[conspire] Latest from Darlene

Thu Jan 15 05:03:47 PST 2009

I have not been posting to conspire about what I have witnessed because I
thought it was not wanted.

On 18th November three internationals, including me, and fifteen Palestinian
fishermen were abducted at gunpoint by the Israeli navy and taken to Israel
against our will.  The Israeli minister of the interior put me and the other
two internationals in prison for being in Israel illegally - without a visa.
The Palestinian fishermen were released the next day, 19th November.
Vitorrio from Italy was deported on 23rd November, Andrew from Scotland was
deported on 25th November and I was deported on 26th November (really 27th
November - my flight was after midnight); I spent ten days in prison with
women from many countries who overstayed their work visas and some women who
were refugees from Eritrea and Ethiopia - they walked thru the desert.

The wonderful American embassy who is supposed to take care of American
citizens doesn't appreciate or approve of my activism. When I was abducted
from the Palestinian fishing boat I was wearing ex-officio long pants and
long sleeve shirt, short socks, running shoes, and a baseball style cap. I
had no money nor my passport. The embassy arranged for an emergency visa
good for one month - which didn't give me time to get to where I wanted to
go. Israel refused to deport me back to Gaza, refused to deport me to Cyprus
(I wanted to get on the next Free Gaza boat back to Gaza) and refused to
deport me to London (I wanted to go to a Free Gaza meeting before going back
to Gaza). So I was deported to NYC with no warm clothes, no money and a
passport that expired as soon as I reached the US of north America. Luckily
a young  strong Palestinian woman who lives in 48 brought the three of us
cell phones and warm clothes. Also luckily for me a family was notified, met
me at the airport, took care of me and gave me a place to stay. I was also
met by Huwaida Arraf, a co-founder of ISM, who also brought me some more
warm clothes and cash.

A generous friend from California paid for my flight back to Cyprus - I
intended on returning to Gaza on a Free Gaza boat. I'm still in Cyprus
helping with organizing the Free Gaza boats.

In case you have not heard, the previous Free Gaza boat, DIGNITY, was rammed
and seriously damaged by the Israeli navy on 30th November. The captain and
crew were able to get the boat to Lebanon. We in Free Gaza are not deterred.
People found another boat, got it ready and the "Spirit of Humanity", the
most recent Free Gaza boat, left Cyprus on Wednesday around 15:30. The
Israeli navy put four war ships around the "Spirit of Humanity" near the
northern border of Israel, 100 miles from Gaza. The Israeli war ships
threatened to fire on the boat if it didn't turn back to Cyprus. The "Spirit
of Humanity" is on its way back to Cyprus.

It is unconscionable the war crimes Israel is committing in Gaza. Over 1000
dead, many of them women and children. Israel is bombing UN schools,
mosques, hospitals. Gaza is very densely populated the people in Gaza have
no where to go there is no escape. Israel is using weapons that are
inflicting severe injuries not seen before by doctors. Phosphorus, DIME are
but two.

For those interested:
www.freegaza.org
www.palsolidarity.org
electronicintifada.net
english.aljazeera.net
www.counterpunch.org
www.commondreams.org

Not sure when I'll be returning to California - most likely very soon as I
am very low on money and owe a lot of money.

In advance of anyone who tries to justify what Israel is doing in Gaza
including the 18-month blockade of food, fuel, medicine, building materials,
supplies and equipment for sewage treatment; I could go on and on, Israel is
committing war crimes, enabled by the US govt. Google Richard Falk. Israel
and those responsible - giving the orders must be held accountable along
with people in the US govt who voted to support Israels war crimes.

Darlene Wallach

On Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 1:45 PM, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:

> I just received a politics bulletin from CABAL regular Darlene Wallach
> about recent protests in Los Angeles, so she's definitely active on the
> Net again, after being seized by the Israeli Navy and jailed from Nov.
> 18th to Dec. 6th.
>
> Here's an account (from Darlene via blogger Eileen Fleming) of Darlene's
> deportation and arrival back in the States, on Dec. 6th:
> http://www.mepeace.org/forum/topics/the-deportation-of-darlene
>
> (For comparison's sake, Darlene's first-hand account of a similar
> episode in 2002.  She was even detained in the same prison, Ramle Prison
> between Lod and Ramle, just inland from Tel Aviv-Jaffa:
> http://www.wworld.org/programs/middleEast.asp?ID=261)
>
> Several sources say she has recently arrived _back_ in Gaza on another
> small boat (dubbed "Dignity"), on Dec. 20, 2008, and apparently is
> remaining there for now:  http://palsolidarity.org/2008/12/3688
>
>
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