Irish ship to run Gaza blockade, bring food to Palestinians
Published Thursday, April 22, 2010, 7:35 AM
Updated Thursday, April 22, 2010, 10:39 AM
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The 'Rachel Corrie'
A 1200-ton cargo ship that was abandoned in July 2009 off the coast of Ireland will be used by the Irish Free Gaza movement to try and run a Gaza blockade to deliver food and supplies to Palestinians.
The boat has been repainted and refitted and is called the 'Rachel Corrie' after an American activist crushed to death in 2003 by an Israeli military bulldozer as she attempted to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home in Gaza.
Derek Graham one of the organizers of the flotilla, "We are doing this to show the people of Gaza that they are not alone. There's nothing going into Gaza, no aid. We are prepared to run the blockade to try and get aid in. We have done it before. Out of eight previous attempts, five were successful.”
The Free Gaza Movement along with the Turkish humanitarian organization, IHH, the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza and the Greek and Swedish Boat to Gaza organizations will sail 8 boats led by the Rachel Corrie loaded with building supplies as well as taking 600 passengers and journalists at the end of May to run the Gaza blockade.
The Rachel Corrie was abandoned in the town of Dundalk, near the Irish border by its owners after it was discovered they had not paid the crew, all from Lithuania. Free Gaza activists bought the ship for $100,000.
Organizers say that on May Day weekend, a mini convoy of vans loaded with medical supplies from eight different cities in Ireland and England will be delivering and loading these supplies on the ship.
People in Norway have donated more than 6 tons of paper and school supplies with a goal of 25 tons to be loaded as cargo.
Israel refuses to allow paper and supplies in for the children.
One of Free Gaza’s organizers, Caoimhe Butterly, stated "The public response to the cargo ship has been immense, and we hope that in the remaining three weeks before we set sail, communities across Ireland will continue to mobilize and gather supplies. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a symptom of Israel’s siege and Occupation, and this flotilla will spotlight the devastating collective punishment that is being imposed on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."
37 Comments
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IrishAndProud | May 04, 2010, 03:36 PM EDT
Why don't we just cut to the chase here, and say what a hearty lot on one side of this issue are thinking: 'Israel's a dirty little apartheid state, the Jews are illegitimate, and when every last one of them DIES, the world will be a better place?' Come on...THAT'S...WHAT...THEY'RE...HOPING...FOR. Yes...being Jewish in your own ancient land is inherently being an arrogant extremist...so, let's just walk away from Israel and let their peaceful, loving terrorist murderer neighbors have at them. With any luck every last Jew will DIE...and then flowers will bloom, birds will sing and Lennon's song 'Imagine' will waft out over the assemble throng, while we all dance naked holding hands (just like they did at Woodstock, centuries ago). Ahhh...I can just smell the crisp, spring air (tinged with the smoldering remains of Jewish kids' bodies). Anyone for 'kumbaya'?
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solasbeire | Apr 30, 2010, 05:05 PM EDT
Plastic--I am surprised you see hate, or hatred, from myself, or my 'side.' I actually don't hate, and feel sorry for anyone caught in the middle of bad leadership, even if they voted for it. I don't accept a lot of current 'internationally cacepted' borders or indictments, as I thnk the UN and so much of the world has lost its sense and moral compass. I am just horrified with what goes on in so many places. And you are correct-- even though the history I state is accurate, the fact is, a Palestinian identity has developed, just as an Israeli identity (divorced pretty much from a Jewish identity) has developed since 1948. The questoin is, does the world constantly change, do states and governments fall and borders change, and people remain refugees, each time an identity or even population shift occurs? I wish the Palestinian people, and their leaders, had made better choices each step of the way. Many people could have worked out a peaceable existence; so very many lives could have been saved. But when one side in a dispute calls for the destruction of the other, where is the possibility for coexistence? So much more, but I am trying to keep the posts short. I must end with: I do not hate, and I do wish people would learn and not accept the media's conclusions.
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plasticpaddy | Apr 28, 2010, 11:53 PM EDT
These misguided idiots with boats are humanitarians providing the civilian populace of Gaza with aid. Whatever you think of the political situation, how could you in all sincerity call people trying to deliver aid to those suffering as idiots, and for a learned man such as yourself solasbeire to laud such a statement is worrying and callous. Solasbeire is indeed correct about the Palestinian state and its historical existence, however a people do have the right to rule themselves and one can argue against the settlements as they are built on internationally accepted Palestinian lands. Just return to the previously agreed upon borders after the war and lets try and foster goodwill by working on any issue of common importance as opposed to concentrating on that which devised us. The hate on the side of solas and Lorieann is just as dangerous as the hate they see in the Palestinians.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 28, 2010, 06:50 PM EDT
Solas your phd only gives you knowledge on what you read and your are influenced by the authors. Did I hurt your intellectual snobbery or your narrow point of view.
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solasbeire | Apr 28, 2010, 02:56 PM EDT
Lorieann, I agree.
Sean, when you are ready to really learn what happened, on an intelligent educated level, your comments might be worth discussing further. Until then, there is no room for discussion with one who not only does not know the facts, but ignores them or twists them and would rather wallow in ignorance. So be it.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 11:21 PM EDT
Thank you for re-installing my comments.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 07:50 PM EDT
My second comment has been withdrawn. I have read insulting and unreasonable language on this site yet fair political comment is removed. An Irishman died and went to heaven,Peter was showing him around and he marveled at the sight and happiness of everyone. at the end of the road stood a 50 ft. wall, Who"s in there? he asked. The Americans and the Is--rae--lis. They think they are the only ones up here.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 07:41 PM EDT
Solas I posted two separate comments one was posted and then withdrawn. Maybe the truth is censored at Irish Central so much for free speech. AS grey said in his poem " I'm wasting my sweetness on the desert air".
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 07:37 PM EDT
The irrelevancy was you straying from the point in question, again to muddy the waters.You disagree then agree with your comments on the old testament "They claim the old testament was perverted by Jews and Christian". Therefore they must have a belief in the old testament as I stated.And yes there are belligerent Arab states maybe you should be honest with yourself and ask why. Being an atheist Free's the mind from all those falsities of religious fervour and allows one to concentrate on injustice from whatever quarter it comes from.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 07:24 PM EDT
You are again flirting with the truth, Palestine has existed as an entity for all of the last 2000 years and more, Ramses fought the Hittites in PALESTINE. Your acceptance of Zionism coupled with Hebrew is cowardly way of you condoning the land grab and the herding of Palestinians into ghetto's.Maybe you should hand Memphis to the Chickasaw,the black hills to the Lakota Sioux or Florida back to the Seminole. And close the Indian ghetto's you call reservations.
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LORIEANN | Apr 27, 2010, 06:43 PM EDT
who are these misguided idiots with this boat...... why have not the muslim surrounding states not helped the palistinian refugees.....their housing is bulldozed by the jewish state in response to palistinean family member being a suicide bomber as an attempt to discourage this behaviour. There are many Arabs in Isreal who own businesses, hold political office, hold great jobs....can the same be said of any arab state in the middle east?
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solasbeire | Apr 27, 2010, 03:33 PM EDT
BTW--I brought up not as 'irrelevanices' the facts that some muslims are non-Arab, etc. because you had remarked in context of the land :' Islam is a Semitic religion, they accept the old testament and are of the same race as the Jewish people or Christians who took a different path by including the teachings of Jesus.' This actually is also not factual; Islam (the religion of Muslims, by the way, who are not just arabs, by the way) does not accept the 'old testament.' They say it has been perverted first by Jews, and then by Christians. And, as I pointed out before, Muslim clerics and other leaders and media in several Muslim countries, discriminate and spew vitriol against Jews, not just Israelis, not just Zionists, so it is incorrect and disingenuous to say the problem is with Israel and Zionism.
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solasbeire | Apr 27, 2010, 01:46 PM EDT
Tht is pretty funny sean, since I teach about it, and have studied from primary and secondary sources for quite some time. There has never been a country or state Palestine, there has never been a commonwealth or state with government on that patch of earth other than that of a Jewish commonwealth or state. There have been empires that have controlled the entire area, but never a specific state or country there. I would be glad to give you history lessons, if that is what you value. Also, having studied the 3 major religions for my doctorate, I DO know the difference between Hebrew religion, Judaism, and Zionism, and I will tell you that Zionism has always been an integral part of Hebrew-ism and, as it developed, in Judaism. It is all extremely relevant now, especially with people masking anti-jew and anti-Judaism sentiment with anti-zionism. I strongly urge you to investigate the matters with accuracy, with prmiary sources if possible.
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seanomelbourne | Apr 27, 2010, 12:00 AM EDT
Solas "let there be light" to say Palestine never existed is
a ridiculous statement.Of course there are Muslims who are non-Arab,as there are Christians or Jews who are not from the middle east .Why do you muddy the waters with irrelevancies? you may need to understand the difference between anti Hebrew and anti Zionism.Bye the way using the word plague was just to make a point. We all have the right to be a believer or a dissenter. You seriously need a history lesson in regards to "Palestine"
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