Israeli Piracy and Slaughter of Civilians in International Waters

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla attacked; more than 10 civilians shot to death

The Israeli Army Radio has reported that up to 16 people were killed - please view the video news report on this website as well:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/05/201053133047995359.html

The actual number of confirmed deaths keeps rising as we report on this story. Some respectable news sources are reporting more than 20 people dead. [Revision: As of this writing, Jun.1, 2010, the horrible task of verifying the actual number of confirmed deaths is still unfinished, as the Israeli authorities are not co-operating with the international community to clarify the situation. The major establishment global media have now revised their number to "at least 10". -Editors]

Turkish television reportedly mentions more than 60 injured, says the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The paper also confirms a report by Al Jazeera that before the attack came, the Flotilla had even changed course to avoid any confrontation with the Israeli warships after they began threatening maneuvers against the Flotilla:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/at-least-10-activists-killed-in-israel-navy-clashes-onboard-gaza-aid-flotilla-1.293089

The Flotilla, carrying more than 700 volunteers and 10.000 tons of humanitarian aid, was attacked in International waters about 65kms away from Gaza in violation of all international laws including those that make piracy a crime punishable by the maximum penalty.

The ships were boarded by commandos who opened fire against the people of the ships as soon as they boarded. The Free Gaza Team, one of the groups of volunteers who helped organize the effort, report that the commandos "fired directly into the crowd of civilians asleep":
"Civilians Under Attack by Israel"
http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/press-releases/1191-civilians-under-attack-by-israel

Live streaming video from the ships shows the commandos boarding the Flotilla with weapons, as their helicopters hover above jamming the Flotilla's connection to satellite for navigation and communication:
http://www.livestream.com/insaniyardim

The video also shows scenes from the thousands of people in Turkey who have been angrily protesting since morning at the Israeli embassy. There have been efforts to storm the building. The Communist Party of Turkey is reportedly taking a leading role in the protests:
http://english.sol.org.tr/news/international/protests-increasing-turkey-1147

Meanwhile, the leadership of the fraudulent communist party in Cyprus that actually holds Government power in its hands, has been openly collaborating with Israel to suppress and dismember the Free Gaza Flotilla. First by banning it from Cyprus, then betraying agreements to provide assistance to the Flotilla's ships damaged by sabotage, and then by blocking several international personalities, including EuroParliament members, from boarding small boats to leave Cyprus to join the Flotilla in international waters.

There's no doubt that the Israeli apartheid regime took great comfort and encouragement by the despicable betrayals of the Cyprus ruling party, AKEL, which prompted the Government to collaborate with the Israeli operations.

There has been continuous, tense, and very heated political exchange in Cyprus in the last few days that revolves around the issue of the pseudo-socialist Government's motives for the abandonment and betrayal of our Palestinian friends and comrades.

Despite all sloganeering and posturing, all evidence points to the ruling party's alliance with the forces of Imperialism on many issues in recent years, but most importantly, on how it views the "final solution" to the Cyprus conflict. In co-operation with the US, the UK and other Imperialist forces, the AKEL party and the country's President Christofias favour a bizonal apartheid-based "solution" for Cyprus that will be founded on Race Laws and in accordance with the wishes of the US Government and those of Turkey's Government. Turkey is the military power that is illegally occupying Cyprus with weapons and support from the United States. "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed yesterday her support for a just and lasting settlement for the people of Cyprus into a bizonal, bicommunal federation...":
http://news.pseka.net/index.php?module=article&id=10014

In that light, the ideological similarities between the Israeli Apartheid regime and the ruling party of Cyprus, AKEL, about what constitutes a "final solution" to the conflicts in our area that fuel racism, nationalism and genocide, are enough to explain WHY the Government collaborated with Israel to first debilitate and then attack the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

We have condemned the action by the Cyprus Government and continue to oppose any and all of its justifications and rationalizations for collaborating with the butchers of the Israeli apartheid regime.
"This is the Cyprus Police Helicopter..."
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-is-cyprus-police-helicopter.html

Our deepest respect for the fallen comrades on the Free Gaza Flotilla.
Cyprus IndyMedia Collective
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Further Information

The Flotilla activists had been warned ahead of time by a leaked Israeli communication:
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/cyprus-english-open-publishing/2010-May/0531-ft.html

Urgent: Demonstrate against Piracy and Massacre in international waters
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/cyprus-english-open-publishing/2010-May/0531-ww.html

Protest at the Cyprus Embassy in Athens, Monday, 12 noon:
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1176770

Free Gaza Movement
http://www.freegaza.org/

WitnessGaza
http://www.witnessgaza.com/

Launch of Palestine Film Festival 1 June 2010
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/launch-of-palestine-film-festival-1.html

Targeting the Free Gaza Flotilla
http://counterpunch.org/leas05282010.html

Ενδο~Μήδεια / Cyprus IndyMedia
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/search/label/Palestine

ΕΝΑ ΚΑΡΑΒΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΓΑΖΑ ~ SHIP TO GAZA
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/ship-to-gaza.html

Independent Palestinian News Sources
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2009/08/independent-palestine-news-resources.html

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"This is the Cyprus Police Helicopter..."

"This is the Cyprus Police Helicopter. We have instructions to keep you as far away as possible from the Cyprus Ports..."

Please watch this video of a Cyprus Police Helicopter outside of the country's territorial waters accosting and blocking one of the vessels of Free Gaza Flotilla. The vessel is named the Challenger 1, and navigated by Shane Dillon, who is the Mate of the vessel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGoe3Gi-ns

In the video, the Police are clearly heard saying that because of the Challenger 1's humanitarian aid purpose, they will not allow it closer to Cyprus than 12 nautical miles. When the Mate states that they might need to effect repairs and asks if that "precludes us from entry" to Cyprus, the Police check with their superiors and report that "You will need a special permission due to the purpose of your trip; before proceeding closer to the 12 nautical miles [boundary] we advise you to contact authorities to get permission..."


The Cyprus IndyMedia Collective condemns in the strongest possible way and with the most vehement sentiments the actions of the Government of Cyprus to ban the Free Gaza Flotilla from our country.

In an article by one of the Collective's founding members published yesterday it was stated that:
"...This total betrayal of the struggle for solidarity and mutual aid with Gaza by the leadership of the ruling party, AKEL, comes at a crucial time. In previous years, all the efforts to break the seige of Gaza through the Ships for Gaza missions had made good use of Cyprus as a base for launches, refueling, repairs for the ships, etc. but even more importantly, because of the support of our people for the mission, through the work for these projects a political infrastructure was created that would have been perfect for the present mission - the largest to date - that is taking the shape of an entire Fleet. The blow to the mission brought on by the AKEL Government is targeted exactly at this: to prevent the possibility of support by the people of Cyprus."
[hellenic (greek) language]:
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-post_28.html

Later on Friday, the Challenger 1 required repairs. There were problems with the steering and it was reported that the vessel was taking in water (leaking); concerns about sabotage and safety issues dictated that the vessel should seek shelter and repairs at the Port of Larnaka. Due to the despicable banning by Government of Cyprus, the Flotilla had to seek help from the illegal port of the occupied city of Famagusta [Ammohostos; Gazimagusa]. The forces from Turkey that are illegally occupying the Famagusta Port did not object to aiding the Flotilla, even though the military occupation of the City and its Port is exactly the same as that of Israel's illegal blockade of Gaza - with the exception that its genocidal extermination policies were successful in this case, and have chased away every single one of the City's native inhabitants.

Here is a short video of Ewa Jasiewicz, spokesperson for one of the Flotilla's vessels, explaining the situation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPst80dPLY

Free Gaza Movement
http://www.freegaza.org/

WitnessGaza
http://www.witnessgaza.com/

Launch of Palestine Film Festival 1 June 2010
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/launch-of-palestine-film-festival-1.html

Targeting the Free Gaza Flotilla
http://counterpunch.org/leas05282010.html

Ενδο~Μήδεια / Cyprus IndyMedia
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/search/label/Palestine

ΕΝΑ ΚΑΡΑΒΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΗ ΓΑΖΑ ~ SHIP TO GAZA
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/ship-to-gaza.html

Independent Palestinian News Sources
http://cyprusindymedia.blogspot.com/2009/08/independent-palestine-news-resources.html

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