On board the Rachel Corrie.. Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, a former UN Assistant Secretary-General Denis Halliday, a member of the Malaysian parliament Mohd Nizar bin Zakaria... and more..
MV Rachel Corrie 80 Miles from Gaza
Saturday June 05, 2010 00:57 by Kev & Freda - IPSC
The IPSC has been in contact with the MV Rachel Corrie in the past few minutes. The siege breaking ship is currently 80 miles from Gaza, and they expect to arrive in Gazan territorial waters at around 9 or 10am local time. All on board on the ship were in good spirits, but very anxious as to the actions the Israelis might take. It is currently pitch black at their location and they cannot see very far - there are no lights of other ships on the horizon. At the time of the call, there had been no communication with the Israeli navy.
The Rachel Corrie is flying their Irish, Malaysian and Filipino flags at half mast as a mark of respect for their murdered comrades from the Mavi Marmara which was hijacked on Monday by Israeli commandos in an attack that left at least 9 people dead.
Speaking about Minister Micheal Martin's statement earlier in which he said that those on board the Rachel Corrie had rejected a so-called deal that would involve them docking in the Israeli port of Ashdod, Jenny Graham said: "We will have no part in a deal that involves us legitimising the siege of Gaza. We intend to continue on our mission to deliver our cargo of aid and supplies to the people of Gaza. This has always been our intention."
IPSC Gaza Demonstration on Saturday at 2pm, Garden of Remembrance
The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), supported by ICTU has called a mass demonstration for 2pm this Saturday in Dublin at which some of the Freedom Flotilla deportees will speak. The demonstration will assemble at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance where there will be a wreath laying ceremony and from there will march to the Department of Foreign Affairs on St. Stephen's Green.
http://www.indymedia.ie/breaking_news
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96638
MV Rachel Corrie heading for Gaza: Flotilla rejects Israeli intimidation
national | rights and freedoms | news report 
Saturday May 15, 2010 01:50
by Fintan Lane - Freedom Flotilla (and IPSC)
087 1258325 
The MV Rachel Corrie, a 1200-ton cargo ship, part of the eight-vessel Freedom Flotilla, is on its way from Ireland to the Mediterranean Sea. There, ships from Turkey and Greece will join her, then sail to Gaza.
The MV Rachel Corrie, which is now on its way to Gaza
In the past week, reports from Israel have indicated that the Israeli authorities will not allow the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza with its cargo of much-needed reconstruction material, medical equipment, and school supplies. According to Israeli news sources, clear orders have been issued to prevent the ships from reaching Gaza, even if this necessitates military violence.
The Free Gaza Movement, which has launched eight other sea missions to Gaza, confirms that Israel has tried these kinds of threats and intimidation tactics before in order to try to stop the missions before they start. “They have not deterred us before and will not deter us now,” said one of the organizers.
Ship to Gaza -- Sweden, a Freedom Flotilla coalition partner, together with parliamentarian Mehmet Kaplan (Green Party) yesterday asked for an audience with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Carl Bildt, to discuss what measures the Swedish government and the European Union will take to protect the Freedom Flotilla’s peaceful, humanitarian voyage. Earlier this week during a meeting with the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza – another coalition partner, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyib Erdogan expressed his support for “breaking the oppressive siege on the Gaza Strip...which is at the top of Turkey’s list of priorities.“
Coalition partners, Ship to Gaza – Greece and the Turkish relief organization IHH, stressed that the ships, passengers, and cargo will be checked at each port of departure, making it clear that we constitute no security threat to Israel.
Israel’s threats to attack unarmed civilians aboard vessels carrying reconstruction aid are outrageous and indicative of the cruel and violent nature of Israel’s policies towards Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla is acting in line with universal principals of human rights and justice in defying a blockade identified as illegal by the UN and other humanitarian organizations. Palestinians in Gaza have a right to the thousands of basic supplies that Israel bans from entering, including cement and schoolbooks, as well as a right to access the outside world. The Freedom Flotilla coalition calls on all signatories to the Fourth Geneva Conventions to pressure Israel to adhere to its obligations under international humanitarian law, to end the lethal blockade on Gaza, and to refrain from attacking this peaceful convoy.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is comprised of: Free Gaza Movement (FG), European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG), Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), Ship to Gaza Greece, Ship to Gaza Sweden, and the International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza, with hundreds of groups and organizations around the world supporting the effort.
www.freegaza.org www.savegaza.eu www.ihh.org.tr
www.shiptogaza.gr www.shiptogaza.se
For interviews and/or further information on the MV Rachel Corrie and the Freedom Flotilla, phone:
Caoimhe Butterly: 087 6114553
Niamh Moloughney: 085 7747257
Fintan Lane: 087 1258325
Related Link: http://www.freegaza.org
Named in memory of Rachel Corrie, who was murdered by the Israeli army
'Freedom Flotilla': the name taken by the fleet heading for Gaza
Final cargo is loaded last Wednesday
http://witnessgaza.com/