If the boat was attacked and effectively plundered in international waters, does this not make it an act of piracy? I am not a lawyer, but I am very curious if such a charge could be brought (and how, by and before what body). Anyone have any specialized knowledge on this?
Khawaga | 07.01.09 - 11:36 am | #

Protest in DC:

http://theinfounderground.com/fo....php?f=4& t=6174
anon | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 12:10 pm | #

I don't have any specialized knowledge, but I do know that if it occurred in international waters it is an act of piracy and those who imprisoned the activists are therefore commiting a criminal act. if identified they can be tried in maritime courts in london or dubai, but lets be realistic, these are the people who run the world, not poor starving somalians with no other hope of survival, it will never happen.
tarig | 07.01.09 - 3:26 pm | #

Please see this re piracy

Piracy off the Promised Land: The Ramming of the Dignity with Clear Lethal Intent

http://dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk...&id=70& Itemid=2

The same piracy happened with the TALI a large cargo ship delivering aid to Gaza. Theresa MacDermott was on that boat and she was on the Spirit of Humanity too.
mary | 07.01.09 - 3:50 pm | #

It was discussed in parliament in Ireland today, and I've just recieved an email from the main opposition party's foreign affairs spokesmen where he says he's 'requested the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Michael Martin to give any assitance he can to the kidnapped human rights workers and journalists'. All good.
David L | 07.01.09 - 4:42 pm | #

Also: protest at the Israeli Mission @ NYC today, 4 PM to 6 PM, 800 2nd avenue, near 43rd st. I'll be somewhere off to the side glowering at the Israeli flag.
max | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 6:08 pm | #

It remains rather beyond belief that some people actually oppose this ship's humanitarian mission. Would they do the same if it was bound for, say, Tibet?

Galloway's Viva Palestina! convoy almost suffered the same fate and it too got criticised by Ziotrolls the world around...
Gert | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 6:56 pm | #

'Piracy' under international law can only be committed by a 'private actor', not a 'state actor', as the legal parlance goes. See Chomsky, 'Pirates and Emperors', the moral of which is it pays to be an emperor.
marc b. | 07.01.09 - 6:58 pm | #

See Marc I thought I was on to something pondering a beautiful essay using Chomsky's anecdote borrowed from St. Augustine to frame the Somalian/Israeli piracy dyad. Ah well.

As for the demo: I seem to have forgotten that the Israeli Economic Mission shares a space with Raytheon..no, wait, the Brazilian and Ecuadorian consulates and so there was no flag hanging outside to glower at. Hope they could see us though.
max | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 2:49 am | #

Thanks, Marc. I was wondering if there was some distinction like that.
Khawaga | 07.02.09 - 8:02 am | #

How did your NYC demo go Max? There's pictures of the Dublin one here, if you scroll down - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92971 and aome updates on the conditions of the prisoners here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92985, as the free gaza website is (surprise, surprise) difficult to access now.

According to the Israelis, they'll be released in the next few days.
David L | 07.02.09 - 10:28 am | #

An updated version of the Dublin protest is here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92988
David L | 07.02.09 - 11:15 am | #

'apparently in international waters)'

not apparently.....I anyca se, 'israel' has no legal foundation, so it cant speak of ITS waters...they are palestinian waters.

NMotice how the 'International Community' sit back and do nothing....its time these frauds were exposed for the self-serving powe abusing frauds they really are.
brian | 07.02.09 - 12:10 pm | #

David--
The NYC protest was good, around 100 or more people, attracted a decent bit of attention from passerby (if you know NY, 2nd ave + 43rd st during rush hour is very, very crowded; scores of buses went by with people peering out, etc.). 2 or 3 hecklers, but they screamed and fled. Fuck 'em.
max | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 7:14 pm | #

What do you mean by "'israel' has no legal foundation"... what is "legal foundation"..... whom the Israelis should ask for legality?
Do you have "legal foundation" and if so, whom you asked for it?
Abe Bird | 07.02.09 - 9:20 pm | #

Nothing has been said in the Scottish corporate media about the kidnapping of a Scottish nurse on her way to help the victims of a man-made tragedy, as far as I can tell.

In the meantime, here is footage from the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign complaining about the kidnapping of one of their Nobel Peace Laureates -
IPSC Protest Against the Israeli Kidnapping of 21 Free Gaza Humanitarian Workers
YouTube

According to Charlie Pottins, she's got a bit of form, this Irish Nobel Peace Laureate. She had to go all the way to Israel in order to get shot with a baton round apparantly -
Pirates seize Freedom boat, but perhaps it isn't 'news'?
RandomPottins
30 June 2009
joe90 kane | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 11:39 pm | #

Abe Bird: a lot of people (including me) think that a bunch of "old white men" were focused on the benefits that would accrue to them when they agreed to support nationalization of identity for "the Jews." How else to understand why the leaders of the "Great Powers" disregarded empowerment for those who represented the interests (the issue of benefit to or harm toward) of the people who already lived in the Mandate of Palestine?

I don't consider such actions, or the basis on which they were judged worthwhile, to be valuable, useful or 'moral.'

Israel has a problem. "PR" possibly could change the minds of future generations, if those controlling it could control all the information available to the world's people. Otherwise, there is no hope: too many people understand that "Never forget" applies to everyone, not just one of the many groups into which humankind tends to coalesce.

One would have to eradicate knowledge of history, and the individual response to that history, to end protest at Israel's actions.

IMHO, it is a far better course for Israel to question the assumptions on which are based the establishment of an ethno-theological state, necessarily sustained by a militarized culture.

Fomenting resistance to that 19th century vision are the ideals of equality in civil rights and of "Peace, Now!"
Sqwak!! | 07.03.09 - 5:10 am | #

Who cares if the activists were Irish,Scottish or American, the real point is why is there not more outrage? Nut-n-yahoo is a Nazi.
wags101 | 07.03.09 - 2:42 pm | #

Who cares if the activists were Irish,Scottish or American, the real point is why is there not more outrage?
- Well I care, as its my government that claims to represent my interests who are giving Israel the wherewithal to commit atrocities against me and my fellow Scots and Britons. A crime against one is a crime against all.

Just for instance, not too long ago, BBC Scotland was twisting itself into paroxyms of howling pain and suffering and outrage over the kidnapping of a Scot by Somalian pirates.

No such outpourings of indignation seem evident over similar crimes committed by allies of the British Government.

Thus I can channel my outrage into productive and meaningful activities which will be a help to the victims of my own governmentand its criminal and sordid practice of being a supporter and accomplice to the crimes of the Israeli racist state.

As well as the fact there is certain moral responsibility on citizens of the UK to help all the peoples of former Mandate Palestine, given the fact it was our state that help create all the problems bewteen Israelis and Palestinians in the first place.

As I always say, solidarity like charity begins at home not abroad - act local, think global etc etc


As for the Netanyahu is a nazi thing - I think there is far more continuity between the current practices of the Israeli regime and the British Empire, former overlords of Mandate Palestine, than there is with the Nazi Empire.

all the best
joe90 kane | Homepage | 07.03.09 - 4:26 pm | #

israel has claimed not to recognise UN...the same UN tghat theyb were happy to acknowledge when it granted them paletinian land.

so abe bird...what is israels legal fondation...you tell me
brian | 07.04.09 - 4:56 am | #