"Spirit of Humanity" Testīs Obamaīs Resolve
Rizwan Ghani
July 01, 2009
Reportedly, Israeli forces in the international waters off the coast of Gaza have hijacked a Gaza peace mission of 21 humanitarians on board the boat, "Spirit of Humanity". Israel stopped the mission from delivering food, medicine and toys as a token of international support for the 1.5 million Gazans held under illegal siege since invasion of Gaza in December 2008. At last report, Israeli officials had detained the mission and confiscated the supplies they were attempting to take into Gaza.
The mission includes four Americans but so far mainstream American media in step with international media-boasting of neutrality-has failed to report detention of the American citizens including former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Obama has failed to demand immediate release of the Americans. Both US Senate and Congress quick to react in such cases are also quiet.
Israel does not respect international laws and denying humanitarian aid to the Palestinians is not a surprise to the civilized world. However, it is the silence of President Obama, the Democrat led US Senate and the Congress over the detention of Americans and fate of the humanitarian mission that is baffling rest of the world. Obama as American president had promised change in White House and past pro-Israel US policies in ME to improve American Image. But Obamaīs silence over the issue in last 48 hours has severely undermined his efforts to win hearts and minds across the globe.
Reportedly, Ms. McKinney said, "This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip." "President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and thatīs exactly what we tried to do. Weīre asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."
"The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of "Cast Lead". Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone" said fellow passenger Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland.
Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage, stated that: "No one could possibly believe that our small boat constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and reconstruction supplies, and childrenīs toys. Our passengers include a Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach Israeli waters." Arraf continued, "Israelīs deliberate and premeditated attack on our unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand our immediate and unconditional release." http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/israel-illegally-captures-21-in-international-waters-4-of-whom-are-u-s-citizens/
According to International Committee of the Red Cross report released on July 1, the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair" following continuous Israelīs blockade of Gaza since 22-day illegal December war. The blockade has restricted hundreds and thousands of homeless Gazans living under open skies and makeshift tents from rebuilding their lost properties. It is undermining hospitals capacity to treat the patients due to disruption of medical supplies. Ordinary Gazans are facing acute shortage of daily food items. Children are unable to attend schools due to non-availability of school building that reportedly were deliberately targeted by the Israeli forces during the war.
It is expected that Obama will play his role in getting the mission released and ensure lifting of Gaza blockade in accordance to international law. According to international law, as occupier of Palestine, Israel is responsible to uphold relevant laws on the subject. It is hoped that mainstream American media will stand up to support its citizens who are out there on a purely humanitarian mission and fellow beings in need of necessities of life. The shameless silence of Western media over the incident has once again reinforced worldīs opinion that it observes double standards when it comes to Israelīs blatant disregard for international human rights and conventions in Palestine and the region. The media silence is similar to biased reporting of war crimes committed by the Israeli forces in the last war.
Finally, "Spirit of Humanity" has succeeded in testing resolve of Obama and both US houses on Palestine to restore permanent peace in ME. Unfortunately, the lack of response from Washington shows that change was the last thing on minds. Mr. Obama the clock is ticking and the world is watching to see you help create a free Palestinian State in accordance to the UN Resolutions. It will show the weary world that respect for fellow beings, equality and justice are still the hallmarks of modern civilization. On the contrary, like South Carolina Republican married Gov. Mark Sanford shamelessly staying in office despite admitting affair with another woman in presence of his wife, American leaderships' silence over the current Palestine situation once again shows that all is not well at the top of political hierarchy. It could easily be equated to Shakespeareīs famous line in the play Hamlet "something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
The mission includes four Americans but so far mainstream American media in step with international media-boasting of neutrality-has failed to report detention of the American citizens including former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Obama has failed to demand immediate release of the Americans. Both US Senate and Congress quick to react in such cases are also quiet.
Israel does not respect international laws and denying humanitarian aid to the Palestinians is not a surprise to the civilized world. However, it is the silence of President Obama, the Democrat led US Senate and the Congress over the detention of Americans and fate of the humanitarian mission that is baffling rest of the world. Obama as American president had promised change in White House and past pro-Israel US policies in ME to improve American Image. But Obamaīs silence over the issue in last 48 hours has severely undermined his efforts to win hearts and minds across the globe.
Reportedly, Ms. McKinney said, "This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip." "President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and thatīs exactly what we tried to do. Weīre asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."
"The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of "Cast Lead". Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone" said fellow passenger Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland.
Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage, stated that: "No one could possibly believe that our small boat constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and reconstruction supplies, and childrenīs toys. Our passengers include a Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach Israeli waters." Arraf continued, "Israelīs deliberate and premeditated attack on our unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand our immediate and unconditional release." http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/israel-illegally-captures-21-in-international-waters-4-of-whom-are-u-s-citizens/
According to International Committee of the Red Cross report released on July 1, the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair" following continuous Israelīs blockade of Gaza since 22-day illegal December war. The blockade has restricted hundreds and thousands of homeless Gazans living under open skies and makeshift tents from rebuilding their lost properties. It is undermining hospitals capacity to treat the patients due to disruption of medical supplies. Ordinary Gazans are facing acute shortage of daily food items. Children are unable to attend schools due to non-availability of school building that reportedly were deliberately targeted by the Israeli forces during the war.
It is expected that Obama will play his role in getting the mission released and ensure lifting of Gaza blockade in accordance to international law. According to international law, as occupier of Palestine, Israel is responsible to uphold relevant laws on the subject. It is hoped that mainstream American media will stand up to support its citizens who are out there on a purely humanitarian mission and fellow beings in need of necessities of life. The shameless silence of Western media over the incident has once again reinforced worldīs opinion that it observes double standards when it comes to Israelīs blatant disregard for international human rights and conventions in Palestine and the region. The media silence is similar to biased reporting of war crimes committed by the Israeli forces in the last war.
Finally, "Spirit of Humanity" has succeeded in testing resolve of Obama and both US houses on Palestine to restore permanent peace in ME. Unfortunately, the lack of response from Washington shows that change was the last thing on minds. Mr. Obama the clock is ticking and the world is watching to see you help create a free Palestinian State in accordance to the UN Resolutions. It will show the weary world that respect for fellow beings, equality and justice are still the hallmarks of modern civilization. On the contrary, like South Carolina Republican married Gov. Mark Sanford shamelessly staying in office despite admitting affair with another woman in presence of his wife, American leaderships' silence over the current Palestine situation once again shows that all is not well at the top of political hierarchy. It could easily be equated to Shakespeareīs famous line in the play Hamlet "something is rotten in the state of Denmark."