NOVANEWS
Gaza Flotilla 2
PROTEST OVER AID MASSACRE
01-06-2010
Dozens of protestors gathered in Birmingham last night to condemn Israel’s slaughter of nine pro-Palestinian activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. Birmingham blogger and former councillor John Tyrrell was among the demonstrators.
A demonstration was called at short notice in Birmingham to protest against the killing and maiming of civilians aboard ships engaged in the humanitarian relief aid to Gaza.
The response was considerable, and coincides with many such events across the country, including in Downing Street, and indeed across the world. Greek, Spanish and Turkish governments immediately called their Israeli ambassadors in and William Hague requested an enquiry.
The boarding of at least one of the ships took place in international waters when the boats were surrounded by Israeli naval vessels while heavily armed IDF personnel boarded them from helicopters.
Israel put out a statement claiming that those on board were the aggressors and that they included “terrorists”.
Speakers included Chris Khamis who called the meeting, John Hemming MP and Cllr Ayoub Khan. While their contribution was welcome members of the audience asked what Nick Clegg was going to say and do about the situation.
Two of the speakers who have just returned from trips to the West Bank pointed out that atrocities were daily occurences in the occupied territories.
They were not allowed to visit Gaza but they spoke of the ongoing harassment of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem by settlers including incidents which had resulted in the deaths of children.
Then there was the continued building of the apartheid wall where Palestinian properties were demolished and many olive trees, vital to the Palestinian economy, were uprooted.
I have sent letters to William Hague, Nick Clegg and Khalid Mahmood today requesting immediate action against yet a further flouting of international law by the Israeli government.
Jewish people, like Uri Avnery, continue to be among their most outspoken critics. There was a public outcry when Gaza was attacked but that quickly died down afterwards.
Now there needs to be a concerted public effort to ensure that governments deal once and for all with Israel, or any other government, which deliberately and continually refuses to keep international law.
See: www.thestirrer.co.uk
