For immediate release
30 June 2009
www.freegaza.org
[23 miles off the coast of Gaza, 15:30 p.m.] Today Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.
"This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip," said Cynthia McKinney, a former U.S. Congresswoman and presidential candidate. "President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that's exactly what we tried to do. We're asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."
Read the rest of the press release here to find out what you can do to demand the release of the kidnapped human rights workers, the toys, medicine and olive trees.
UPDATE: An emergency demonstration "against Israeli piracy and kidnapping" has been called for tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. outside the Israeli Mission to the UN, Second Avenue and 43d Street, here in NYC. Simultaneous protests will be taking place around the country, mostly at Israeli consulates.
