Public Meeting: Gaza - After the Flotilla, What Next? (Fintan Lane & Derek Graham from the Flotilla)

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Wednesday June 09, 2010 17:12 by Kev - IPSC

Time & Date: Saturday, 12 Jun 2010, 2:00PM

Venue: The Central Hotel, Exchequer St, Dublin 2

Speakers:

Dr Fintan Lane (IPSC & Challenger 1 passenger)
Derek Graham (First Mate on MV Rachel Corrie)
Chair: Freda Hughes (IPSC National Committee)

We all watched with horror and outrage as Israeli commandos massacred at least 9 people on the Freedom Flotilla, hijacked the Gaza-bound aid boats in international waters and imprisoned, abused and deported the human rights activists on board. The Irish boat, the MV Rachel Corrie, was then hijacked almost a week later despite demands from the Irish government that it be allowed safe passage.

Irish public opinion was outraged and all around the island supporters of the Palestinian people and the Flotilla demonstrated their anger and protested the Israeli attacks on the unarmed aid ships that sought to break the illegal siege of Gaza.

The Irish government promised "further diplomatic actions" if the Rachel Corrie was not allowed safe passage to Gaza and the blockade lifter. Thus far, no such action has been taken, or even hinted at.

This meeting will see some of the Irish participants on the Freedom Flotilla talk of their experiences, and crucially will discuss what practical steps Irish people can help take to bring about the end of the siege of Gaza and Israeli apartheid as a whole and secure self determination for the people of Palestine. Central to this will be the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign aimed at forcing Israel to respect its obligations under international law.

The speakers will be Dr. Fintan Lane of the IPSC who was on board the Challenger 1 which was hijacked on Monday 31 May and Derek Graham who was first mate on the MV Rachel Corrie which was hijacked on Sat 5 June.

ALL WELCOME