On Tuesday, protesters gathered deep within the Israeli established ‘buffer zone’ near the village of Beit Hanoun, on the north east edge of the Gaza Strip. Many residents of Beit Hanoun have lost land to the buffer zone, a 300 meter no-go zone which constitutes 20% of the most arable land in Gaza. Demonstrators began cutting the razor wire which stretches through middle of the buffer zone, successfully removing 10 meters of wire before soldiers began firing rounds of live ammunition over the crowd. No casualties were reported as a result of the shooting, but several injuries were sustained during the removal of the fence.

… Continue reading

By Ali Abunimah

[PSP Editor note: the fabricated video and the original video are available below. Both from the IDF Youtube channel.]

Today, Israel released what it claimed to be the audio of a conversation between Israeli naval vessels and the Turkish-owned ship Mavi Marmara which occurred prior to the Israeli assault that killed at least 9 passengers and injured dozens more in the early hours of 31 May in international waters in the eastern Mediterranean. This audio clip, which the Israelis titled “Radio Transmission from Mavi Marmara to Israeli Navy” appears to be fabricated.

The following is a transcript of the audio:

ISRAELI SHIP “This is the … Continue reading

From Aljazeera.net/english
Jamal Elshayyal was aboard the Turkish Aid ship the Mavi Marmara on the top deck as the Israeli raid began. He managed to get one live report off before communications were lost. His footage of the events, which he witnessed, has been confiscated by the Israeli military. Still, he states unequivocally that the Israeli military used lethal force against the demonstrators before even boarding the ship, in direct contradiction to Israel’s official line. This has also been supported by testimony from Haneen Zuabi, a Palestinian member of the Israeli Parliament, who was also aboard the Mavi Marmara.
Here is Elshayyal’s report after he was released from Israeli detention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cQ69oKFtVg

Originally on ynetnews.com

By Udi Aloni

I am writing these words with great pain and suppressed rage. I know that few are the Jews in Israel whose heart is open to the pain of their Palestinian brothers and sisters, and yet, I refuse to give up on this brotherhood.

I myself was almost on board one of the ships that made their way to Gaza, primarily in order to help and tell the world about her suffering, but also in order to say that among us, the Jewish citizens of Israel, there are some whose sense of justice, grace and brotherhood has not become blunt even under the patriotic psychosis that has taken over the best part of us.

But I was afraid … Continue reading

From the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign

(1st June 2010, 3pm) Yesterday’s Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in which up to 19 human rights activists were murdered in international waters has not deterred the Irish cargo ship the MV Rachel Corrie which is currently en route to Gaza and hopes to arrive this Saturday. Meanwhile the fall-out from the attack has pressured Egypt into opening the Rafah Crossing.

In the Dail, an all party motion which calls upon the government to ensure the safe passage of the MV Rachel Corrie and calls for the blockade of Gaza to be lifted is expected to be passed at around 7pm this evening. The IPSC welcomes this motion and hopes the Israeli government … Continue reading

Below is a link to an interview with Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement organizer who was on the flotilla, with CNN:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kw2Xkf2EqI

Other first-hand accounts:

Originally from english.aljazeera.net

photo from AFP

Israel has started releasing some of the 700 passengers it captured after troops stormed a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Turkey has sent three planes, including two military ambulance aircraft, to bring its nationals home.

Six Greek activists returned to Athens after being expelled from Israel, and a former US ambassador who was also on the ship was on a flight home.

Here are excerpts of what some of the freed passengers had to say:

Issam … Continue reading