August, 2008

Help the Free Gaza Campaign
Break the Siege of Gaza!


Breaking News! August 23, 2008, Saturday
Free Gaza Boats Arrive in Gaza!

GAZA (23 August 2008) - Two small boats, the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, successfully landed in Gaza early this evening, breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The boats were crewed by a determined group of international human rights workers from the Free Gaza Movement. They had spent two years organizing the effort, raising money by giving small presentations at churches, mosques, synagogues, and in the homes of family, friends, and supporters. They left Cyprus on Thursday morning, sailing over 350 kilometers through choppy seas. They made the journey despite threats that the Israeli government would use force to stop them. They continued sailing although they lost almost all communications and navigation systems due to outside jamming by some unknown party. They arrived in Gaza to the cheers and joyful tears of hundreds of Palestinians who came out to the beaches to welcome them.

Two small boats, 42 determined human rights workers, one simple message: “The world has not forgotten the people of this land. Today, we are all from Gaza. ”Tonight, the cheering will be heard as far away as Tel Aviv and Washington D.C. Quotes for publication: “We recognize that we’re two, humble boats, but what we’ve accomplished is to show that average people from around the world can mobilize to create change. We do not have to stay silent in the face of injustice. Reaching Gaza today, there is such a sense of hope, and hope is what mobilizes people everywhere.” --Huwaida Arraf. “We’re the first ones in 41 years to enter Gaza freely - but we won’t be the last. We welcome the world to join us and see what we’re seeing.” --Paul Larudee, Ph.D. “What we’ve done shows that people can do what governments should have done. If people stand up against injustice, we can truly be the conscience of the world.” --Jeff Halper, Ph.D.

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The Israeli government has forced 1.4 million Palestinian civilians into the largest open-air prison in the world.
Israel claims it no longer occupies Gaza, but it has cut off the Palestinian population from the outside world, using
lethal force to deprive them of food, medicine and basic supplies in violation of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention.

The two Free Gaza ships, the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, have set sail to Break Israel's Siege of Gaza!
They will travel legally through international waters to Gaza, and Cyprus authorities have inspected the boats..
Israel may try to illegally stop the two boats. If this happens, contact the press and tell your local representative about this
peaceful, legal, human rights mission and demand that they let the two boats and all their passengers proceed safely to Gaza!

Click cartoon below to see larger version ...