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International Activists Prepare to Launch Freedom Flotilla 2 to Break the Israeli Siege of Gaza

September 27, 2014

 

 

International efforts to launch Freedom Flotilla 2

[ 27/09/2014 - 10:50 AM ]

ISTANBUL, (PIC)--

International and Turkish activists declared the intention to send a second flotilla to break the siege on Gaza under the name of Freedom Flotilla 2.

The first Freedom Flotilla was attacked at sea before reaching Gaza Strip by Israeli navy forces killing ten Turkish nationals.

Activists from all over the world declared in Istanbul that they have started preparations for a "Freedom Flotilla 2" which will carry humanitarian aid to the besieged Strip.

Around 100 activists will participate in the flotilla to break the 7-year siege on Gaza, the Turkish humanitarian relief organization (IHH) confirmed.

In 2010, Israeli navy troops opened fire on pro-Palestinian activists aboard a six-ship aid flotilla sailing for the Gaza Strip, killing 10 Turks and wounding several others.

For his part, IHH’s head for international relations Izzat Shahin confirmed that Freedom Flotilla 2 came in response to the continued Israeli siege on Gaza. Further details for the flotilla will be declared soon, he added.

Nearly 12 non-governmental organizations including Jewish anti-Israeli groups have earlier declared the intention to kick off a second flotilla to Gaza.

Activists from different countries and religions as well as from Arab and Islamic countries will participate in breaking the siege on Gaza, Shahin added.

Commenting on any Israeli potential threat, Shahin said that Israel can never repeat its crime again after being forced to admit and apologize for its fault.

Tensions between Israel and Turkey reached a breaking point after the Israeli deliberate attack on Gaza aid flotilla, mainly the Turkish IHH ship, Mavi Marmari on May 31, 2010.

Many of the activists who had participated in Freedom Flotilla 1 and survived the first attack confirmed their participation in Freedom Flotilla 2, the Turkish journalist Ahmed Faroul told al-Jazeera Net.

Breaking the siege on Gaza is the duty of all the free world and freedom supporters all over the world, he added.

He ruled out the probability of an Israeli attack on the second flotilla after paying a heavy price for its earlier crime.

Injuries reported during clashes in al-Khalil

[ 27/09/2014 - 10:43 AM ]

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)--

Dozens of Palestinians suffered Saturday breathing problems after inhaling tear gas unleashed by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) during clashes in al-Khalil.

According to Safa News Agency, clashes erupted when Israeli forces stormed Karaki neighborhood and started randomly firing tear gas and sound bombs. Dozens of injuries were reported.

The 22-year-old Mohamed Rojbi was brutally attacked by Israeli forces during the clashes. He was transferred to hospital after suffering multiple bruises.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces tightened military restrictions at the entrances to Nablus city since the early Saturday morning hours.

Eyewitnesses told a PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers prevented people’s movement at Hawara checkpoint to the south of the city.

The sources added that Palestinians’ vehicles were stopped and searched at the checkpoint which led to a traffic jam.

IOF quells Friday's anti-settlement marches in West Bank villages

[ 27/09/2014 - 08:53 AM ] Nabi Saleh march

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Friday violently attacked several peaceful marches organized weekly in different West Bank areas to protest settlement activities.

Following the Friday prayers, the IOF fired a hail of tear gas grenades and rubber bullets at Palestinian and foreign protestors in Nabi Saleh village, west of Ramallah, according to local sources.

A number of young protestors suffered tear gas injuries as they were marching towards annexed Palestinian lands near Halamish settlement in the village.

Consequently, violent clashes broke out between dozens of young men and Israeli soldiers, especially at the eastern entrance to Nabi Saleh village.

Human rights activist Bilal Tamimi said the march was dedicated this Friday to advocating the Palestinian unity and national coherence in the face of the Israeli occupation.

In Bil'in village, the IOF subdued Palestinian protestors and foreign activists participating in the weekly anti-wall march.

The participants started their march chanting slogans calling on the Palestinians to unite against the occupation and adhere to the Palestinian constants.

As the protestors reached Palestinian lands threatened with annexation to Kiryat Sefer settlement, Israeli soldiers started to intensively fire tear gas grenades and rubber bullets at them. Many suffered injuries during the confrontations.

In Bethlehem, violent clashes broke out in Wadi Fukin village between Israeli troops and Palestinian citizens.   Head of Wadi Fukin municipal council Ahmed Sukar said that a number of citizens peacefully marched from outside the only mosque in the village following the Friday prayers to annexed Palestinian lands in Khamsa and Kanisa areas to the east.

Sukar added that the IOF showered the protestors with tear gas and stun grenades and clashed with them after they were able to plant dozens of seedlings in the annexed area.

Similar events also happened during the weekly march of Kafr Qaddum village near Nablus after the IOF attacked the protestors with tear gas.

The residents of Kafr Qaddum organize weekly protest marches against Israeli settlement expansion and the separation wall.

17 Palestinian women suffering behind Israeli prison bars

[ 26/09/2014 - 02:03 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

17 Palestinian female political prisoners are still being held in Israeli jails under very dire detention conditions, the Palestinian prisoners center for studies reported on Thursday.

Spokesman for the center Riyadh al-Ashkar said on Thursday that the number of Palestinian female prisoners decreased after two of them, Reem Hamarsha and Alaa Abu Zeitoun, were released a few days ago.

The current incarceration conditions of the Palestinian female captives have remarkably gone downhill, while the media keeps ignoring their suffering, al-Ashkar added.

A number of Palestinian female detainees having health problems also do not receive proper medical care in Israeli jails, he noted.

The Palestinian prisoners center has appealed to human rights and feminist groups to immediately intervene to put an end to the Palestinian women's suffering in Israeli jails.

Two female detainees still isolated in Israeli jails

 [ 26/09/2014 - 01:27 PM ]

RAMALLAH,(PIC)--

The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) continues to isolate the two Palestinian female detainees Muna Qa'dan and Shirin Issawi, the Palestinian prisoners center for studies said.

According to the center, Muna Qa'dan has been denied family visits for more than 22 months under flimsy security pretexts.

The sources pointed out that the two detainees suffer difficult detention conditions where they are exposed to brutal and inhuman practices, including strip search.

Meanwhile, Palestinian political prisoners and detainees called on international human rights groups to pressure Israel to remove jamming devices installed in their jails, affirming that these devices cause cancer.

The prisoners said in a new leaked letter that jamming devices emit radiation which leads to numerous health problems and chronic diseases.

The installation of jamming devices is part of Israeli punitive measures imposed against the prisoners that include medical neglect and deprivation of family visits.

 

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