Free Gaza, Free Palestine

RogerWatersHimself — June 03, 2010 — 25th May 2010

"Over the new year 2009-2010, an international group of 1500 men and women from 42 nations went to Egypt to join a Freedom March to Gaza. They did this to protest the current blockade of Gaza. To protest the fact that the people of Gaza live in a virtual prison. To protest the fact that a year after the terror attack by Israeli armed forces destroyed most of their homes, hospitals, schools, and other public buildings, they have no possibility to rebuild because their borders are closed. The would be Freedom Marchers wanted to peacefully draw attention to the predicament of the Palestinian population of Gaza. The Egyptian government, (funded to the tune of $2.1 billion a year, by us, the US tax payers), would not allow the marchers to approach Gaza. How lame is that? And how predictable! I live in the USA and during this time Dec 25th 2009-Jan3rd 2010 I saw no reference to Gaza or the Freedom March or the multi national protesters gathered there. Anyway I was moved, in the circumstances, to record a new version of " We shall overcome". It seems appropriate.

Roger Waters

Many thanks to G.E Smith: lead guitar and Thor Jonsson, drum programming and whatever. Thanks guys!!!

PS. 3rd June 2010

And now piracy!!!!!!!

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International Aid for Gaza flotilla attacked by IsraelOccurred in International WatersContinued after white flag was raised!

   [click photo]

From Al Jazeera

Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza.

At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported.

The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.

Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, confirmed that the attack took place in international waters, saying: "This happened in waters outside of Israeli territory, but we have the right to defend ourselves."

URGENT ACTION ALERT:


PROTEST AND CONTACT THE GOVERNMENT NOW!

Israeli warships have surrounded the Gaza flotilla, and are flying drones and a helicopter overhead. All on board the boats are wearing their lifejackets and are prepared.

They need your help.

1. PROTEST: MONDAY 31 MAY

Demand immediate government intervention against Israel blocking the flotilla's route to Gaza.

Where: Outside Downing Street When: 2pm, Monday 31 May (nearest tube: Westminster)

Protest called by PSC, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Friends of Al Aqsa

2. EMAIL THE FOREIGN OFFICE NOW - Send the template letter below to

private.office@fco.gov.uk
AINAGCorrespondence@fco.gov.uk
haguew@parliament.uk

3. EMAIL NICK CLEGG - Send the template letter to

cleggn@parliament.uk
libdemleader@parliament.uk
cleggn@hotmail.co.uk
leader@libdems.org.uk

Dear Mr [Clegg],

You will be aware that an international flotilla of ships is, at this moment, attempting to deliver essential humanitarian aid to Gaza. The aid includes construction materials which would enable the people of Gaza to rebuild the homes destroyed by Israel in Operation Cast Lead last year.

There are nearly 700 people on board the boats, all of whom are ordinary civilians from around the world, including 40 British citizens. They have undertaken this mission out of concern for the people of Gaza, who are now entering their fourth year under siege, without access to basic necessities. They pose no threat to Israel, and are completely unarmed.

Despite this, the Israeli navy is attempting to block the flotilla from reaching Gaza, and Israeli warships surrounded the boats on Sunday (30th May) night, while drones and a helicopter have been flying overhead. This hostile action has taken place in international waters.

I urge you to act swiftly to protect the flotilla, which is breaking no international laws, and, in particular, the British citizens on board, and to ensure that Israel allows this vital aid to reach its destination.

Israel's occupation of Gaza is illegal under international law, and it has been accused in a UN report of committing war crimes in Gaza.

Your obligation must be towards a group of citizens peacefully attempting to deliver humanitarian aid, than to a country which repeatedly violates international treaties and resolutions. Those on board the boats face a serious threat - I call on you to end the UK government's silence over Israel's aggressive actions against the flotilla, and intervene now to demand its safe passage to Gaza.

Yours sincerely

[source link]

BIG DAN also has a good collection of videos and links to articles on the situation.

Protests erupt across world after Israeli raid

Video of protests

Commandos claim they used paintball guns

Israel a Lunatic State - Norman Finkelstein

Live coverage from Al Jazeera

Cynthia McKinney Mourns the Dead of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza

Gaza TV's phlog - George Galloway Speaks Out

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The Five Steps to Tyranny

War - Just Another Day at the Office(If you're on the right side)

"You could drop off your kids at daycare, go to work, fly your UAV, drop bombs on some insurgents or what have you -
then come back at the end of the day, pick up your child, go home and fix supper and it's just another day at the office."

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DU and You

[click photo for more on the subject]

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

Build your own custom video playlist at embedr.com

[approx. 57 min.]

Click for more on DU here at the lair.

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Disbar Torture Lawyers Press ConferenceNational Press Club Washington D.C.

From The Raw Story:

Speaking at the National Press Club on Monday, former Reagan administration Associated Attorney General Bruce Fein lamented President Barack Obama's decision to shut his eyes to open confessions of war crimes by members of the prior administration.

"It's at the highest levels that the rule of law finds its greatest majesty," he told reporters. "That's why the United States was so idolized after Nixon left. We said that the most powerful man in the world is subject to the law. He cannot defy it."

Fein was making the historical argument with respect to the Obama administration's continued refusal to investigate the Bush administration's torture program, which was designed and specifically authorized by high-level officials.

"[Today] we have an instance where the President of the United States -- Harvard Law Review, a Constitutional Law professor who knows what the law is -- shuts his eyes to open confessions," he said. "We authorized torture, for which there is no exception."

Fein was speaking on behalf of Velvet Revolution, a coalition of over 150 peace and religious groups, that is leading the charge to get attorneys involved in the Bush administration's torture program thrown out of office and the legal profession.
Link

Bruce Fein is joined by Velevet Revolution lawyer Kevin Zeese and others in the following video of their presentation.

Larisa Alexandrovna of The Raw Story reports here with links to the complete complaint. (MS Word Document)

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Behind the Scenes: The Executive Response to 9/11

[h/t 99]

Former Defense Department Undersecretary Douglas Feith and former Bush administration officials Andrew Card, Michael Chertoff, and Ari Fleischer recounted their experiences in the events surrounding September 11, 2001. Ann Compton, who moderated, was the only broadcast reporter allowed to remain on Air Force One during the September 11 attacks. The panelists also discussed the administration's use of constitutional powers, and they responded to audience members' questions.

LINK
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A Thing of Beauty

Zionism is Bullshit!

AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T MISS THIS NORMAN FINKELSTEIN LECTURE.

Life in Gaza

Full Video OCCUPATION 101 1:27:59

A look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspectives of seven children living in the Palestinian communities in the West Bank and Israeli neighborhoods of Jerusalem: PROMISES 1:41:51

DARKNESS

[image-BB2]

Red Cross Reports Grisly Find in Gaza
Israel Accused of Blocking Aid to Wounded

By Craig Whitlock
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, January 8, 2009; Page A01

JERUSALEM, Jan. 8 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday that it had found at least 15 bodies and several children -- emaciated but alive -- in a row of shattered houses in the Gaza Strip and accused the Israeli military of preventing ambulances from reaching the site for four days.

Red Cross officials said rescue crews had received specific reports of casualties in the houses and had been trying since Saturday to send ambulances to the area, located in Zaytoun, a neighborhood south of Gaza City. They said the Israeli military did not grant permission until Wednesday afternoon.

In an unusual public statement issued by its Geneva headquarters, the Red Cross called the episode "unacceptable" and said the Israeli military had "failed to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded."

MORE

ISRAEL OUT!

[click]

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A Day in Gaza

CORRIGENDA:

The video previously posted here has been shown to not be of the current situation.
It was purported to be of an attack on a Palestinian market on Jan 3rd 2009. It has turned out that it was in fact a video of a parade bombing at the Jabaliya refugee camp Sept. 23rd 2005.

Raw Story has more here.

A relevant piece can be found, however, at LiveLeak.com

U.N. calls US report "outrageous and dishonest"

In a letter sent to the House of Representatives' Select Committee on Intelligence by the International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei the IAEA is strongly protesting that committee's report on Iranian nuclear capabilities.

Called into question was the reports conclusion that Iran had enriched uranium at its pilot centrifuge plant to weapons-grade level in April. This is in direct conflict with IAEA's own findings.

Also questioned was the report that Iran had "mass quantities of uranium gas await enrichment, which would ultimately be used for the construction of some 40 nuclear bombs."

Furthermore the report suggested that the IAEA had fired an inspector because he would not follow an allege IAEA policy preventing him from telling the truth about Iran.
The IAEA has called this suggestion "outrageous and dishonest" and a case of deja vu relating to pre-Iraq false assessments.

Yellow Cake anyone?

Must be time to out another secret agent!

The full story can be found at The Raw Story.