Israel’s Attacks on Aid Ships Called Aggression by the Helena Peace Seekers
NEWS RELEASE
Helena Peace Seekers, June 1, 2010
The Helena Peace Seekers issued the following statement concerning Israel’s Attacks on Humanitarian Aid Ships and Human Rights Workers on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
The Helena Peace Seekers joins human rights, international lawyers associations and peace groups across Montana and across the planet in condemning Sunday’s attacks by Israel’s navy on human rights workers who were attempting to deliver 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Gaza has been virtually cut off from the outside world by Israel’s blockade since Israel’s 22-day military assault of Gaza in 2009 that left over 1,400 dead, thousands wounded and countless homes, schools and businesses destroyed.
Israel’s armed attack on these human rights workers constitutes a clear breach of international law. The U.S. government, however, has not yet spoken out in opposition to the assault by Israel, the largest recipient of U.S. aid since World War II. The humanitarian aid ships attacked were in international waters and there was no plausible rationale to take it over by the Israelis. The ships were not going to Israel; they were going to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid. They had no plans to enter Israeli waters. All this could have been avoided if Israel had let the ships deliver their aid to Gaza.
The 700 human rights workers now in Israeli military detention should be released immediately, medical treatment should be provided for the wounded, and all humanitarian aid materials should be immediately transferred to Gaza. The Gaza Freedom Flotilla contends that Israel’s blockade of Gaza is illegal and constitutes unlawful aggression under General Assembly Resolution 3314 (1974).
The convoy was comprised of 700 people (now in Israeli military detention) from 50 nationalities and included Nobel laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire of Ireland, members of parliament from Germany, Sweden, Turkey, Ireland, and Malaysia, as well as Palestinian members of the Israeli Knesset/Parliament and Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein, an 86 year old Jewish women who lost her family in Nazi concentration camps and subsequently came to Palestine. Col. (Ret.) and former US Diplomat Ann Wright who recently spoke in Helena on May 12 And 13 and received the Montana Peace Seekers Network Peace Seeker of the Year 2010 Award – www.montanapeaceseekers.org – was one of the human rights workers that were sailing as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Wright is now in detention.
While many facts are as yet unknown because the Israeli government has granted only very limited press access, it appears that 10 or more people were killed and dozens injured when Israeli troops boarded the 6-ship Freedom Flotilla convoy in international waters and immediately fired live ammunition at the people on board the ships. There should be an international investigation of the actions taken during and after Israel’s armed attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla by the International Criminal Court. It appears that Israel’s use of force was grossly disproportionate and excessive given the circumstances, and should be investigated and those responsible held criminally accountable.
Human rights organizations and bar associations, including: Jewish Voice for Peace, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, the National Lawyers Guild, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, European Association of Lawyers for Democracy, World Human Rights, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, and the governments of Britain, France, Germany and Turkey have condemned the Israeli assault.
CONTACT: Helena Peace Seekers
Frank Kromkowski (459-0188)
http://www.helenapeaceseekers.org
Last updated: June 15 2010