Via Intifada Voice
Written by Greta Berlin
Special announcement to our supporters
Responding to a call from Free Gaza organizers, two more groups have stepped forward to add their boats to the flotilla. When we sent out a call to organizations to join us, we were hoping that one or two would be able to find the funds and come with us to Gaza. We are now delighted to report that boats from organizations in Turkey, Belgium, Greece, Malaysia and Indonesia [notice the absence of any Arab countries!]are coming with us in April.
One humanitarian group in Indonesia will sail with Free Gaza and bring in medical supplies for a hospital. As soon as they finish purchasing the boat, they will make a formal announcement of their plans. In addition, another group from Europe is in the process of buying a boat, answering our call to join the flotilla. They intend to bring MPs from around Europe to witness the devastation in Gaza. To date, we have two cargo ships and now are planning on 10 passenger boats, and we are hoping there will still be time for other organizations to find boats and sail with us.
Stay tuned as plans become finalized, then watch this space for more announcements as other organizations step up and come on board the Freedom Flotilla.”
===
KUALA LUMPUR: Palestinians in Gaza want the world to come together to end the Israeli siege instead of just looking at them as a charity case.
Free Gaza Movement leader Huwaida Arraf said that while Palestinians appreciated the aid, their main concern was for the siege to end and their suffering to cease.
Huwaida: `If we just keep giving aid, the suffering will go on forever. We must address the root cause’
“A lot of people think that Gaza is a charity case. If we just keep giving aid, it (the suffering) will go on forever. We must address the root cause.
“Israel has placed a complete blockade of Gaza Strip and no one is doing anything to stop it. We need political solidarity and hope more people will challenge Israel’s policy,” she said recently during a brief visit here to talk about their next Gaza boat mission in April.
The Palestinian-American activist has met former prime minister and Perdana Global Peace Organisation chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who spearheaded the Humanitarian Appeal Fund for Gaza war victims. The fund, of which Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is the patron, has pledged to donate RM1.5mil.
Huwaida, who briefed Dr Mahathir of their latest plan, said Malaysian funds had enabled Free Gaza to purchase a cargo ship and at least one small passenger ship.
Funds, she said, were still needed to buy supplies.
Free Gaza, an international voluntary human rights movement, together with the Turkish Relief Foundation and organisations from countries such as Malaysia, France, Germany and Greece, would be heading to Gaza in a fleet of boats this April on a humanitarian trip.
She said their last three boat missions were “violently stopped” by Israel with their boat confiscated last June. The cargo ships would transport building supplies into Gaza besides education materials and generators to help Palestinians rebuild their lives, she added.
“Israel has not allowed reconstruction supplies to enter Gaza. We hope the supplies can be used to rebuild destroyed homes. Many families are still living in tents amid the rubble of their homes,” she added.
She said generators were also needed as besides the area experiencing frequent power cuts, Israel also limited fuel into Gaza,
She also thanked Malaysians for their donations, adding that Malaysia would play an important part in the mission.
Huwaida urged Barisan Nasional and opposition MPs, whom she met last August, to join their mission in April, which would comprise an international parliamentary delegation, civil leaders and the media.
Source: Free Gaza org.
Huwaida Arraf is a pro-Palestinian activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). The stated mission of the ISM is to resist the Israeli occupation of the West Bank using nonviolent tactics. Arraf is married to Adam Shapiro, another ISM co-founder, whom she met while both were working at the JerusalemSeeds of Peace, an organization that seeks to foster dialogue between Jewish and Palestinian youth.
Special announcement to our supporters
Responding to a call from Free Gaza organizers, two more groups have stepped forward to add their boats to the flotilla. When we sent out a call to organizations to join us, we were hoping that one or two would be able to find the funds and come with us to Gaza. We are now delighted to report that boats from organizations in Turkey, Belgium, Greece, Malaysia and Indonesia [notice the absence of any Arab countries!]are coming with us in April.
One humanitarian group in Indonesia will sail with Free Gaza and bring in medical supplies for a hospital. As soon as they finish purchasing the boat, they will make a formal announcement of their plans. In addition, another group from Europe is in the process of buying a boat, answering our call to join the flotilla. They intend to bring MPs from around Europe to witness the devastation in Gaza. To date, we have two cargo ships and now are planning on 10 passenger boats, and we are hoping there will still be time for other organizations to find boats and sail with us.
Stay tuned as plans become finalized, then watch this space for more announcements as other organizations step up and come on board the Freedom Flotilla.”
===
Gaza Not a Charity Case
Written by Free Gaza TeamKUALA LUMPUR: Palestinians in Gaza want the world to come together to end the Israeli siege instead of just looking at them as a charity case.
Free Gaza Movement leader Huwaida Arraf said that while Palestinians appreciated the aid, their main concern was for the siege to end and their suffering to cease.
Huwaida: `If we just keep giving aid, the suffering will go on forever. We must address the root cause’
“A lot of people think that Gaza is a charity case. If we just keep giving aid, it (the suffering) will go on forever. We must address the root cause.
“Israel has placed a complete blockade of Gaza Strip and no one is doing anything to stop it. We need political solidarity and hope more people will challenge Israel’s policy,” she said recently during a brief visit here to talk about their next Gaza boat mission in April.
The Palestinian-American activist has met former prime minister and Perdana Global Peace Organisation chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who spearheaded the Humanitarian Appeal Fund for Gaza war victims. The fund, of which Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is the patron, has pledged to donate RM1.5mil.
Huwaida, who briefed Dr Mahathir of their latest plan, said Malaysian funds had enabled Free Gaza to purchase a cargo ship and at least one small passenger ship.
Funds, she said, were still needed to buy supplies.
Free Gaza, an international voluntary human rights movement, together with the Turkish Relief Foundation and organisations from countries such as Malaysia, France, Germany and Greece, would be heading to Gaza in a fleet of boats this April on a humanitarian trip.
She said their last three boat missions were “violently stopped” by Israel with their boat confiscated last June. The cargo ships would transport building supplies into Gaza besides education materials and generators to help Palestinians rebuild their lives, she added.
“Israel has not allowed reconstruction supplies to enter Gaza. We hope the supplies can be used to rebuild destroyed homes. Many families are still living in tents amid the rubble of their homes,” she added.
She said generators were also needed as besides the area experiencing frequent power cuts, Israel also limited fuel into Gaza,
She also thanked Malaysians for their donations, adding that Malaysia would play an important part in the mission.
Huwaida urged Barisan Nasional and opposition MPs, whom she met last August, to join their mission in April, which would comprise an international parliamentary delegation, civil leaders and the media.
Source: Free Gaza org.
Huwaida Arraf
Huwaida Arraf is a pro-Palestinian activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). The stated mission of the ISM is to resist the Israeli occupation of the West Bank using nonviolent tactics. Arraf is married to Adam Shapiro, another ISM co-founder, whom she met while both were working at the JerusalemSeeds of Peace, an organization that seeks to foster dialogue between Jewish and Palestinian youth.========
March 1, 2010 Posted by Elias |
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
Uprooted Palestinian
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