Viva Gaza Malaysia :: KONVOI FREEDOM FLOTILLA 4 GAZA

Monday, March 22, 2010

Thanks everyone - I'm OK - Huwaida Arraf

From: Irish
Subject: [GazaFriends] Thanks everyone - I'm OK - Huwaida Arraf
To: "gazafriends"
Date: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 3:52 PM

Dear friends,

Thanks so much for your concern, solidarity and support. I was released last night at around 6:45pm from Neve Tirtze prison in Ramle. Save for minor cuts and bruises, I am OK. I haven't gotten a chance to see Ellen Stark (the ISM volunteer shot in the arm) yet. I hear she has a broken wrist but is doing OK.

I was arrested on Friday at around noon as I tried to get the Israeli soldiers to stop shooting at people in Nabi Saleh (a small village of about 400 people), especially after ISM volunteer Ellen Stark was shot in the arm. We were in Nabi Saleh for a weekly demonstration by the villagers against the theft of their land. Simultaneous demonstrations were taking place in Jerusalem and in a number of villages throughout the West Bank. In Nabi Saleh, the demonstration took the form of people walking down a hill towards the confiscated land. "Stop shooting...a woman has been injured and needs medical attention"

http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/56-news/1154-ism-volunteer-shot-hospitalized-ism-co-founder-arrested

I yelled at the soldiers, making my way back up the hill to the road they stood on (shooting down at us knowing the rugged terrain we were on made it very difficult to move quickly to avoid their barrage of tear gas and bullets). When I got on the road the soldiers turned their guns on me but I just kept talking and walking towards them. "We have a woman that has been shot; she needs help. Stop shooting. There is no reason to be shooting at people like this. You are in THEIR village." For this I was handcuffed and thrown in a jeep, later accused of: (1) attacking a police officer; (2) cursing at the military and police; (3) obstructing the operations of the military; and (4) being in a closed military zone.

Instead of being taken to a police station, as Israeli citizens and foreigners are supposed to be, I was taken to the illegal settlement of Halamish where I was held for nearly eight hours outside in the cold. Two other Palestinians from Nabi Saleh, Omar who is 23 and Amjad, 22 were also arrested and brought there. The soldiers and border police were particularly abusive to Omar and Amjad, pushing them around, forcing them to stand for hours, handcuffed and blindfolded and every few minutes yelling at them to lift their heads, so they couldn't rest or fall asleep. When I protested this abuse I was told to "shut the f*** up" and if I didn't, I would get the same treatment. I responded, "I don't really care, but it's sad that you feel you have to treat people so inhumanely." "Shut the f*** up!"

At one point, when Omar couldn't feel his hands or move his fingers anymore (a combination of tight plastic cuffs and the cold, we were taken into a building supposedly to be checked by a doctor. The same officer who kept telling me to shut up, abusing his power because he can, ordered us to stand facing the wall. I refused this unnecessary measure and show of macho bullying, and was dragged back outside, lifted by my arms, while still cuffed behind my back, and then thrown on the ground. The dehumanization of Palestinians was not only evident amongst the soldiers, but also the Jewish settlers. Since we were held outside in the settlement, we were exposed to settler youth who surrounded and hurled profanities at us.

The ISM lawyer says that my arrest was illegal; that I should have been taken before a judge the same day I was arrested. Israeli citizens and internationals have that right. Palestinians don't. I was separated from Omar and Amjad at about 2:00 in the morning as after we were interrogated I was taken to a women's prison in Ramle, and they to the Ofer military prison. In the end I was detained for 31 hours then released. If I had not been released I would have come before a judge last night.

It will likely be at least another week before Omar and Amjad will be allowed to see a judge. At that point they will be accused of violence because they were protesting, unarmed, against the confiscation of their land. The heavily armed soldiers that invaded their village, immediately began shooting tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets; the soldiers that damaged 10 Palestinian homes and injured 25 people in Nabi Saleh aren't the violent ones. We are. Omar and Amjad are likely to have to pay a fine and/or post a hefty bail to be released, if they are not held for months first.

The police released me right before I was scheduled to come before a judge. This is likely because they had nothing to bring before a judge. I probably should have refused release and challenged their actions in court, but I really didn't want to make a big deal out of my arrest, when so many other worse things are happening.

That said, so many good things are happening also. Solidarity actions around the world are on the rise, the BDS movement is gaining more support every day, and the spirit of the Palestinian people is high. Israel expects to be able to continue stealing land and resources, subjugating the indigenous people, and using violence to subdue any kind of protest from the colonized and their supporters. We don't have the weapons Israel has to fight back, but we have our spirit and our voices with which we will fight. Israel should be under no illusion that it can intimidate or break us.

Thanks so much again for your concern and support!

In solidarity & struggle,

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KENYATAAN MEDIA MAPIM DI PARLIMEN 7 APR 2010

INFO PENTING DARI KOALISI KONVOI VIVA ANTARABANGSA...

The Freedom Flotilla Sails to Gaza in May

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(London, UK) On May 24, 2010, the Freedom Flotilla sets sail for Gaza determined to, once again, challenge Israel’s blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in an open-air prison. Under the coordination of the Free Gaza Movement, numerous human rights organizations, including the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH), the Perdana Global Peace Organization from Malaysia, the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza, and the Swedish and Greek Boat to Gaza initiatives will send three cargo ships loaded with reconstruction, medical and educational supplies. At least five passenger boats with over 600 people on board will accompany the cargo ships.

These passengers include members of Parliament from around the world, U.N., human rights and trade union activists, as well as journalists who will document the largest coordinated effort to directly confront Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza and take in basic supplies.

Said Mary Hughes Thompson, one of Free Gaza’s co-founders, “Although we were happy with the first trips, it was bitter-sweet, knowing that our small boats and symbolic amounts of relief paled in comparison to what was really needed in Gaza. Now, we finally feel we are helping to organize a powerful action, one with the potential to translate into a sustained campaign of much more effective challenges to Israel's brutal siege.”

In the past three months, Israel has limited fuel to run the power station. Much of Gaza is often in darkness. There are just enough trucks coming in to barely prevent total starvation, and Egypt, complicit with the Israeli-US policy of blockading Palestinians, is building an underground steel wall to prevent people in Gaza from bringing in vitally needed supplies through tunnels.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 28, 2010





Contact: Greta Berlin, +33 63 142 7577, http://mc/compose?to=Iristulip@gmail.com

Huwaida Arraf, +970-598-336-215, +972-542-635-936, http://mc/compose?to=huwaida@freegaza.org

Caoimhe Butterly, +353 876 114 553, http://mc/compose?to=sahara78@hotmail.co.uk

http://www.youtube.com/gazafriends#p/a/u/0/yz-LYXV6_t0



A cargo ship sponsored by the people of Malaysia and loaded with cargo donated from citizens of Ireland, Scotland, and Britain as well as thousands around the world, will depart from Ireland the second week of May. When it reaches the Mediterranean, she will be joined by the other boats and begin the journey to Gaza.

Dr. Mona El-Farra, Deputy Director of the Union of Health Work Committees in Gaza was pleased to hear we are coming back. “When the two boats from Free Gaza entered the harbor in 2008, it was like a dream, it was historic. And all great things start with some dreamers who made it true. For us in Gaza, the dream of freedom will not be lost, and we welcome this next voyage with open hearts.”

The Free Gaza Movement along with the partners listed above, are the organizers of this flotilla. However, dozens of organizations and tens of thousands of people around the world are taking part to make this voyage a success. http://www.freegaza.org/

Greta Berlin



http://www.freegaza.org/








NASIB PELARIAN PALESTIN DAN BOIKOT PRODUK ISRAEL....

10 Produk yang Memiliki Link dengan Israel, Diboikot!

Jumat, 18/12/2009 23:48 WIB

KNRP - Aktivis anti-apartheid telah menamai sejumlah merek komersial sebagai sponsor Israel, dan mendesak negara-negara dunia untuk berpikir dua kali sebelum membeli produk-produk tersebut menjelang Natal.

Kampanye AS untuk Boikot Akademik dan Budaya Israel (USACBI) merilis daftar 10 perusahaan multi-nasional yang terikat dengan Israel, serta mengatakan bahwa perusahaan tersebut mendapatkan keuntungan salah satunya dari pembangunan dinding apartheid Tepi Barat.

USACBI menuduh kelompok-kelompok komersial ini memiliki peran langsung dalam penderitaan rakyat Palestina, dengan memanfaatkan kekuatan pekerja Palestina dan mendukung militer Israel untuk membangun proyek-proyek pemukiman ilegal di wilayah-wilayah Palestina yang diduduki.

Lebih lanjt mereka mengatakan bahwa perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut juga telah menjadi ancaman serius terhadap lingkungan dan melanggar undang-undang ketenagakerjaan internasional. Dengan adanya catatan ini, maka upaya untuk memboikot produk-produk mereka menjadi sangat penting.

Perusahaan yang terdaftar untuk diboikot itu antara lain AHAVA cosmeceutical, industri tekstil Galil, Produk Bawang Putih dan Herbal Dorot, yang semuanya memiliki basis di Israel.

Perusahaan telekomunikasi Motorola, Intel Corporation - terbesar di dunia semi konduktor pembuat chip -, perusahaan Estee Lauder kosmetik dan perawatan kulit, perusahaan Sabra, yang menghasilkan produk makanan bergaya Mediterania, dan perususahaan barang-barang konsumen global Sara Lee juga termasuk perusahaan yang terdapat dalam daftar.

Sementara itu perusahaan kosmetik raksasa yang berbasis di Paris L'Oreal dan pengecer pakaian wanita asal Amerika Victoria's Secret, juga berada di antara perusahaan-perusahaan yang akan diboikot oleh USACBI.

Para penggerak Pro-Palestina ini semakin memiliki banyak pendukung di seluruh Eropa setelah Tel Aviv melakukan serangan ofensif di Jalur Gaza bulan Desember 2008-Januari 2009. Dan kali ini tampaknya sasaran para penggerak Pro-palestina ini mengarah pada rezim sektor perdagangan Israel.

Sementara itu di lain pihak, pada hari Kamis kemarin (17/12) para anggota parlemen Israel mengancam akan memboikot produk-produk Inggris sebagai tanggapan atas dikeluarkannya sebuah kebijakan oleh Departemen Inggris untuk urusan Lingkungan Hidup, Food and Rural Affairs, yang mengharuskan para penjual menyatakan apakah produk Tepi Barat yang tercantum dalam label-label produk dagang, benar-benar di buat oleh warga Palestina atau hanya manipulasi dan dibuat oleh Israel.

Empat puluh anggota parlemen dari Israel serta 120 anggota parlemen Knesset, menandatangani petisi tersebut untuk dikirim ke parlemen Inggris, demikian menurup penuturan seorang pembantu anggota dewan bernama Ronit Tirosh, yang akan memimpin pergerakan ini.

Kini masyarakat internasional semakin banyak yang menganggap bhawa permukiman Israel di Tepi Barat tidak sah dan serta menjadi rintangan utama dalam upaya perdamaian. Untuk itulah semakin banyaak lahir gerakan-gerakan pro-Palestina dan anti-apartheid Israel. (mirzah/presstv)





Australia Terima Puluhan Pengungsi Palestina

Sabtu, 05/12/2009 22:47 WIB

KNRP – Pada Rabu (2/12) sore lalu tercatat 42 pengungsi Palestina yang tinggal di kamp padang pasir, Al-Haul di Kota Hasakah, 700 km timur laut Damaskus, telah bertolak meninggalkan tempat padang pasir itu sejak selama lebih dari tiga tahun mereka hidup di tengah kondisi yang memburuk.

Para pengungsi itu telah meninggalkan kamp padang pasir Al-Haul melalui Bandar Udara Internasional Damaskus, menyusul pengumuman yang diberikan Australia ihwal persetujuan untuk menjadikan Australia sebagai rumah mereka.

Asosiasi Palestina di Irak yang dipimpin oleh Thamer Misheen telah memberikan para pengungsi Palestina itu sebuah tas 'Dia Palestina yang Pulang' dan berfoto bersama sebagai keang-kenangan. Asosiasi juga mendesak mereka untuk berpegang kepada identitas Islam dan nasionalisme serta komitmen terhadap masalah Palestina.

Jumlah pengungsi di kamp Al-Haul sendiri melampaui 600 orang, yang sebelumnya berjumlah 331 yang kemudian datang ratusan pengungsi dari dari kamp-kamp pengungsi Palestina di Suriah. Namun ratusan pengungsi itu menyampaikan keluhannya atas kondisi mereka. Karena itu, mereka mendesak Komisaris Tinggi untuk Pengungsi Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa untuk menerbitkan KTP kepada mereka dan membangun rumah untuk berteduh serta menghimbau kepada semua badan dan organisasi-organisasi kemanusiaan dan media untuk memberikan bantuan kemanusiaan.

Menarik diungkap, sejumlah pengungsi kamp Al-Haul telah didistribusikan ke Swedia, Kanada, Perancis dan Denmark. Sementara itu, seperti disebutkan paltimes, kamp Al-Haul merupakan kamp pengungsi padang pasir paling awal di Irak, dimana kamp itu didirikan pada Mei 2006 setelah Suriah menyetujui untuk menerima para pengungsi itu di wilayah Trebil di perbatasan Yordania di Irak.(milyas/pt)



Putus Sekolah, 50% Anak Palestina di Kamp Pengungsi Lebanon

Senin, 23/11/2009 17:04 WIB

KNRP - Angka putus sekolah di kalangan anak-anak pengungsi Palestina di Libanon sudah sampai ke tingkat mencemaskan, yaitu hampir 50 persen dari siswa yang berusia 17 tahun dan 40 persen dari yang berusia 16. Demikian seperti diingatkan oleh para pejabat PBB pada Jumat pekan lalu.

"Kami sedang membunyikan alarm bahwa tingkat putus sekolah itu terlalu tinggi di kalangan anak-anak usia sekolah dari perantara untuk tingkat sekolah tinggi," kata Ray Virgilio Torres, Kepala Dana untuk Anak-anak di PBB (UNICEF) di Beirut, dalam kaitan laporannya dalam masalah tersebut, seperti dilansir situs palestinechronicle.

Laporan itu sendiri dirilis bertepatan dengan ulang tahun ke-20 terkait konvensi internasional mengenai hak-hak anak. Di dalam laporan itu Torres mengatakan bahwa secara keseluruhan, hampir 15 persen anak-anak yang berusia antara 7 dan 17 tahun bertempat tinggal di Libanon yang berasal 12 kamp-kamp pengungsi dan dalam pertemuan warga Palestina di sana diketahui banyak dari mereka yang putus sekolah.

Menurut UNICEF, sepertiga dari anak-anak itu buta huruf. "Angka ini sangat mengkhawatirkan jika Anda mempertimbangkan bahwa separuh dari usia 17 tahun anak-anak itu putus sekolah dibandingkan dengan 40 persen ketika mereka sampai pada usia 16 tahun," imbuh Torres.

"Ini adalah usia yang sensitif dan jika Anda menambahkan bahwa risiko lain akan terkena mereka di kamp-kamp, inilah alasan untuk khawatir," tegas dia sembari menambahkan bahwa sebagian besar anak-anak yang putus sekolah itu karena kemiskinan, kurangnya pendidikan sesuai program dan kurangnya perspektif untuk masa depan.

"Para pemuda mengatakan, mengapa harus sekolah ketika saya tidak bisa bekerja setelah itu'," kata Torres menirukan salah sebab alasan putus sekolah mereka itu. Untuk diketahui, Hukum Libanon mencegah pengungsi Palestina untuk melakoni sebuah profesi atau memiliki properti.

Torres juga mengungkapkan faktor lain yang mengkhawatirkan yaitu pekerja anak anak-anak di kalangan pengungsi Palestina yang mencapai 6,1 persen, sebagian besar dari mereka adalah anak laki-laki. "Ini terlalu tinggi bila Anda membandingkannya dengan angka di negara-negara maju di mana tenaga kerja anak praktis menghilang," kata Torres.

Terdapat sekitar 250.000 sampai 270.000 pengungsi Palestina hidup di Libanon. Sebagian besar berasal dari keluarga yang tiba pada tahun 1948 setelah pembentukan negara Israel secara paksa.(milyas/ palestinechronicle)


Pemandangan sepanjang KONVOI..VP 3..

"PALESTINA TERCINTA..SHOUTUL HARAKAH"

Semangat Ummi buat anak-anak dan pejuang Palestin...

VP KONVOI BERJAYA MELEPASI PINTU RAFAH..

VP KONVOI.."KAMI ADALAH WARGA BRITAIN YG TERBAIK...

[News] George Galloway - Save Gaza!

KONVOI pergi dengan satu niat.."bantu apa yang terdaya"

VP KONVOI "KAMI ADALAH KAWAN BAIK PALESTIN..."

KONVOI MEMBAWA APA YANG TERMAMPU UNTUK SDRNYA DI GAZA...

[Song] Michael Heart - We Will Not Go Down

VP KONVOI DISERANG OLEH POLIS MESIR...

VP KONVOI MULA BERGERAK.....

VP KONVOI..MENDAPAT SOKONGAN DARI SEMUA...BUKAN HANYA ISLAM..

VP KONVOI..MANUSIA YANG PUNYA HATI..

Bersama 30 jam di GAZA..

[Song] Muadz - Baitul Maqdis