Beirut Free Gaza Movement Fundraiser at EM Chill

A Fundraiser for the Free Gaza Movement
EM CHILL
Thursday, June 10th — doors open at 8:30pm
Ticket: $20 + 1 drink
all proceeds will go towards supporting the Free Gaza Movement.

www.freegaza.org

Fareeq el Atrash http://www.myspace.com/futrush
Lazzy Lung http://www.myspace.com/lazzylunglb
Pop Will Save Us http://www.popwillsaveus.com/
La Gale http://www.myspace.com/lagalemc
LUmi http://www.myspace.com/lumisounds
Zeid & the Wings http://www.myspace.com/shiftz
Rayess Bek http://www.rayessbek.com/
Hiba Mansouri http://hibalive.com/
The Incompetents http://www.myspace.com/theincompetents
RGB http://www.myspace.com/RGB961
Tania Saleh http://www.taniasaleh.com/
Miah http://www.miah.fr/

Seebeck will be providing the Backline for FREE !!!
check them out ! http://www.seebeckaudio.com/

Poster by Rajwa Tohme

On Thursday, June 10th we invite you to an event to stand with those enduring in Gaza by supporting the Free Gaza Movement in their ongoing attempts to break the Israeli siege of the territory. This illegal blockade has resulted in, among other things, 80% of the population depending on humanitarian assistance for food, 40% unemployment, stagnant industrial and commercial activity, and countless mental and physical health problems.

In August 2008, the Free Gaza’s initial humanitarian mission in defiance of this siege brought 100 hearing aids and medical supplies to Gaza, while also transporting people in and out who would otherwise be unable to do so due to well known Israeli border restrictions. This trip also marked the first time international boats traveled to Gaza since 1967.

Since then, eight additional sailings have taken place, each one bigger than the last, carrying more supplies and observers from all over the world, including Lebanon. These missions have met with varying degrees of success as the organization has, since its inception, adopted tactics of non-violence and does not attempt to use military force to break the siege.

On May 31, 2010, at least 9 members (some are still missing) of the Freedom Flotilla, a coalition of which Free Gaza was a part, were killed by the IDF in a pre-dawn raid on the ship in international waters off the coast of Gaza. The move set off global protests and served as yet another rallying point for those of us frustrated by years of international inaction in the face of Israel’s continued policies of murder, theft and civil abuse.

On June 4th, the MV Rachel Corrie set sail from Cyprus for Gaza, carrying hundreds of tons of aid, and was subsequently boarded -in international waters- by the Israeli navy.

On June 5th, the Free Gaza Movement issued a press release entitled “We will be back”

Let’s help them get there…

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Excerpts from the Free Gaza Movement mission statement:

“We want to break the siege of Gaza. We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of the Gaza Strip and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation. We want to uphold Palestine’s right to welcome internationals as visitors, human rights observers, humanitarian aid workers, journalists, or otherwise.”

“We have not and will not ask for Israel’s permission. It is our intent to overcome this brutal siege through civil resistance and non-violent direct action, and establish a permanent sea lane between Gaza and the rest of the world.”

Full text here:

http://www.freegaza.org/en/about-us/mission

Gaza Humanitarian Crisis FAQ:

http://gazaflotilla.delegitimize.com/factsheets/humanitarian-crisis-in-the-gaza-strip-faq/

Free Gaza Press Release:

http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/press-releases/1213-we-will-be-back