Cultures of Resistance

Click here to read Iara Lee's piece about the Turkish charity IHH on her Huffington Post blog!

Click here to read about international media personnel planning to sue the Israeli government.

In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, May 31, showing a terrifying disregard for human life, Israeli naval forces surrounded and boarded ships sailing to bring humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. On the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, Israeli commandos opened fire on civilian passengers, killing at least 9 passengers and wounding dozens more. Since the attack, the Israeli government has resisted facing an independent, international inquiry into the events of that morning and has instead gone forward with its own illegitimate investigation.

CALL YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, JOIN IN PROTESTS, AND DEMAND A FULL, IMPARTIAL, AND INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION!

Cultures of Resistance director Iara Lee was aboard the besieged ship, detained in the port of Ashdod, and deported to Istanbul before returning home. Despite the Israeli government’s thorough efforts to confiscate all footage taken during the attack, Iara Lee and Director of Photography Srdjan Stojiljkovic were able to retain some of the video they captured. Below is the unedited footage from the moments leading up to and during the Israeli commandos’ assault on the Mavi Marmara. Click here for the press release. You can also download this footage by clicking here.

Below is a 15-minute version of the footage that has been edited from the video above and it can also be viewed on our Vimeo.com page.

OR Books, the original publisher of New York Times bestseller Going Rouge: Sarah Palin – An American Nightmare, will soon publish a new book about the illegal attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Midnight on the Mavi Marmara will feature the work of activists, journalists, and analysts who piece together the events of May 31 and examine their implications for the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Below you can watch a short promotional introduction to the book, to which CoR director Iara Lee will be a contributor.

Below is a video of the question and answer period following CoR director Iara Lee's release of her Mavi Marmara footage at the United Nations on June 10.

Shortly after returning home, Cultures of Resistance director Iara Lee wrote an Op-Ed about the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle. Click here to read the article.

For news updates on the movement to hold the Israeli government accountable and for action steps you can take to contribute to this effort, please visit the Cultures of Resistance page on Facebook. Go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Cultures-of-Resistance/236643721652

Below you can watch our trailer for the groundbreaking collaboration between scholar Norman Finkelstein and rapper Lowkey. The two teamed up for a tour across the U.S. and were joined by Palestinian rapper Shadia Mansour and activist Jody McIntyre to speak out about the siege of Gaza.

Background: CoR's Efforts to Break the Siege

Since Israel’s military campaign of collective punishment against the Palestinian people in Gaza, waged in blatant violation of international law in late 2008 and early 2009, a devastating blockade of the area has remained in place. As a direct result, Gaza’s economy and infrastructure lie in ruins, with the vast majority of Palestinians there living on less than $1 a day. In response to international outrage at the Flotilla attack and the subsequent attention it brought to the inhumanity of the blockade, the Israeli government has agreed to ease its restrictions on the movement of goods. However, they have declared they will continue to ban most travel and exports from Gaza, as well as much-needed construction materials. Popular pressure must build to force Israeli officials to fully end the siege and allow Gazans the freedom to rebuild their lives.

Beyond Lee's participation in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, CoR has long been involved with groups working in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Below are some examples of this work, as well as ways in which you can get involved.

Gaza Fishermen Under Siege

The Israeli government's ongoing siege of Gaza has had particularly devastating consequences for Gaza's roughly 3,000 fishermen. Although permitted by international law to fish within 20 miles of the Gaza coast, these fishermen are currently restricted to 3 miles by the Israeli navy, and as a direct result many have fallen into poverty. In addition, the fishermen report being frequently harassed by the Israeli navy. Cultures of Resistance investigated the situation in the following short film.

The Gaza Freedom March

During New Year's week, Cultures of Resistance took part in the Gaza Freedom March, organized by the International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza to mark the one-year anniversary of Israel’s attack. The Freedom March brought more than 1,300 protesters from more than 43 countries to Egypt’s border with Gaza. While the Egyptian government allowed only a small delegation to cross into Gaza, the Coalition nevertheless staged high-profile, nonviolent actions at the French embassy and United Nations offices in Cairo, in concert with other demonstrations in Israel and in cities around the globe. The the Caipirinha Foundation sponsored a live satellite link to transmit news from the Freedom March, and Cultures of Resistance was also on hand with our own film crew to document the proceedings. Our short film about the Gaza Freedom March includes footage from the entire week of action.

If you would be interested in scheduling a screening and discussion of these or any other of our films, including a call-in Q&A with our filmmakers, please contact us here or via email.

How You Can Help

Much critical work to promote human rights and uphold international law in Gaza remains to be done. The following organizations offer opportunities to join with others who are actively working to break the siege of Gaza:

• The Free Gaza Movement (FGM), one of the lead organizers of the besieged Gaza Freedom Flotilla, will not be intimidated by the Israeli military's indefensible violence. International outrage toward Israel's blockade and occupation of Gaza has mounted in the wake of FGM's powerful acts of civil disobedience. The group will continue to sail for Gaza with international human rights defenders and humanitarian supplies until this inhumane policy has been defeated. Click here to find out how you can contribute to their heavy-hitting efforts.

• The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) has worked for more than two decades to bring direct humanitarian aid to Gaza in the form of food, medicine, and financial support for local development projects. Recent highlights of their courageous work include a four-ton shipment of medical supplies and the installation of fresh water systems to provide clean drinking water in Gaza's elementary and middle schools. Find out about the next opportunity to get together with other activists and help pack a shipment of goods.

• In response to the May 31 attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, members of both houses of the U.S. Congress proposed pieces of legislation that labeled the passengers aboard the ships extremists, offered explicit support for the naval blockade, and opposed a United Nations investigation into the violence. The U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation urges people to combat the pro-Israeli lobby by sending letters to members of Congress condemning the Israeli military's response and the demanding an end to the siege. Beyond this, they can help you organize a delegation of concerned constituents to meet with your elected representatives to express your concerns about unconditional U.S. support for the Israeli government. Click here to find the resources you need.

Additional Organizations

We recommend the following additional organizations that are working in solidarity with the people of Gaza and bringing aid to Palestinians caught in the humanitarian catastrophe.

   Al Mezan Center for Human Rights | www.mezan.org/en
   Palestinian Centre for Human Rights | www.pchrgaza.org
   International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza | www.codepinkalert.org
   American Near East Refugee Aid/ANERA | www.anera.org
   CARE | www.carewbg.org
   Gush Shalom | www.gush-shalom.org
   Kinder USA | www.kinderusa.org
   Palestinian Medical Relief Society/PMRS | www.pmrs.ps