Posted by Brenda Norrell - June 2, 2010 at 7:18 am
By Brenda Norrell/Narcosphere
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/06/obama-fails-humanity-response-israels-attack-aid-shipsUPDATE: Israeli politician aboard ship reveals terror: Israeli soldiers executed activists with gunshot wounds to the head and left people to bleed to death:
http://www.alternet.org/story/147083/israeli_politician_reveals_her_terror_on_ship,_accuses_israel_of_intentionally_killing_peace_activists_to_deter_future_flotillas/ Narcosphere update: Wed. 7 Central Time
By Brenda Norrell
In President Obama's most dismal and disappointing days so far, the president of the United States showed no interest in the fact that US citizens were aboard the humanitarian aid ships to Palestine that were attacked by Israeli soldiers, leaving humanitarians dead and wounded.
President Obama showed no interest that former US Army Col. and US State Department Official Ann Wright, now an anti-war and anti-US torture activist, was aboard one of the Freedom Flotilla ships and is assumed to be among the nearly 700 activists who were imprisoned in Israeli prisons following Israel's attack. No one has heard from Wright since she was taken off the aid ship.
President Obama showed no interest in the fact that a group of Californians were among the US citizens aboard the ships in the flotilla. Paul Larudee of El Cerrito, Calif., was badly beaten and sustained injuries while in Israeli detention.
The US Citizens in the aid flotilla included Edward Peck former Ambassador to Iraq and Mauritania, who returned to the US after his release. Navy veteran Joe Meadors, a USS Liberty Survivor, was tasered by Israeli soldiers. He returned home to Corpus Christi, Texas, with a black eye and bruises, after attempting a swim escape, which he maintained for 30 minutes before being captured.
The aid ships carried Huwaida Arraf co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, and Hedy Epstein a Holocaust Survivor.
"The mainstream media has not reported on the fact that Epstein is a Holocaust Survivor considering they usually bring up the Holocaust when it suits their political objectives," reported Robert Stark.
President Obama showed no interest in the fact that a US student, Emily Henochowicz, was shot in the face at a Gaza checkpoint and lost her eye while protesting the attack on the humanitarian ships.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire, and former UN assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday were also onboard the aid ships.
The United States has been absorbed in convincing the United Nations to halt an independent investigation of the Israeli soldiers' murders and beatings, in order to protect Israel.
It is a dark day for the United States, one more day when playing politics is more important than human life.
The US prefers to keep its arrangements with Israel secret, like the US dollars given to Israel's military each year. That is $3 billion annually that the US gives Israel for its military, enabling Israeli soldiers to beat and murder human rights activists and imprison and brutalize the people of Palestine.
The US likes to keep its arrangements with Israel for Apartheid secret, like the contract for spy surveillance with Elbit Systems on the US/Mexico border, by way of a subcontract with Boeing. Elbit is the Israeli defense contractor responsible for surveillance and intelligence along the Palestinian Apartheid Wall.
But even with the US working behind the scenes to provide spin articles, in collusion with the decaying and pathetic US media, the truth is still present.
Unlike Obama, the rest of the world is not silent.
Unlike Obama and US politicians, there are still people in the world who manifest incredible courage. Some of those are now aboard the Freedom Flotilla's Rachel Corrie ship, headed with aid to Palestine.
'Lake of Blood' survivor describes Israel's attack on aid ship:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/06/02/lake-of-blood-115875-22302824According to data from Israel, the expelled activists, including those wounded and killed, came from the following countries : Australia (3); Azerbaijan (2); Italy (6); Indonesia (12); Ireland (9); Algeria (28); United States (11); Bulgaria (2); Bosnia (1); Bahrain (4); Belgium (5); Germany (11); South Africa (1); Holland (2); United Kingdom (31); Greece (38); Jordan (30); Kuwait (15); Lebanon (3); Mauritania (3); Malaysia (11); Egypt (3); Macedonia (3); Morocco (7); Norway (3); New Zealand (1); Syria (3); Serbia (1); Oman (1); Pakistan (3); Czech Republic (4); France (9); Kosovo (1); Canada (1); Sweden (11); Turkey (380); Yemen (4).
http://www.antara.co.id/en/news/1275461182/attack-on-freedom-flotilla-pits-israel-against-world-community
Australians, mostly women and press, shot, beaten and tasered by Israeli soldiers:
http://www.watoday.com.au/world/israel-used-stun-gun-on-fairfax-photographer-20100602-wzqb.htmlThe Free Palestine Movement earlier released this list of US citizens on the aid ships:
Former Ambassador Edward Peck of Chevy Chase, MD, is among those Americans abducted. Among other things, he served as Deputy Director of the Cabinet Task Force on Terrorism at the Reagan White House and State Department Liaison Officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. He spent 32 years in the Foreign Service, including Chief of Mission in Iraq. His wife, Ann Peck, received this morning text message stating that her husband is well and on his way to New York, but we have not been able to confirm this.
Also forcibly abducted is former U.S. Navy signalman Joe Meadors from Corpus Christi, TX. He is a decorated navy veteran and survivor of the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty. 34 Americans were killed and 173 were injured in that attack.
"It came as no surprise that Israel behaved in a disproportionate way to this humanitarian mercy mission. The Israeli government has repeatedly flouted international law, denying basic human necessities to Palestinians both in Gaza under siege and in the West Bank in the shadow of the apartheid wall." said Mr. Slevin.
Other Americans believed to have been kidnapped in the Israeli assault include:
Gene St. Onge
Oakland, CA
Civil/structural engineer working with Palestinian engineers to rebuild housing destroyed in Israel's 2009 invasion of Gaza
Dr. Paul Larudee
El Cerrito, CA
(Beaten by Israeli soldiers) Piano tuner and FPM co-founder; also co-founded The Free Gaza Movement that first broke the siege of Gaza in 2008
Janet Kobren
Oakland, CA
Retired math teacher and co-founder of the FPM
Huwaida Arraf
Ramallah, Palestine / Washington D.C. / Detroit, MI
A Palestinian with American and Israeli citizenship; received her Juris Doctor from the American University Washington College of Law, where she focused on international human rights and humanitarian law. In 2001 co-founded the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Co-author of Peace Under Fire: Israel, Palestine, and the International Solidarity Movement. In 2007-8 taught at Al-Quds University human rights law clinic in Jerusalem, the first legal clinic in the Arab World.
Katherine Elliott Sheetz
Woods Hole, MA & Marin County in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Registered Nurse with a master's degree in sustainable development; worked on human rights, health and food security, most often in Haiti.
Mary (Ann) Wright
Honolulu, HI
Former US diplomat who resigned in March, 2003 in opposition to Bush's Iraq war. Retired US Army Reserve Colonel. Trip leader for 3 delegations to Gaza in 2009; helped organize the Gaza Freedom March.
David Schermerhorn
Deer Harbor, WA
Commercial film producer and is 80 years young. Part of the Free Gaza crew on its maiden voyage to Gaza in August 2008. Explorer and adventurer who has traveled around the world on boats.
Iara Lee
San Francisco, CA
Brazilian of Korean descent; activist, filmmaker, and founder of the Caipirinha Foundation which supports projects to secure peace with justice. Currently working on a variety of initiatives grouped under the umbrella of CULTURES OF RESISTANCE, an activist network that brings together artists and changemakers from around the world. At the center of these initiatives is a feature-length documentary film entitled CULTURES OF RESISTANCE which explores how art and creative action contribute to conflict prevention and resolution. Collaborated with numerous grassroots efforts, including the International Campaign to Ban Cluster Munitions, the Conflict Zone Film Fund, and the New York Philharmonic's groundbreaking 2008 concert in North Korea.
Scott Michael Hamann
Portland, ME
Fatima Mohammadi
Chicago, IL
Coordinator of Viva Palestina-US; passenger on the Turkish Mavi Marmara boat
The father of Fiachra Ó Luain, 28, lives in Cape Cod, but his son lives in Ireland. There were conflicting reports as to whether Fiachra was injured.
