded in breaking the blockade of Gaza, enforced off the coast of Gaza by Israeli gunboats. They arrived on Saturday afternoon. People on board the boat included an 81-year old nun, the sister-in-law of Tony Blair,… Read more »
In a somewhat desperate bid to capture all _the wonders of Womada I dashed from one arena to another in my remaining precious few moments there!! In the process I happened upon the most wonderful of artists. All my wanderings ceased _ I was transfixed! So too were the crowd – awestruck, as David d’Or’s… Read more »