[E-rundbrief] Info 713 - Gaza-Grenz-See-Blockade

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 713 - Free Gaza: Like Palestinians, human-rights- 
workers denied exit through Erez checkpoint to Israel and through Rafah 
crossing to Egypt. Israeli naval vessels firing on unarmed fishing boats 
and human-rights-workers.

Bad Ischl, 9.9.2008

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

LIKE PALESTINIANS, HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS DENIED EXIT THROUGH EREZ 
CHECKPOINT TO ISRAEL AND THROUGH RAFAH CROSSING TO EGYPT	

Free Gaza

02-09-2008

GAZA (2 Sept. 2008) - Four foreign nationals from the UK, USA, Ireland 
and Australia, who helped peacefully challenge the siege of Gaza by 
traveling through international waters with the Free Gaza Movement, have 
so far been refused exit to Israel via Erez Crossing, or to Egypt via 
Rafah Crossing.

For over two years Israel has severely restricted access to Gaza, 
blocking aid shipments and trade. As a consequence, Gaza's economy has 
collapsed, forcing most industries to close and dramatically increasing 
malnutrition rates among children. Eighty percent of families in Gaza 
are now completely dependent on United Nations food aid.

Travel outside of Gaza has been likewise blocked by Israel. Over 200 
people have died as result of not being able to leave Gaza for medical 
treatment. Hundreds of Palestinian students, accepted to universities 
abroad, have also been denied exit visas by Israel.

Among the internationals currently stranded in Gaza are Irish activist 
and former Hawaiian legislator Kenneth O'Keefe, British journalist 
Lauren Booth, the sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony 
Blair, and Dr. William Dienst, a family and emergency room physician 
from the USA. This refusal of entry by Israel and Egypt effectively 
confines the internationals to the 40 by 10 kilometre enclave of Gaza, 
along with 1.5 million Palestinians, likewise sealed off from loved ones 
who live abroad and denied freedom of movement for purposes of 
education, medical care, leisure, or work.

The four internationals attempted to peacefully exit Gaza through 
Israeli controlled Erez crossing on August 29th; Israel denied the exit, 
stating that the activists had entered Gaza illegally by sea, even 
though that voyage had been formally allowed by the Israeli Foreign 
Ministry and Internal Affairs Ministry, according to newspaper reports. 
An official statement by Israel's Defence Ministry (August 25th) 
declared the Free Gaza Movement did not violate any laws, and that their 
action posed "no security threat" (Ha'aretz).

Diplomatic channels are trying to negotiate the exit of the human rights 
workers, who wish, like Palestinians, to exercise their human rights 
under Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: (1) 
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the 
borders of each state and (2) Everyone has the right to leave any 
country, including his own, and to return to his country.

www.freegaza.org/index.php?module=latest_news&id=22d3b1392f54f9149b2408973a91d5f7

-----------------------------

ISRAELI NAVAL VESSELS FIRING ON UNARMED FISHING BOATS AND HUMAN RIGHTS 
WORKERS	

Free Gaza

01-09-2008

(OFF THE COAST OF GAZA) 1 September 2008 - Israeli Naval vessels are 
currently firing on unamrmed Palestinian fishing boats and international 
human rights workers off the coast of the Gaza Strip. The fishing boats 
are several miles off the coast of Gaza City, in Palestinian territorial 
waters. As of 11am (4am EST) no one had been injured, but live 
ammunition is still being fired in the direction of the civilian boats.

The unarmed boats went to sea at dawn this morning, in an attempt to 
fish in their own water. Six international human rights workers from 
five different countries accompanied the fishermen in the hopes that 
their presence would deter the Israeli military from firing on the 
fishermen. In the past the Israeli military has shot and killed unarmed 
Palestinian fishermen for trying to fish in their own waters.

Accompanying the fishermen are:
Vittorio Arrigoni, Italy
Georgios Karatzas, Greece
Adam Qvist, Denmark
Andrew Muncie, Scotland
Donna Wallach, USA
Darlene Wallach, USA

www.freegaza.org/index.php?module=latest_news&id=97568b5ab4670e9167f36975651092b9&offset=


-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Bad Ischl,
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305 BIC: SKBIAT21XXX