Intimidation will not stop our boats sailing Our perilous, non-violent mission should now be nearing its destination, bearing a message that some want to silence. This morning I am sorry to find myself back on dry land in Cyprus, separated from my fellow sailors who are now completing the final leg of their trip to Gaza. They are carrying humanitarian and medical aid to a people now suffering both an international boycott and the illegal Israeli occupation. On board the refurbished fishing boats, SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, are more than 50 activists from 17 nations - Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, farmers, fishermen, officials, language teachers, piano technicians and one 85-year-old Holocaust survivor - all united in their determination to break the Israeli siege. After months of preparation, the Free Gaza Movement's perilous relief mission is under way. But I am not with them, despite the fact that I am the only Palestinian-born organiser involved. Last week, my immediate family, who still live in the West Bank, were attacked and terrorised, and I also received numerous anonymous death threats. My family were warned that I must leave the project, and that I must not contact the media. This psychological terrorism now forces me to make a public protest. Though I am no longer on board, I will not leave this mission, even as potential confrontation with the Israeli military looms closer. The UN has called the situation in Gaza a humanitarian disaster, but the inhumanity goes on. More than 200 civilians have died due to the refusal to let people leave Gaza to seek medical care. The United States, the country that assumes stewardship of the world and whose influence could change the situation, stands by. Worse still, it endorses absurd Israeli claims, such as the recent labelling of innocent Fulbright scholars as "potential security threats" to bar them from taking up their scholarships abroad. Internationally, the thin veneer of diplomacy has shattered again. On June 19 Israel agreed to halt military invasion and the indiscriminate shelling of Gaza, in return for an end to the launching of homemade rockets towards Israel. Israel has not met its obligations. Gaza's borders, gates that imprison 1.5 million civilians, remain locked, and scant supplies get through. Even medical supplies are being blocked. I grew up in Palestine and have lived in fear since childhood. The horror of witnessing elders of my family being bullied and humiliated, the daily terror of losing my parents. Watching my family elders being humiliated, the child's voice inside me would cry out silently: "How can I stop this?" While I was on board the Liberty, I listened to the threatening messages hijacking the ship's emergency channel, illegal for use unless in distress. These voices reawakened a deep, familiar feeling in me: that no matter how civil, kind, non-violent I am, I will always be watched, or far worse, hunted. Now I realise that the biggest friend of psychological terror is silence. The Free Gaza Movement aims to challenge the physical stranglehold on Gaza, but more importantly, this mission seeks to break the silence for millions of voiceless civilians whose daily stories of persecution go so cruelly ignored by the international community. When our boats arrived in Cyprus on August 20 to collect the rest of our 40-plus group, news reached us that Israel's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Tzipi Livni, had finally responded to our invitation. The Free Gaza Movement had invited her to join the Cypriot authorities, who were coming aboard to search our boats in order to address their security concerns. Citing the Oslo accords, a document from the legal department of the foreign ministry asserted Israel's right to use force against our boats. It claimed that security forces were permitted to detain the vessels upon entry to Gaza's territorial waters, and that the peaceful, unarmed activists on board could be forcibly arrested, detained and "interrogated" in Israel. Why does a peaceful relief mission bring fury, fear and threat from the Israeli government? Is this the way Israel observes its responsibilities under the Oslo accords? Under the accords and the Gaza-Jericho agreement, the only authority Israel reserved for itself was for "security" purposes. Our boats are no threat. Our David and Goliath mission is a focused, direct action to challenge the inertia of the international community which allows the "humanitarian disaster" suffered by the people of Gaza to continue. The activists carry no arms or threat of violence. If the Israeli government orders the destruction of this mission, it will surely be an act unequalled since the blowing up of the USS Liberty more than 30 years ago, a secret mission of sabotage to draw the Americans into the war against Egypt. The prospect casts a shadow on our mission. But Liberty and Free Gaza will bring their peaceful cargo to the people of Gaza. Many families will now be gathered on the Gaza beaches, waiting and praying for the boats' safe arrival. For those families, simply to be afloat in these crystal blue seas, enjoying the freedom of international waters, would be a truly wonderful thing indeed. ·Osama Qashoo is a documentary film-maker and broadcaster freegaza.org

^^Xiin Horta W/Salam. Secondly, the issue is not whether Sharif is well spoken or not. I don't have anything bad to say about the dude in that regard. If anything maybe at first he was a little naive and used. As for his personal things. I don't care, THAt is not on judgement. As for Jabbuuti, again I'm not too fuzzed about the details, were they paid, how did they agree so fast after such long grid lock etc. They came to an agreement, fine, 30days yad yad ya. How long ago was this agreement? and I have not seen anything come of it. If there has been, please show me, I have been busy and maybe I missed it. Sharif advocates simply because proponents you met were unable to present it well. Atheer this guy was not the local dude at the Maaqaxi, he is the Chief negotiator. HE could not negotiate the release of a child on Tahriib let alone negotiate on behalf of so many Somalis. Lastly leadership needs good people around them, it is not an individual alone. Maybe sharifs strength is articulating his points and maybe he has a clear vision, lets even say he is sincere, if he has stupi*d (astagfurallah) people around him, like the ones I’ve had the misfortunate of meeting, then AGAIN he is on a sinking boat, and AGAIN he is not an alternative. We should welcome UN troops if they are the means to get Ethiopian troops out of our soil. It will certainly be to our advantage if we can influence which specific countries these troops will comprise. Xiin lol, sorry to laugh, but how do I say this, the UN/ AU troop, is just another means of occupation, which could last an indefinite period. In addition their conduct, cannot be judged and based on their country of origin, what country is irrelevant. I am going to wait, time will tell and the truth has its own legs Xiin. I for one will know when I see the truth and I am not afraid to support it. So if and it is a big IF Sharif can achieve something which ends the miser in Somalia, I will carry his shoes and durbanaka uu gaaraac, but for the time being, I dont see anything which makes me proud of any somali leader or fraction. Ramadan Mubarak Xiin.

There shaved-head wigs. Aaah i need to do research.

Really ?? How short?? Cool. erm head shape :confused: er er How do I check that??

Freak indeed. Now would you get out of our thread please. So Ms DD what do you say about my winter Question, I know Ducaysan shocked u and made u forget. Also when are u gonna share the...news

^^yeah went back on friday. And sorry hun I meant four years. I'm worried about winter though, will I get ill and cold with my bidaar??

^^SO everyone keeps telling me. But no man is going to see my hair for the nxt four years at least. So they will be gone. Thanks Ms DD. I will call u when I see the maaqas for strenght I've just eat my 8th Strawberry filled mini muffin. Mashallah.

^^^Lool MS DD. You are mad. Hi

^^^Loool Hayam. Lol HAHAH I can image the oldies would chase them with buudh. Scarface meel kaasto xuun iska maaxa taagehy toolow. Watch him come back and say I TOOK them there, in my car, and there was 5! lol NEphtt ey, I agree.

^^^Loool WHEN did you agree with him. How can you? Which one line got you to agree toolow?? Lool

^^Better get use to shaving yaa shike Become a volunteer you will get free tickets and then send some my way. Lool your gonna pay and arm and leg to watch 9sec. You will have better view on TV. I'm gonna start making friends now with people who can sort me out with few days at least. Even if I move out before then I'll come back.

^Oh is that it. :rolleyes: Thanks Faheema. Short hand for everything. You I would've, but I don't think they give anything to students. Us students should lobby for Student seekers Allowance.

^^^Lol BG maaxaad kaa rabta they are on holiday!

^^Have you done it?? I'm already getting cold feet.

Ramadan Mubarak all. Ameen to your ducas. Try do more good than bad and easy on debating and supporting evil warlords. Remember and help with the suffering of our people. Caafis iyo Maasamaxa

^^^HEllo Xin, did I tell you I went to a meeting hosted for "followers" of your good Shike" With a dude name Abdirahaman dheere. He was the so called the peace negotiator. Awaal did I review the meeting :confused: I can't remember. But my point here is he said we agreed to AU troops because the UN is worried about a "power vacuum" and insisted. Although we do not know what "power vacuum" was or how it can happen, they made it a must for us" and it was one of the things we had to agree to if we wanted our goal of Ethiopian withdrawal. :rolleyes: Now you tell people to think OUTSIDE the box, yet you are willing to follow Sharif. I use to support ICU and then even after that the sharif camp, but having attended many different talks hosted by their followers, I have came to realise once again that they are not as different as I thought. Nor are they the alternative I hoped they would be. BG; First get everyone to think outside the box, that alone will produce alternatives. In the meantime since you have so much time and I keep seeing you, I am going ti get you to help out in a project.

^^^Are you quoting me lines from songs?? Brother you are slipping. You was better as 17yr old. You need to go back to school! Now tell me what this code is??

^^SEnd an e-mail anyway. Its already written just send it

So What is it?? :confused: You misunderstood waaxaan ku idii. I said first Clean and then We will see about the back! lol Posh name lol. No I already eat dear. Thanks all the same. A&T I thought u was talking about the other one. Leave Ngonge alone

He is still at work.

Loool Yep I was nerding out at uni for a whole year, stuck at uni. SOL became my social life. Did not go out for the whole year I think. What is JSA cheque? Lol First clean and we'll see about the back if you get results.

^^^I could not agree more, only I would add. What are they willing to do for me in the long term, say no to short term handouts and long term ducking bullets.

^^KAa taar or diib uu daala. Bisinka. Scarface. No I took a year out of work, hence why I'm top dog on SOL Only went back to work on friday. YEah you need to clean up big time. You can use my lines, I'm change and get a new one.

^^^YEah it would be nice to see a debate! He will kick ***! P.s. Clear your inbox lady!

SEE What I mean. You cannot! I did not ask you write an X-rated story you condemn, I asked you to writ non x-rated normal story. Write about taking your kids to school or teaching, or ramadan. Pretend that your story is going to be read by a 12yr old girl okay.