Police warned for harassing photographers

Review of American Subversive by David Goodwillie (Scribner, 309 pages, 2010). David Goodwillie’s American Subversive is a study in trust—earning it and detecting it. One of the main characters is skilled at identifying who among her friends and colleagues is trustworthy. The other main character is an amateur who fails miserably at gauging who among his supposed inner circle can be trusted. The book is about an early 30-something New Yorker who manages a celebrity and media blog. The website aims to be clever and irreverent but is utterly irrelevant in its contributions to making the world a better place. The blogger, Aidan, goes to nightly parties in Manhattan, reporting what he finds and learns the next morning on his blog. He lives an insignificant life. There is no redeeming value in his day-to-day existence. The relationship with his equally hollow girlfriend is crumbling. One day, he receives an email from someone with the address EmpiresFall@gmail.com . The email contains a photo of a woman in her mid-20s, Paige Roderick, who was allegedly involved in the bombing of a building on Madison Avenue in Manhattan a few months earlier. The photo and the words below it, “This is Paige Roderick. She’s the one responsible,” captivate Aidan, sending him on a quest to find this mysterious woman. Goodwillie writes from the point of view of both Aidan and Paige, alternating between the two from one chapter to the next. In one of the early chapters told by Paige, we learn about her evolution as an activist. She goes from working in the world of liberal do-gooder organizations to getting involved in direct action to expose the wrongdoing of corporations and other powerful interests. The direct action advances from targeting a paper mill in West Virginia to bombing a private equity firm’s office in Manhattan. We learn early on about Paige’s sorrow over her brother, a U.S. soldier recently killed in the American wars against Afghanistan or Iraq. Paige was very close to her brother, and his death apparently triggers Paige’s decision to become less passive. She decides that the best way to fight the system is to throw a monkey wrench into the operations of the military-industrial-energy complex. On the surface, Aidan doesn’t possess any strongly held moral or ethical beliefs about the world around him. So it’s somewhat surprising when he decides not to post a story on his blog, called Roorback, about the alleged bomber of the Madison Avenue building. Is the decision to protect Paige related to a visceral attraction to the woman in the photo or an innate sympathy for the as-yet-unknown political motivation of the bombers? Breaking the story about Paige Roderick and her involvement in the bombing would have made Aidan a star in New York’s blogging and journalism community. But instead he keeps Paige’s name out of his blog and opts to conduct his own investigation into the whereabouts of the alleged bomber. American Subversive is full of clichés about the so-called radical left: labeling them “terrorists” and describing the work of sixties activists as “what we did before we grew up.” But these clichés only appear in the chapters written from Aidan’s point of view. He’s writing about political activism as someone who’s never thought outside the proverbial box—until the photo of Paige Roderick arrives in his email box. On his journey to find Paige, Aidan puts his trust in people he thinks are his friends. In the end, though, Aidan learns the hard way that he no longer has any real friends in his old stamping grounds of New York celebrity gossip. I was wary when I picked up American Subversive, worrying it would be another caricature of Americans who decide to engage in direct action against the powers that be. To his credit, Goodwillie takes a less conventional route. And, in the end, Goodwillie, perhaps subversively, demonstrates in the book that direct action can have a positive impact on society, although the participants often pay a steep price. However, the participants in this particular story ultimately discover there are opportunities for reinventing themselves and continuing to fight the good fight. Practically speaking, American Subversive is a lesson in how due diligence—such as closely monitoring potential police infiltration and keeping an eye out for erratic behavior and signs of betrayal among colleagues—is the key to survival in the world of underground political activism. Source…. Share this post:

Who, What, Why: How do you un-glue a protester? The tactic is designed to cause maximum disruption Climate campaigners superglued themselves to a cark park gate during a demonstration on Monday. How are they released? It is the latest tactic used by direct action activists to make sure they stick in the public consciousness – but you definitely should not try it at home. Climate campaigners in Edinburgh are the latest to superglue themselves to premises in order to make a point – a technique designed to cause maximum disruption to police. A Scotland Yard spokesman says its officers use a “fluid de-bonding agent” to detach them, but declined to specify exactly which one for operational reasons. Dr Mark Elliott, senior lecturer in organic chemistry at Cardiff University, says warm, soapy water or the compound acetone are most likely to be used – but warns there are many risks to this rather extreme form of making one’s point. “Superglue is a very strong glue and will bond most surfaces more or less instantly and permanently,” he says. “Anyone who has inadvertently stuck their fingers together with superglue will know how difficult and painful it can be to separate then, and the fingertips are relatively tough. It is even more painful when other, softer, areas of skin become bonded.” According to Dr Elliot, the general advice is to use warm, water, then to apply gentle pressure – for example by inserting a spatula. “This will inevitably take time and be rather painful,” he warns. Alternatively, acetone, normally found in nail-varnish remover, can make it easier to remove the glue – but “‘easier’ is very much a relative term”. For its part, Scotland Yard says that officers will explain what is going on to protesters as they apply their liquid. The demonstrator will be offered safety goggles and an ambulance crew will always be on hand, it adds.  ”It’s not a rush job,” a spokesman insists. “It’s something that’s done methodically.” Forcibly attaching oneself to a structure is a technique that goes back to the Suffragettes, who chained themselves to the railings outside 10 Downing Street and a statue inside the Houses of Parliament – and the tactic has been imitated by militant activists ever since. But while chains may be more cumbersome to deal with, many protesters – including the seven from Climate Camp who glued themselves to a car park gate at Royal Bank of Scotland’s industrial estate at the Gyle Shopping Centre on Edinburgh’s outskirts on Monday – have realised a tube of Bostik is easier to carry and conceal. Superglue was used by campaigners against a new Tesco development in Bristol in March, as well as by another climate group who stuck themselves to a statue in the lobby of the House of Commons in April 2009, supporters of the Vestas wind turbine plant outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change in August 2009 and pro-Palestinian activists at the BBC’s Cardiff offices in December 2008. One such incident which gained significant publicity came when Dan Glass of anti-aviation organisation Plane Stupid glued his hand to the sleeve of then-prime minister Gordon Brown at a reception in Downing Street in July 2008. Mr Glass, who had been at No 10 to receive an award from Mr Brown, says direct action groups provide training in how to carry out such stunts safely and advises any would-be activists to take advice first. But he says that the symbolism of glueing oneself to a building – or, indeed, a politician – is a very powerful one. “Civil disobedience is a tool that I wouldn’t use whimsically,” he insists. ” But it’s a very effective technique for sticking to the issue. “I was saying to Gordon Brown: you can run away from climate change but you can’t run away from my arm.” Mr Glass certainly attracted much attention for his stunt. For his part, however, Mr Brown was able to evade his attentions by taking off his jacket. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11062193 Share this post:

Greenpeace UK We’ve arrived at the site of current deepwater oil drilling in the Arctic. The Esperanza is currently anchored about 2km from the oil rig in the Davis Straits between Canada and Greenland – also known as iceberg alley. We’re here to tell them to end deepwater drilling. And we need you to do the same. It’s a UK company that has come to one of the most remote and harsh environments on the planet in pursuit of the last drops of oil. Cairn Energy is currently drilling two wells off the west coast of Greenland and has plans for two more wells in the area before the end of the summer. Companies like Cairn and BP are desperate to pursue the last oil on Earth, even if that means risking our environment and climate in the process. The Arctic is a barometer of the health of the planet. It’s home to some of the world’s most distinctive mammals like polar bears, walruses, caribou, narwhals and beluga whales. It supports millions of migratory and resident birds. The Arctic also plays a major role in the regulation of the global climate by acting like a giant reflective shield limiting the amount of sun and heat absorbed by the Earth. Drilling in the Arctic is too risky and a spill in the region would be catastrophic. Cairn is employing small ships to drag icebergs out the way of their rigs, but that only works for small icebergs. When they get big, they’ve got to move the rigs – fast. Deepwater drilling in the Arctic is a disaster waiting to happen. Canadian regulators say that drilling a ‘relief well’ in the Arctic would take at least three years to complete, leaving the oil to gush out until the job is done. In the next hour we’re going to send an inflatable boat with a few of the crew to go and talk to the rig manager about the devastating consequences if a spill occurred in the Arctic. We need you to contact Cairn Energy as well and tell CEO Bill Gammell to stop drilling in the Arctic. You can follow my updates from the ship at http://www.gobeyondoil.org/ and I’ll let you know how the visit goes. Hope to speak to you then! Lisa Onboard the Esperanza Stop deepwater drilling in the Arctic Our Greenpeace ship, the Esperanza, is in the Arctic confronting the oil industry’s reckless pursuit of the last drops of oil. Cairn Energy, a UK company, is risking the fragile Arctic wilderness – and our climate – by drilling in the sea off Greenland. Watch this video to find out more: Stop deepwater drilling for oil in the Arctic from Greenpeace UK on Vimeo. Share this post:

Ruth Sherlock in Beirut guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 August 2010 19.20 BST Photo: Women activists gather to pray at a shrine for the Virgin Mary as they prepare to set sail for Gaza. Credit: AFP A ship bearing aid for Gaza is preparing to leave Tripoli in Lebanon this weekend in the latest attempt to defy the Israeli blockade – with only women on board. The Saint Mariam, or Virgin Mary, has a multi-faith international passenger list, including the Lebanese singer May Hariri and a group of nuns from the US. “They are nuns, doctors, lawyers, journalists, Christians and Muslims,” said Mona, one of the participants who, along with the other women, has adopted the ship’s name, Mariam. The Mariam and its sister ship, Naji Alali, had hoped to set off several weeks ago but faced several delays after Israel launched a diplomatic mission to pressure Lebanon to stop the mission. The co-ordinator of the voyage, Samar al-Haj, told the Guardian this week the Lebanese government had given permission for the boats to leave for Cyprus, the first leg of the journey, this weekend. Israel says it is concerned a flotilla from Lebanon, with whom it has ongoing hostility, will smuggle weapons to Gaza. Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, has warned that Israel reserves the right to use “necessary measures” in line with international law to stop the ship. But al-Haj says the mission is purely humanitarian. “Our goal is to arrive in Gaza,” she said. “It is the responsibility of the government to deal with the politics. We are not political.” She said that once news of the flotilla was out organisers were inundated with requests to join the voyage, with more than 400 from the US alone. At least 10 Americans will be on board. The boat has been stocked with medical instruments and medicines to take to the Palestinians. In preparation for the voyage the participants gathered at a hotel in Beirut to discuss their plans. The logistics are many: minimal grooming, strict food rationing, and limited water supply. “There will be no showers, no skirts and no makeup,” al-Haj told the group. The participants are aware of the dangers, having followed the fate of another flotilla carrying aid for Gaza that was attacked by Israel in May. Israeli forces landed on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish vessel, killing nine activists on board. Al-Haj reminded the women to be prepared for a confrontation. “Have blood tests in case we come under attack from Israel and you need a blood transfusion,” she said. She added that organisers were going out of their way not to provoke Israel. “We will not even bring cooking knives,” she said. Serena Shim, who is heavily pregnant, decided to join the voyage because of her belief that the blockade is unjust. “These people need aid,” she said. Asked how they would react to an Israeli military assault, one activist, Tania al Kayyalisaid: “We are not planning to fight or attack – but we will not leave the St Mariam.” Source… Previous post on Lebanese aid flotilla   Aid ships to Gaza   Share this post:

‘RAF’ Croughton US communication base Keep Space for Peace! Saturday 2nd October 2010 12.00 – 3.00pm  Speakers: Peter Burt – Nuclear Information Service. Rev. David Platt – Clergy Against the Bomb. Mark Levene – Crisis Forum. . . This major U.S. communication base supports many US bases in  Europe and world wide war operations. .  These include space communications, data links, guiding bombers, missile defence, diplomatic communications, and command, control and other war fighting functions. A connected base is at Barford St John, near Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire.   ‘RAF’ Croughton main gate is on the B4031, off the A43, 2 miles North of M40 junction 10, just South of Brackley, Northamptonshire.   Travel west on the B4031, past the main gate, turn left at mini-roundabout on eastern edge of Croughton village, and park at signed site, not at main gate. Starts 12.00 car park, along B4031 to Main Gate, finishes 3.00pm. (Oxford Tea and Food tent together with a disabled toilet at main gate.)   No to U.S. Missile Defence! No Weapons in Space!   Speakers / Music / Sea Green Singers / Les Bicyclettes / Minibus leaves St Giles, Oxford 10.45 & Oxford Rail station 11.00 Tickets £6.00 – pre booking essential – contact:- 07949 320 026 / oxonpeace@yahoo.co.uk Oxfordshire Peace Campaign Previous Croughton demo and more RAF Croughton info! Share this post:

Israel has urged Lebanon and the international community to prevent two Lebanese-sponsored ships, the Julia (also known as Naji al-Ali) and Junia (also known as Miriam), from sailing to Gaza. In a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council Wednesday, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev called on Lebanon’s government “to demonstrate responsibility” and prevent the two ships from leaving: “such action will prevent any possible escalation.” About the ships: Junia/Mariam docked last month The Julia and Junia are expected to sail from the Lebanese port of Tripoli on either Friday or Saturday.  Funds  were raised for this latest aid flotilla by Yasser Kashlak, a Palestinian businessman who heads the “Movement for a Free Palestine.” Kashlak’s organization, along with Lebanese NGO “Reporters Without Borders”, who took out newspaper advertisements to raise money for the flotilla. The Julia is expected to be the ship commissioned by Jews for Justice for Palestine, this statement was issued by them recently: A Jewish Boat to Gaza We hope you have heard about plans to send a Jewish Boat to Gaza. The reasons for our campaign and our boat principles are reproduced below.    We, Jews for Justice for Palestinians (JfJfP), are organising the project in cooperation with members of our German partner Jüdische Stimme für Gerechten Frieden in Nahost (Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East – German language website). The campaign is sponsored by the federation of 11 European Jewish peace groups European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP), American Jews for a Just Peace (AJJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). We are launching this campaign: A.      To protest against and challenge the continuing blockade of Gaza, on the basis that it constitutes an illegal, collective punishment of the whole population and a grossly immoral act. For four years Israel’s blockade has confined the people of Gaza to subsistence living. This externally enforced poverty has created a public and mental health catastrophe. After Israel’s bombardment of Gaza eighteen months ago, there followed even tighter, ever changing and more arbitrary controls, including a total bar on the import of building materials to reconstruct shattered houses, sewage and water systems . The blockade has also meant Gaza’s population being trapped in one of the most densely populated places on earth. People suffering serious illnesses which cannot be treated within the territory can only seek medical treatment outside Gaza with the permission and at the whim of the Israeli military. Ordinary travel in and out for education, family, business, cultural or sporting reasons continues to be subject to near total prohibition. Israel also polices Gaza’s long coast, excluding passenger and commercial traffic and denying any opportunity of legitimate trading. In addition, Gaza’s fishermen are prevented from exploiting their own territorial waters. Confined instead to the highly polluted inshore region, they are at constant risk of live fire from the Israeli navy. Most crucially, Gaza is still prevented from restoring its economy by Israel’s total ban on exports. This means Gaza’s workforce will continue to be without jobs and purchasing power. Even if more consumer goods get in, its people will still be reliant on charity to survive. B.      To protest against Israel’s continuing occupation and settlement of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the Israeli government’s clear intention of annexing much of that land. C.      To assert that Israel’s policies are not supported by all Jews, that there are thousands of us who wish to state ‘not in our name’. We stand in the proud Jewish tradition of justice, of championing the rights of the downtrodden, of implacable opposition to prejudice and racism in all their forms. We take our inspiration from the teachings of Rabbi Hillel “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour. That is the whole Torah,” and from the work of René Cassin, the Jewish judge who, shortly after the Holocaust, drafted the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Israel’s policies towards Gaza are harsh, inhuman – and counterproductive. They fuel the anger of Palestinians and their supporters throughout the world, and serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy, generating the aggressive response to Israel which, it is claimed, the blockade is intended to halt. They also feed feelings of isolation and persecution within Israel, creating fear and hatred towards outsiders and critics, which, in turn fuel Israeli aggression and violence. We consider, indeed, that Israel’s policies are destructive of the soul of its own people.The aid goods we will carry on our small boat are necessarily symbolic: at the request of medical NGOs we will have small pieces of medical equipment such as blood pressure monitors, insulated cool boxes for medicines, antibiotics, sterile needles and dressings. We will be taking school books and equipment donated by German schoolchildren for the children of Gaza, and art materials and musical instruments for young people being helped by the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. We will also carry outboard motors for Gaza’s fishermen. On leaving Gaza we plan to set an example by acting as a carrier for small export goods and to provide transport for one or two Palestinians with an urgent need to travel – for example, to take up a place in higher education abroad. ADDENDUM While we were planning this campaign, Israel announced a change in policy so as to ease the blockade in respect of goods importation. Adopted following heavy international pressure, their new policy provides for two lists of ‘controlled entry items’ to replace the previous system of wide and uncertain prohibitions. These lists cover ‘dual use’ materials, including some chemicals and fertilizers, whose entry Israel will control unilaterally, and construction materials, whose use must be implemented and monitored by the international community. We considered carefully how this announcement might impact on our project, and concluded that, for two reasons, the Jewish Boat to Gaza was now even more important: ·       All other aspects of the blockade as described in our statement above persist – their appalling effect on the lives of the people of Gaza must not be forgotten. ·       It is far too soon to know what impact the two list approach will have, whether it will be workable, and whether it will be honoured. Continuing pressure from the outside world – governments, NGOs and campaigning bodies like JfJfP – offer the best hope that it will deliver positive results for the people of Gaza, and that other essential policy changes from Israel will be achieved. This statement has been issued by Jews for Justice for Palestinians Boat principles of operation 1.      We do not recognize Israel’s right to blockade Gaza. We will be challenging this brutal siege by deploying civil resistance and non-violent direct action. We will not engage in any physical confrontation and will therefore not present the Israelis with any reason to use physical force or assault us. 2.      If, as we expect, the Israeli naval forces intercept us on our way from international waters into the territorial waters of Gaza, we will show them the ship’s manifest, stamped by the authorities at our last port of call, confirming there are no weapons or offensive materials on board and that we require safe passage to Gaza. 3.      If they refuse us this and command us to divert to Ashdod we will remind them that, under international law, they do not have the right to blockade Gaza. We will again assure them that we have no weapons on board, that we have nothing that could be put to military use, and we will ask them to consult with their authorities in Tel Aviv and reconsider. 4.      If they still refuse to allow us to proceed and order us to change course to Ashdod we will refuse to change course. We will effect a ‘sit down’ protest and deploy the tactics of civil rights movements, namely passive, non-violent resistance and non-cooperation. If they tow the boat to Ashdod, as has been the case with other aid boats, we will not assist with setting up the tow, nor will we helm the boat during the tow. http://www.ejjp.org. The Junia’s passengers, as originally announced, were to all be women, and would be carrying medicine and children’s food. The Junia’s organizing committee was led by Sama al-Hajj, the wife of the former head of Lebanese General Security. Israeli military fired shots at and boarded a previous Lebanese ship  attacking those onboard in 2009. In May 2010 Israel attacked the aid ship Mavi Mamara in International water and murdered 9 people on board and wounding dozens more. The United Nations recently appointed its panel of investigators into the attack. Israel isn’t expected to cooperate with the inquiry which will report its findings in September 2010.   Share this post:

Sunday, July 26 5pm EST. WikiLeaks today released  over 75,000 secret US military reports covering the war in Afghanistan. It holds a further 15,000 as yet unpublished documents. Congratulations and eternal thanks to wikileaks. Read the Wikileaks ‘ Afghan War Diary 2004-2010′ here. . Channel 4 News interviews Julian Assange with a report on the leaks. . The Whistleblower 1 of 2 – Julian Assange report on SBS’s Dateline by Mark Davis   . The Whistleblower 2 of 2 – Julian Assange report on SBS’s Dateline by Mark Davis   . Support Bradley Manning - US Forces whistleblower currently detained in the US. Share this post:

Article from the Independent: Pledges on protest rights overshadowed by moves against ‘peace camp’ Boris Johnson speaks about liberty and free speech. Share this post:

Yesterday saw the launch of “Beat the Boreholes”; a campaign of mass civil disobedience to stop Shell works in Mayo this Summer. At 7am in the morning campaigners entered the water in Broadhaven Bay in kayaks and a safety rib in a peaceful attempt to prevent Shell from bringing in a second borehole drilling platform.  They were met with 5 Garda water unit boats, with approximately 16 Gardaí on board and 10 security boats. Campaigners attempted to approach the platform but were prevented from doing so by Gardaí who overturned their kayaks. Gardaí arrested 2 campaigners for minor Public Order offences and seized three kayaks, the safety rib & several paddles.   This action follows on from previous night when at 7pm people tried to stop the first drilling platform entering the estuary by blocking the way with rafts & kayaks. One kayaker came close to the platform & was seized by Gardai. He says “a garda then pinched my throat with his two fingers and cut off my air supply. He held me like that for about 90 seconds, allowing me to take one or two gasps. He kept saying into my ear that he had my last breath in his hands.” Up to 80 boreholes are planned in the Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary in the next 3 months. They are to provide a survey for the tunnel which Shell are proposing to build under the estuary to house the raw gas pipeline. Beat the Boreholes are asking people to pledge to “adopt” a borehole & take action to stop it being made. Groups are signing up fast with various actions planned such as mass walk outs on the sand, picnics on the beach & boarding the drilling rigs. The new pipeline route is still within 250m of several houses and the local community remains opposed to the plans. The estuary is a Specially Protected Area & part of the Broadhaven Bay Special Area of Conservation; protected under EU legislation. The operation will damage parts of the estuary & disturb the wildlife there, particularly Atlantic salmon, otters & birds found on the intertidal areas. This work was given the go ahead by minister Gormley, former Rossport 5 and Shell to Sea supporter.  Join Beat the Boreholes this Summer in Mayo!  See Rossport Solidarity Camp or Shell to Sea for more info  Contact: rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com.  Corrib Gas Project propaganda from Shell The Corrib project was at the centre of controversy in 2005 when a small number of local landowners refused to allow Shell E&P Ireland Limited (Sepil) to proceed with construction work relating to the onshore section of pipeline.Located some 83 kilometres off the northwest coast of Ireland, the gas is located approximately 3,000 metres below the seabed, in a water depth of almost 350 metres.   The Corrib Onshore Pipeline The Corrib Natural Gas Field was discovered in 1996 by Enterprise Oil, some 83km off the north west coast of Ireland, it has since been acquired by Shell in 2002. The Corrib gas field was discovered in 350 metres of water with the gas reservoir a further 3000 metres below the seabed.   By global standards the Corrib gas field is a medium sized field, estimated to contain approximately two thirds the amount of gas contained in the Kinsale Head gas field. It will supply up to 60% of Ireland’s gas needs during peak supply and is estimated to have a field life of between 15 and 20 years.  Corrib gas will be developed using sub sea technology tied back to an onshore gas terminal.  This means that once the wells are drilled there will be no need for a permanent platform structure in place as the wells will be controlled from land.  This is best practice for a field of this type and size and is similar in design to some of the most modern gas field developments in Europe such as the Ormen Lange field in Norway.  The image below shows an overview of how the Corrib field will be developed. The Shell Corib Gas plan overview 2010 Final project update and plans The resistance to this Shell project has been long and well fought and expensive to those involved. The Release & Homecoming of Pat ‘The Chief’ O’Donnell  Pat ‘the Chief’ O’Donnell was freed Pat being chaired away from prison from Castlerea Prison yesterday after 158 days of Shell-decreed incarceration. He was met by an ecstatic group of well-wishers outside the prison and was piped off the prison precincts after speeches by himself, Maura Harrington, and a message of support from Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Mayor of Roscommon County Council.    The Rossport 5 (5 local men jailed for 94 days for defending their land from Shell) wrote a book about their campaign experiences in and out of jail. It’s a great read.   The Establishment obviously has its own sales pitch for Mayo……mentions ‘everything’ going on everywhere and anywhere in Mayo and lots of ‘how to do’ and ‘where to go’ stuff….as long as it doesn’t involve any dissent against the State or Corporate takeovers of people’s lives and environment.   Mayo tourism website: Make your visit to Mayo worthwhile!     For details on how to really make your visit to Mayo worthwhile  look up Rossport Solidarity Camp  or visit some of the folks keeping the Shell to Sea campaign going and give them some support! Share this post:

A group of Canadian activists met last night to begin raising $300,000 in a bid to launch a boat to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, insisting it is doing nothing that will aid Gaza’s Hamas government. The group called Gaza Freedom March is co-ordinating the effort to charter and crew an all-Canadian boat to sail into the same waters where the Turkish boat Mavi Marmara was boarded by the Israel Defense Forces in May, leading to a clash between blockade runners and IDF servicemen that left nine dead. If successful, the boat would pick up Palestinian goods in Gaza to be sold abroad, organizers said. “Our aim is not confrontation. Our hope is that we will be able to fulfill our goal, which is to bring attention to the suffering of the people of Gaza,” said Montreal-based activist and writer Ehab Lotayef. “This is a peaceful mission.” Activists gathered at the Steelworkers Hall in downtown Toronto last night to hear about the proposed mission to send a boatful of Canadians to challenge the three-year-old Israeli blockade on the territory controlled by Hamas, a political and military entity Canada and several other Western countries recognize as a terrorist organization. Hamas refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, or to renounce violence, and regularly launches rockets into Israeli territory. Among the 14 other groups involved are the left-wing political news and activism website rabble. ca and the Canadian Arab Federation, which was stripped of federal funding last year after it called Hamas a “legitimate political party.” Asked in an interview this week if it was her group’s aim to avoid aiding Hamas in any way, organizer Sandra Ruch of Gaza Freedom March responded: “I’m going there to support the people of Gaza, the Palestinian people and the civil society…. I do acknowledge that Hamas was a democratically elected government. It’s not a mission to do something for Hamas.” Mr. Lotayef was less equivocal: “We are not supporting Hamas. It is very clear to us and to everybody who is working with us,” he said. Canada-Israel Committee CEO Shimon Fogel yesterday condemned any attempt by activists to break the blockade. “The plan has no merit,” he said. “The notion of flotillas in the context of [Israel's recent efforts to ease the blockade] can’t be seen as anything other than an attempt to delegitimize Israel. It’s certainly not about providing support or humanitarian aid to Palestinians.” Much about the mission is still undecided. Organizers differed, for example, on the question of whether the boat will chart a course for Gaza with humanitarian aid supplies on board, or whether it will set sail empty. Mr. Lotayef said it will be up to the Palestinians to decide what the boat will carry out of Palestine to be sold abroad. “It’s their choice, really, what would be important symbolically to carry outside of Gaza. It’s not up to us in any way to decide or suggest. I can only assert one thing: Neither in or out are we willing to carry anything that is remotely questionable,” he said, adding he would welcome Canadian officials to inspect the boat before the voyage. Mr. Lotayef said the attempt to break the blockade will itself be symbolic. It will sail during daylight hours and not make any attempt to evade Israeli forces. On whether activists would offer resistance to IDF personnel, Mr. Lotayef said, “there is no plan or intention or even thought to resist the IDF in any way, but again this is premature to discuss in any detail.” A University of Ottawa law professor said the likelihood of prosecution under Canada’s Anti-Terrorism Act is slim, given the group’s stated humanitarian intentions. “It is an offence to offer financial support to a terrorist organization,” said David Paciocco. “If this is more of an effort to demonstrate support for the Palestinian people, the fact that Hamas might incidentally and necessarily gain some type of credibility by virtue of this activity doesn’t elevate it to a criminal action,” he said. “The motive matters.” The Gaza flotilla information section of the website gazafreedommarch. org says the Canadian boat is one of several planned for this fall Adam McDowell, National Post · Thursday, Jul. 15, 2010 Gaza Freedom March is helping to launch new efforts to send boats to Gaza for Fall 2010. We will be  posting details here as they emerge. We will continue to support viable efforts to sail more boats to Gaza, now and in the future, as long as this strategy serves to pressure Israel and the complicit governments to lift the blockade! Gaza Freedom March Aid ships Share this post:

The Libyan aid ship Amalthea, or Hope has docked at El Arish. Medical supplies and passengers on board will enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, while food will enter through the Awja border, Captain Gamal Abdel Maqsoud, who is in charge of the port, said. He said Egypt’s Red Crescent would be responsible for taking the 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine over both borders and had trucks waiting in El Arish. It appears that background negotiations to the ship’s attempts to sail to Gaza have delivered an agreement with Israel that will allow construction materials to be supplied to Gaza by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation. Head of organization behind Gaza-bound aid ship says vessel eventually docked in El-Arish due to Israeli-Egyptian agreement with Tripoli to transfer millions of dollars through UN agency for reconstruction of Strip, he explains   Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, chairman of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation which tried to send an aid vessel to Gaza, says he reached an Egyptian-mediated agreement with Israel on Wednesday, allowing him to infuse $50 million for the restoration of the Strip and transfer construction materials to Gaza. “We will soon start funneling $50 million in coordination with UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) to begin rebuilding Gaza and transfer humanitarian aid and construction materials, without any objection on the part of the Israeli government.” After days of preparations and intensive diplomatic talks, the Libyan ship docked Wednesday evening at the El-Arish Port in Egypt. Foreign Ministry officials expressed their satisfaction with the positive results of the diplomatic pressure, and some of the vessel’s passengers appeared satisfied as well. “We scored points for the Palestinian people and the Gaza Strip,” said Youssef Sawani, director of a charity chaired Gaddafi. “The ship’s goal was obtained without any bloodshed.” Reuters:Palestinians try to break off gravel from a destroyed building at an abandoned airport that was hit by an Israeli air strike in the southern Gaza Strip July 1, 2010. The gravel will later be sold and used for new construction. According to Gaddafi Jr., “This is an agreement we never expected or dreamed of. UNRWA informed us that it has failed to receive one dollar for the restoration of Gaza so far, and was therefore unsuccessful in bringing in even one iron skewer or sack of cement. “We were also told that they had tried but completely failed in implementing any project of this kind due to the Israeli ban. So from the practical aspect, the Strip restoration issue has been dead up to now.” UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) provides assistance, protection and advocacy for some 4.7 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states and recently commented that the country needs materials that employ people: cement, metal, raw materials for the factories,alluding to the economic hardship in Gaza. 80 percent of the population now depends on its food aid, compared with 40 percent a few years ago If it can get the materials it needs, UNRWA says it can immediately start work on construction projects throughout Gaza. A Libyan ship carrying aid to Gaza docked and unloaded cargo in Egypt Thursday, after Israel’s navy stopped it from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory. (July 15) Libyan aid ship Amalthea Share this post:

The aid ship Amalthea is sitting off the coast of El-Arish within sight of the port and understood to be docking within the hour. Share this post:

Israeli Navy Cordons Al-Amal Aid Ship Wednesday, 14 July 2010 10:52 Al-Amal aid ship is currently undergoing a cordon by the Israeli Navy as four naval vessels are showing up on each side of the ship. The Ship is moving at a slower pace as the Israeli naval vessels are trying to force it to change course. The Captain of the ship and the Foundation’s mission coordinator on board confirmed that the Israeli navy threatened the Ship, and asked them to change its course; while the team asserted their determination to head towards Gaza. More on Amalthea or Al-Amal (Hope) aid ship Share this post:

According to a Reuters report citing Israeli sources Amalthea is 55 miles (88 km) from Egypt, and 80 miles (128 km) from Gaza, in international waters being ‘observed’ by Israelis at sea. The ship has reported engine problems but it’s thought this may be a claim to buy time while decisions are made on how to progress with the voyage. The report suggests disagreement between Captain and crew. Israel has broadcast a radio conversation with someone they claim is the ship’s Captain who can be heard saying he is sailing to El-Arish. On listening to the broadcast it actually sounds as though the Israelis are telling someone his course of 225° is impossible and he should take 125° and he replies that he ‘could’ take a course of 120° to El-Arish. Not that he would take 120° but that he ‘could’. Listen to the radio broadcast here. AP reports: Libya ship with Gaza aid stalled, hobbles at sea “The captain of the Moldovan-flagged Amalthea told the Israeli navy just before midnight Tuesday that engine troubles had hobbled the ship, and that efforts were being made to repair it. The military, which had four missile ships tailing the Libyan vessel, said it was still idled about 80 miles (130 kilometers) from Gaza early Wednesday. Israeli military officials said Tuesday that the captain informed Israel he was heading for the Egyptian port of el-Arish, near Gaza. Egypt had promised to transfer the ship’s supplies to Gaza if it docked there. However, a spokesman for the Libyan mission insisted the ship still intended to try to reach the Palestinian territory — but wouldn’t violently resist any efforts to stop them.” Moldavan cargo ship Amalthea, IMO Number 8416621, MMSI Number 214181009, Call Sign ERJI which sailed from (GR) LAVRIO on 10th July.still appears to have been removed from the marineshipping.com  tracking database Previous posts on the Amalthea, or Al-Amal (Hope). Share this post:

RT asking: No ‘Hope’ for Gaza?   RussiaToday | 13 July 2010 The organisers of a Libyan aid ship bound for Gaza say it’s been confronted by an Israeli military vessel and ordered to change its course for Egypt. They also say the boat – called ‘Hope’ – is refusing to alter its destination and will continue to head to the Palestinian territory. The Israeli vessel is reportedly continuing to shadow the ship, after the country insisted it would not allow it to break the three-year Gaza blockade.     Ynetnews reports that the Libyan aid ship originally headed to the blockaded Gaza Strip has requested and received permission to dock in Egypt instead, an Egyptian official said on Tuesday.  ”Egypt has given permission to the Libyan ship to dock in el-Arish port instead of the port of Gaza,” the official said, adding Egypt would allow the ship’s medical cargo and passengers to pass into Gaza through the Rafah border. (Reuters) Taking a look at the Amalthea on Marinetraffic.com this evening it does look as though the ship has changed course and it now appears to be heading towards El-Arish. See previous posts on Libyan aid ship Amalthea Share this post:

The Libyan aid ship Amalthea, or Al-Amal is still over a hundred miles from the Gaza coast, and currently being shadowed by the Israeli Navy who have issued an ultimatum and  threats.   Crew on board the Amalthea say that Israel has given them until midnight tonight – Tuesday – to change their course……or to be boarded.  A report from Presstv says: The Israeli navy has threatened to take action,  should the Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship refuse to change course, says an organizer onboard the vessel. “Israeli authorities have given us until midnight tonight to change course and head to the (Egyptian) port of El-Arish, otherwise they are threatening to intercept the boat with their navy,” Mashallah Zwei was quoted by AFP as saying on Tuesday. Earlier in the day reports suggested that the Israeli navy had already intercepted the ship, the Amalthea, which seeks to deliver humanitarian supplies to the besieged people of Gaza. An Israeli military spokesman said, “The navy has begun preparations for stopping the ship, should it attempt to violate the naval blockade.” Libya’s Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association, headed by the second son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, organized the Moldovan-flagged Amalthea. The aid ship set sail from the Greek port of Lavrio with 12 crewmembers and 2,000 tons of relief supplies and is expected to reach the Gaza shore on Tuesday night. In May, a flotilla of almost a dozen ships carrying aid to Palestinians was attacked in international waters by Israeli commandos. The brutal attack left at least nine activists dead and 50 others wounded. The BBC reports that the Israel navy ‘begins process’ to stop Libyan aid ship Page last updated at 12:47 GMT, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 “The Israeli military says it has begun the process of trying to stop a Libyan aid ship from reaching Gaza. The navy has made contact with the vessel, but its commandos have not boarded the ship, a spokeswoman said.” Reuters report the Israeli navy challenges Gaza-bound Libyan ship and that an Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that a “process of identification and communication” with the vessel, some 100 miles from the Gaza coast, had begun but said the ship had not been boarded. “The Israeli navy has launched preparations and activity to stop the Libyan ship,” the spokeswoman said. In response to the Israeli order to head for the Egyptian port of El Arish, “the captain of the Libyan ship and the head of the foundation team on board reaffirmed that the ship’s destination is Gaza and no other place,” the charity said in a statement. At midnight tonight the Amalthea will still be in international waters and should be entitled to safe passage on the high seas. But by midnight it will be dark as it was when the Turkish aid ship Mavi Mamara was attacked and by now most people should realise Israel has absolutely no regard for international maritime laws. See previous posts on the Libyan aid ship Amalthea or Al-Amal Share this post:

The Moldavian owned Libyan aid ship Al-Amal or Amalthea is still heading for Gaza and doesn’t intend changing course according to its organisiners Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, regardless of claims by Israel that the ship intends to dock at El-Arish.   I assume, or perhaps just hope that even the Israelis would find it difficult to launch another violent military attack on a ship they claim to believe is destined for the Egyptian port, before it’s actually sailed past El-Arish but being in international waters is no guarantee of any safety from Israel.   El-Arish is less than 50km from Gaza which is nearer to Gaza than the Turkish Mavi Mamara was when Israel jumped it, slaughtered nine people on board and wounded dozens on 31st May 2010.   .. In 2008 Israelis blocked a Libyan aid boat from entering Gaza and it sailed safely to Egypt.    The Libyan aid ship Amalthea  is currently situated 340 km or just over 200 miles (180 Nautical Miles) from Gaza and due to arrive there about 6.00am Wednesday.   Given recent murders on the high seas by Israel, Israel’s subsequent refusal to acknowledge any problems with its behaviour and the lack of action by the International community, the safety of Amalthea can’t be assumed.   Operation Sea Breeze – the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza.   More posts about the Libyan aid ship Amalthea – Al-Amal to Gaza Share this post:

The former diplomat’s testimony flatly contradicts those who still claim that intelligence on WMD justified going to war in Iraq Carne Ross is a man with too much to say to mince his words. Britain’s erstwhile first secretary at the UN saw a lot of how Britain got into the Iraq war, but his evidence to the Chilcot inquiry went much further, with some very harsh words for the inquiry itself.  The classic establishment inquiry, especially one with “lessons learned” as its highest aim, finds that mistakes have been made but that everyone did their best and no one lied. Previous Chilcot witnesses have played this game and, while it remains to be seen whether the inquiry will play along, they have rarely been challenged. Ross (not Sir Carne, you will note) is now saying pretty bluntly that people lied before the war and are still lying and that Chilcot is not equipped to deal with it. That’s what happens when you let a known whistleblower in.  In a very hard-hitting written statement, Ross has again made clear that he did not see any case for war, either on the basis of the supposed failure of the policy of containing Iraq or based on the threat from its alleged weapons of mass destruction. On the first point, he is very well-placed to challenge the claims of previous witnesses, having been responsible for negotiating the policy at the UN until the middle of 2002. On the latter, he was less well-placed, although he does say that he saw all the intelligence.  Ross said it was “inaccurate to claim, as some earlier witnesses have done, that containment was failing and that sanctions were collapsing”. This claim was made from the first day of the inquiry, by witnesses such as Sir William Patey, who, Ross points out, said that sanctions were “leaking all over the place”. In a footnote, Ross says that “this was not the official assessment at the time and is a judgment that is not borne out in the relevant policy documents”.  Ah, the documents. Ross rams the point home at the end of his statement when he addresses the inquiry’s failings: “It is striking that in my preparations for this testimony, I found several documents germane to the inquiry whose existence was not revealed by earlier witnesses, including those who authored them. Other documents by certain officials contradicted the testimony they have given at this inquiry and yet these witnesses were not questioned about these contradictions.”  Ross uses his statement to reveal the contents of some of the documents that he has seen. But he has also been censored: “I was informed by the inquiry staff that I was not in public session to refer to or reveal the contents of classified documents which I reviewed in preparing my testimony.” Two of his footnotes have been “redacted on grounds of international relations”.  When it comes to the threat allegedly posed by Iraq, Ross says this was “intentionally and substantially exaggerated in public government documents”, notably by the drafters of the September 2002 Iraq dossier. It happened “in a way that allowed those participating to convince themselves that they were not engaged in blatant dishonesty. But this process led to highly misleading statements about the UK assessment of the Iraqi threat that were, in their totality, lies.” Elsewhere, Ross talks of possible “perjury” by Chilcot witnesses and of “mendacity”. These are not the sort of words you are supposed to use at an establishment inquiry. Chris Ames guardian.co.uk, Monday 12 July 2010  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/12/carne-ross-chilcot-inquiry  Chilcot’s Iraq Inquiry: Where is Carne Ross? Carne Ross Oral evidence to Iraq Inquiry on video.Week 16. Share this post:

Al-Amal Ship is carrying humanitarian aid in the form of food supplies and medicines. Sponsoring Al-Amal aid ship, Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation aims only to achieve its humanitarian purposes and does not aim to provoke any party, or to achieve any sort of media or political propaganda .Al-Amal aid ship carrying food and medical supplies is bound to where the aid should be delivered and its destination is Gaza, where the beleaguered people are, and where aid should be delivered. The Foundation is not concerned by any comments from any party regarding the final destination of the vessel and considers that those false comments aim at throwing confusion on the Ship and her destination. The international community is called to deploy all efforts to facilitate the arrival of Al-Amal aid ship to Gaza. And that Israel has indeed an opportunity to prove that it discriminates and differentiates between humanitarian and provocative actions. The Foundation hereby confirms that the Ship is bound for Gaza and not to any other destination. If the target was El Arish port, we would have spared ourselves time and effort and provided the funds necessary to dispatch a land convoy like we did last year when we forwarded the convoy (Long Live Gaza) which consisted of 110 trucks carrying food and medical aid, or organized an airlift like we did in the past. The Foundation stresses that it is not true at all that the Ship is heading to El Arish port, but is on its way to Gaza. Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation The Libyan Aid Ship posts Share this post:

Amidst the confusion surrounding the destination of the Amalthea, named Al-Amal or Hope for its journey to deliver aid to Gaza, the organisers, the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation have issued a press release stating that the ship is intending to sail to Gaza.   Al-Amal” Aid Ship Bound for Gaza Strip   Loaded with 2000 tons of humanitarian aid and food commodities, the ship “Al-Amal” departed Lavrio port in Athens, bound for Gaza. The aid ship dispatched by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation set sails on Saturday 10th July 2010 after it was delayed on Friday with a number of peace activists on board. It is expected that Al-Amal’s journey will take 3 days before she arrives to Gaza. Peace activists who joined in solidarity on board of the vessel sent a cable to Mr. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, Chairman of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, expressing their pride in participating in this historical humanitarian action, their great appreciation of the significant efforts deployed by the Foundation in this humanitarian field, and they confirmed their determination to get into Gaza to participate in allaying the suffering of the besieged Palestinian people. This initiative comes as a step to consolidate the international efforts to break the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza and out of cognizance of the dramatic situation experienced by the population there since the imposition of the unjust Israeli siege on them. ‘Hope’ is now on Facebook Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reports country’s authorities have restricted takeoff of private flights in bid to prevent Libyan leader’s son from joining aid vessel attempting to reach Gaza.   In a surprising move, Libyan authorities decided Sunday to restrict the takeoff of private flights from the country for fear that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi would try to join an aid ship attempting to reach the Gaza Strip, the London-based Arabic-language al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Monday. Read Full report on Ynetnews. Share this post: