Freedom Flotilla II UPDATES

Gaza flotilla begins to form as first ship heads toward maritime meeting point – “One ship participating in the flotilla to Gaza has already set sail toward the flotilla’s scheduled meeting place in international waters.”

Israel ministers slam flotilla threat as ‘spin’ – “Israel: Several Israeli ministers have accused the army of “spin” over its claims that activists on board a Gaza-bound flotilla plan to harm Israeli soldiers, Maariv newspaper reported on Wednesday.”

Behind the anti-flotilla video: A confederacy of dunces? – “But why would an American speak with such a thick Israeli accent? Why does the video begin with the subject setting up his own camera, home-video-style, and then later cut to b-roll? And who would really say that they expected the Gaza flotilla to be “a cross between Che Guevara and Mother Teresa with a kaffiyeh”? Seriously”

U.S. Senators demand protection for U.S. citizens in Flotilla 2 – “Members of  U.S. Congress asked the U.S. Foreign Ministry to protect American citizens , who intend to participate in the convoy  of Freedom Flotilla 2 , which is heading to the besieged Gaza strip to break the blockade imposed on it for more than five years.”

Freedom Flotilla II to Set Sail Today Amid a Flurry of Israeli Propaganda and Dire Warnings from Hillary Clinton

by Scott Creighton

UPDATE: IDF Chief of Staff says “Hate Flotilla is an attempt to de-legitimize Israel”

UPDATE: Israeli officials claiming that flotilla activists like holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein are planning violence against the IDF.

UPDATE: Ray McGovern is on the U.S. aid ship

UPDATE: Passengers and Crew of US ship to Gaza “Audacity of Hope”

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Israel and the United States have been pressuring Greece to find some reason to hold the second Freedom Flotilla in port, keeping it from leaving for Gaza, but to no avail.

The “Freedom Flotilla II — Stay Human” is reportedly planning to set sail for Gaza today in spite of a new wave of Israeli propaganda flooding the MSM about the nature of the mission and the type of people on board. One of the ships is the U.S. flagged “Audacity of Hope“

Among others aboard the U.S. flagged ship will be a former Israeli combat pilot and commander, Yonatan Shapira and holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein.

State Dept Threatens Prison for US Participants in Gaza Aid Flotilla

by Jason Ditz, Antiwar

While this hasn’t resulted in European nations or others stopping humanitarian groups from moving forward with the aid, it has shifted the Obama Administration’s position from opposition to open threats.

Now, the US State Department is not only railing against the flotilla as “irresponsible” but is threatening criminal charges against American participants, claiming that the attempt to deliver aid to Gaza amounts to “conspiring to deliver material support” to Hamas and could lead to lengthy prison sentences.

Gaza aid ships have often had a solid American contingent, and an American was among those killed when Israeli troops attacked the Mavi Marmara for attempting to deliver wheelchairs to the strip. Though the administration apparently believes it can invoke terror charges, it is unclear how eager they would be to actually test such a move in open court.