Cynthia McKinney, 14 Activists Still In Israel Jail
By World Bulletin
05 July, 2009
World Bulletin
Five Bahraini activists was deported on Friday but 14 international activists are still under Israeli jail, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
Bahraini officials visited Israel in an official capacity for the first time to make release five of their nationals Israel, Reuters said.
The Bahrain News Agency said the delegation was sent by the interior and foreign ministries to collect the five Bahrainis, who were detained on a Free Gaza boat "Spirit of Humanity" bound for Gaza from Cyprus this week while trying to break the Israeli blockade on the territory.
Israeli warships surrounded and boarded on Tuesday the Free Gaza Movement boat, the Spirit of Humanity, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, raided the vessel in Gazan waters.
Activists said they would continue to try to get aid directly to Gaza for as long as Israeli restrictions were in place. Israel says it is allowing aid to get through.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman confirmed the delegation's arrival and said it was the first time officials from the Gulf state had visited Israel in an official capacity.
The Bahrain News Agency said the officials had arrived by air at Israel's main international airport near Tel Aviv.
According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel's December/January offensive are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid. Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.
Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland, had said that "Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone."
Israel launched on Dec. 27 a massive offensive in Gaza, killing more than 1300 Palestinians, a third of them children, and wounded at least 5300.
Israel targeted hospitals, schools, mosques and government buildings and destroyed infrastructure system in Gaza, lefting Palestinians without electricity, gas and power.
But Israel imposes heavy blockade on entry of infrastracture materials under the pretext of Palestinians can use them as "weapon" materials.
