Israel steals cargo to tighten Gaza siege, expels forcibly abducted boat crew

Israel steals cargo to tighten Gaza siege, expels forcibly abducted boat crew
Six British citizens due to arrive at Heathrow today



The following is a statement released by the Free Gaza Movement earlier today:

For immediate release: July 6th 2009
‘Freegaza21’ deportees to arrive at Heathrow 13.30 hours Monday 6 July

Press conference: 16.00 (4 p.m.) at the Renaissance Hotel, Bath Rd. Heathrow TW6 2AQ (opposite the Marriot)

On Sunday 5 July the six British crew and passengers of the Spirit of Humanity were moved to detention cells at Ben Gurion Airport, following a court hearing at which the orders for their deportation from Israel were made. The captain of the Spirit, Denis Healey, and the other five British human rights activists, are expected to be put on El Al flight LY315, from Tel Aviv, tomorrow, Monday 6 July, 2009, due to arrive at Terminal One, Heathrow at 13.30 p.m.

Friends and family of the six are travelling to Heathrow airport to welcome them and to hear for the first time direct accounts of the forcible boarding by Israel of the Spirit of Humanity, which carried aid and reconstruction supplies, as it travelled from Cyprus towards the port of Gaza on June 30 2009.

Two of the British deportees, were on board the first Free Gaza boat which, in August 2008, became the first international boat to sail to Gaza in forty two years, since the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip began. The Spirit’s captain also captained the Free Gaza boat the Dignity, which was rammed by Israeli warships during a previous attempt to reach Gaza in December 2008. The deportees also include documentary film maker Ishmahil Blagrove, Director of the film Blood Diamonds. Ishmahil was travelling to Gaza to film the lives of the Palestinian people under siege. Theresa Macdermott, Alex Harrison and Aide Mormesh all planned to remain in Gaza to undertake human rights monitoring and to report on the impact of the continuing blockade.

Press conference: 16.00 (4 p.m.) at the Renaissance Hotel, Bath Rd. Heathrow TW6 2AQ (opposite the Marriot)

www.freegaza.org

Hilary Smith (UK) 07818040982
Greta Berlin (English)tel: +357 99 28 41 02/
friends@freegaza.org
Ramzi Kysia (English)Tel: + 357 99 08 17 67
rrkysia@yahoo.com
Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):tel: +357 99 80 96 37



SPSC PS:
The Israeli theft of the boat's cargo of olive trees, children's toys and medicines should come as no surprise to those who know the Israelis' record. Hundreds of thousands of olive trees have been burned and cut down in front of grief-stricken Palestinian farmers; many, however, have been uprooted and sold in Israel.
The Zionist movement that hijacked an entire country from its Palestinian owners is still working to complete its project of ethnically cleansing the entire area of Historic Palestine. The boat hijacking is part of the siege of Gaza ids part of that project.

Join Scottish PSC- we are all volunteers with no paid staff - or make a financial donation to help us continue campaigning work:

Send a cheque to:
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign
c/o Peace & Justice Centre
Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH2 4BJ

www.scottishpsc.org.uk

SPSC is affiliated to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK) www.palestinecampaign.org