Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israel’s naval forces are allegedly in training to prepare to seize eight boats scheduled to dock in the Gaza Strip on 24 May from Europe, Arabic-language media reported on Wednesday.

“About half of the Israeli naval forces will participate in an operation that was approved by the cabinet. [Israeli] Defense Minister Ehud Barak will supervise the operation,” an Israeli official told the Arabic-language satellite TV station Al-Hurra.

An Israeli security source told Ma’an that authorities will prevent the arrival of the boats “at any price.”

[Read the report]

FreeGaza.org
12 May 2010

As we get ready to launch our cargo ship and Israel rattles its sabers threatening to violently stop our 8-boat flotilla, the 1.5 million Palestinians of Gaza cannot be forgotten. It is they who pay the price for the inaction of governments, particularly in the EU and the US.

According to the BCC and Amira Hass in columns last week, Israel allows only 81 items into Gaza for basic and bare necessity life. These items, many of them that have nothing to do with rebuilding a shattered infrastructure after Israel’s brutal Operation Cast Lead at the beginning of 2009, are mostly ‘added to the list’ of imports because of pressure from Israeli merchants who make a great deal of money if their item gets on the approved list.

Watch the video and look at the absurdity of banned items… chocolate, jam, sheets, pillows, and all rebuilding supplies. Taking these supplies into Gaza is exactly what the Freedom Flotilla intends to do.

Then watch the flotilla on our website, pressure your government officials to advocate for our safe passage, and continue to donate what you can for our fuel, captain and crew.

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arthurfromholland — Lonnie Mack & Carlos Santana Live at the Sweetwater Bar Mill Valley U.S.A 30 Oktober 1991.
Arthurs Musical Journey
http://arthurfromholland.blogspot.com/

PRESS RELEASE
May 10, 2010

Palestinian civil society slams OECD over Israel’s accession

Occupied Palestine – Palestinian civil society represented by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), a wide coalition of the largest Palestinian mass organizations and trade unions, issued a strong condemnation of OECD’s decision today to welcome Israel as a member of the organization at its ministerial meeting to take place on May 27-28. A BNC spokesperson commented, “By accepting Israel, OECD member countries show a blatant complicity with Israeli war crimes, destroying the very foundations of international law. Rewarding Israel entrenches its impunity and dashes any realistic hope for achieving a just peace in the region.”

The OECD’s decision is the culmination of a process that began in 2007 whereby Israel had to pass a number of technical tests and implement reforms to be eligible for accession. According to the “Road Map for the accession of Israel to the OECD Convention”, it was required to demonstrate commitment to the “fundamental values” of the OECD. The BNC had released a paper showing how Israel has consistently breached these requirements, making it ineligible for accession (see: http://holdisraelaccountable.net/2010/05/05/memo).  A BNC spokesperson commented: “Officials of OECD member states are perfectly aware that Israel does not comply with any of the objective criteria put forth. Yet, they have decided to single out Israel, elevate it above all these objective criteria, reward it for its defiance of the OECD, not to mention of international law, and make the entire accession process a farce.”

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johngreyzone — Palestinian civil society has called on Elton John to respect their boycott call and cancel his June 17th concert in Tel Aviv. If he does so, he’ll be joining Santana and Gil-Scott Heron, who recently cancelled their spring concerts in Israel. This video suggests six reasons why Elton should join the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement.

For more info, please visit:
BNC (Palestinian BDS National Commitee): www.bdsmovement.net
PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel): www.pacbi.org
BRICUP (British Committee for Universities for Palestine): www.bricup.org.uk/
QUAIA (Queers Against Israeli Apartheid): www.quaia.org