US arrests hospitalized peace activist

CODEPINK peace activist Rae Abileah at George Washington University Hospital

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/181820.html

The US police have arrested a peace activist who was hospitalized after being severely assaulted by a pro-Israeli pressure group for interrupting the Israeli premier's speech at Congress.

Police apprehended CODEPINK peace activist Rae Abileah at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C., the group reported on its website.

Abileah interrupted Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at US Congress on Tuesday, with a banner that read, "Occupying Land Is Indefensible" and shouting, "No more occupation, stop Israel war crimes, equal rights for Palestinians, occupation is indefensible."

When Natanyahu began to speak about the global movement for more democracy, the 28-year-old Jewish American woman rose up to speak out for the human rights of Palestinians, but AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) members of the audience assaulted her and tackled her to the ground.

AIPAC is one of the most powerful political pressure groups in the US that spends large sums of money on US lawmakers to ensure unconditional and comprehensive support for the regime in Tel Aviv.

Following the attack, the severely-battered Abileah was immediately transferred to hospital.

In his Tuesday speech, Netanyahu once again rebuffed the US call for Israel's retreat from a part of Palestinian lands.

He also implied that contrary to Iran, Israel respects freedom and allows opposition groups to express their views.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been expelled from their homeland to the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as countries in the region and worldwide since the 1948 Israeli occupation.

Consequently, Israel has encouraged the immigration of Jews from all over the world to the occupied Palestinian lands.

"I am in great pain, but this is nothing compared to the pain and suffering that Palestinians go through on a regular basis," said the CODEPINK activist from her hospital bed.

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end US-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect resources into humanitarian projects.

Freedom Flotilla sets sail for Gaza

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=126842§ionid=351020202


The Freedom Flotilla of three cargo ships and five passenger ships plans to attempt to break the siege of Gaza, and the first ship has already set sail.

Tel Aviv has imposed a land, air, and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip since mid-June 2007, when the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas gained control of the territory.

The restrictions have deprived Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinians of fuel, food, and other necessities.

The Freedom Flotilla convoy carries 5,000 tons of construction materials, medical equipment, and school supplies, as well as around 600 people from 40 countries.

"This is a provocation and a breach of Israeli law," AFP quoted Israeli Foreign Ministry official Naor Gilon as saying on Monday.

Addressing a meeting of foreign ambassadors, he said, "Israel has no intention of allowing the flotilla to enter Gaza."

The international human rights organization the Free Gaza Movement is coordinating numerous pro-Palestinian groups in the Freedom Flotilla project.

The Rachel Corrie, a Freedom Flotilla ship named after a US peace activist who was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, has already set sail.