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Israel's threatened 10 year ban on Flotilla journalists 'crude attempt to crush press freedom' printable version

27 Jun 2011: posted by the editor - Ireland, Palestine, Israel

Irish Labour councillor Richard Humphreys' disgraceful accusations about Turkish activists killed by IDF last year amount to an invitation to a repeat action—Irish United Alliance press statement
"In advance of the departure of the Freedom Flotilla II to Gaza, herculean efforts are being made by the Israeli establishment to prevent this humanitarian and political mission taking place. The Israel Law Centre has failed a complaint about the seaworthiness of the US ship. This is a transparent attempt to prevent such passengers as holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein and internationally renowned author Alice Walker from participating in the flotilla."

“Their latest desperate effort is an attempt to intimidate journalists from going on the boats. They have said that any journalists who goes will be faced with a ten year ban on traveling to Israel. This is an outrageous attempt to prevent journalists being present to witness possible Israeli aggression against peaceful flotilla participants. This blatant attempt to crush press freedom should be condemned by all who defend the right to free speech, regardless of their views on the Flotilla or the Israeli blockade.

“Cllr. Richard Humphreys' pathetic smear of myself and fellow United Left Alliance member, Cllr. Hugh Lewis, does not bother me in the slightest. However, his attack on the nine activists who were killed by the Israel Defence Forces last year is outrageous. In contradiction to the facts, but in line with Israeli propaganda, he has said that responsibility for the killing of these people lies with them and that they 'attempted to kill and injure members of the Israeli Defence Forces.' This is a fabrication not backed up with any evidence. In fact, a UN report in September 2000 confirmed that at least six of them were 'summarily executed' by the IDF. Out of respect to the family of those activists and concern for the message it sends to the IDF about how it should respond to this flotilla, I call on him to retract that statement immediately.

“Despite the combined efforts of the Israeli state and their friends in high and low places, they will not be able to stop this Freedom Flotilla. We will set sail within days for Gaza. The impact of our trip will be felt in Gaza and throughout the world as the horrific conditions that are imposed by the Israeli state on the people of Gaza are highlighted.”

Tags: Gaza flotilla

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