The Rachel Corrie has been forcibly seized by the Israeli navy

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thestaronline on Jun 5, 2010

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman saya MV Rachel Corrie, the last of the humanitarian aid flotilla to Israeli-blockaded Gaza was seized by Israeli naval forces at about 2.45p.m. (Malaysian time) on Saturday. There were six Malaysian peace activists onboard.

Rachel Corrie seized by Israeli naval forces

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ISRAELI MILITARY FORCIBLY STOPS AID BOAT TO GAZA – AGAIN

by Greta Berlin
Freegaza
05 June 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information, please contact:

Free Gaza Cyprus: Greta Berlin or Mary Hughes
tel: +357 99 187275 or +357 96 383 809, friends@freegaza.org
Free Gaza Ireland: Niamh Moloughney
tel: +353 (0)85 7747257 or +353 (0)91 472279, freegazaireland@gmail.com
Perdana Global Peace Organisation, Malaysia: Ram Karthigasu
tel: +60 1222 70159, ramkarthigasu@gmail.com
Free Gaza Cyprus: Greta Berlin or Mary Hughes

(Off the Gaza coast, 5 JUNE) – Just before 9am GMT this morning, the Israeli military forcibly siezed the Irish-owned humanitarian relief ship, the MV Rachel Corrie, from delivering over 1000 tons of medical and construction supplies to besieged Gaza. For the second time in less then a week, Israeli naval commandos stormed an unarmed aid ship, brutally taking its passengers hostage and towing the ship toward Ashdod port in Southern Israel.  It is not yet known whether any of the Rachel Corrie’s passengers were killed or injured during the attack, but they are believed to be unharmed.

The Corrie carried 11 passengers and 9 crew from 5 different countires, mostly Ireland and Malaysia. The passengers included Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire, Parit Member of the Malaysian Parliament Mohd Nizar Zakaria, and former UN Assistant Secretary General, Denis Halliday.  Nine international human rights workers were killed on Monday when Israeli commandos violently stormed the Turkish aid ship, Mavi Marmara and five other unarmed boats taking supplies to Gaza. Prior to being taken hostage by Israeli forces, Derek Graham, an Irish coordinator with the Free Gaza Movement, stated that: “Despite what happened on the Mavi Marmara earlier this week, we are not afraid.

The 1200-ton cargo ship was purchased through a special fund set up by former Malaysian Prime Minister and Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) chairman Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. The ship was named after an American human rights worker, killed in 2003 when she was crushed by an Israeli military bulldozer in the Gaza Strip. Its cargo included hundreds of tons of medical equipment and cement, as well as paper from the people of Norway, donated to UN-run schools in Gaza.

According to Denis Halliday: “We are the only Gaza-bound aid ship left out here. We’re determined to deliver our cargo.” The Rachel Corrie had been part of the Freedom Flotilla, a 40-nation effort to break through Israel’s illegal blockade, before being forced to drop off late last week due to suspicious mechanical problems.

The attack on the Rachel Corrie may spell trouble for Israel’s relationship with Ireland. The Irish government had formally requested Israel allow the ship to reach Gaza. On 1 June, the Irish parliament also passed an all-party motion condemning Israel’s use of military force against civilian aid ships, and demanding “an end to the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.”

Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire summed up the hopes of this joint Irish-Malaysian effort to overcome Israel’s cruel blockade by saying: “We are inspired by the people of Gaza whose courage, love and joy in welcoming us, even in the midst of such suffering gives us all hope. They represent the very best of humanity, and we are all privileged to be given the opportunity to support them in their nonviolent struggle for human dignity, and freedom. This trip will again highlight Israel’s criminal blockade and illegal occupation. In a demonstration of the power of global citizen action, we hope to awaken the conscience of all.”

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Passengers aboard the Rachel Corrie include:

Ahmed Faizal bin Azumu, human rights worker, Malaysia

Matthias Chang, attorney, author & human rights worker, Malaysia

Derek Graham, Free Gaza Ireland

Jenny Graham, Free Gaza Ireland

Denis Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary General, Ireland

Mohd Jufri Bin Mohd Judin, journalist, Malaysia

Shamsul Akmar Musa Kamal, PGPO representative, Malaysia

Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ireland

Abdul Halim Bin Mohamed, journalist, Malaysia

Fiona Thompson, film-maker, Ireland

The Hon. Mohd Nizar Zakaria, Parit Member of Parliament, Malaysia

All original content by The Free Gaza Movement is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

see

Rachel Corrie Ship Now Boarded, And Under Arrest + Not been boarded! (updated)

How Israel planned Flotilla attack

Israel, Nazi propaganda chief Göebbels would have been proud of you By William Bowles

Israel Arrests Free Gaza Chairwoman, Huwaida Arraf + Bil’in Protest videos

videos:

BUSTED Israel fabricating more evidence

Adam Shapiro: “Israel blockade is just the beginning”

Flotilla Attack: Israelis Threw Dead Bodies Overboard

Finkelstein on Gaza Flotilla Attack – ‘Israel is a Lunatic State’