New York – PNN – Nearly one year after Israeli commandos stormed an aide flotilla that was in international waters and bound for Gaza, The CCR, the Center for Constitutional Rights has launched a Freedom of Information lawsuit. The lawsuit was launched in order to try and gain access to governmental documents that would show just how much knowledge the United States had of the attack.The raid on the boat left 54 civilians injured and left nine dead, among them was an 18 year old American citizen by the name of Furkan Dogan. He was shot several times while he was filming the raid, then he was shot point blank range in the face, even though he was wounded and posed no threat to the Israeli commandos.
Doğan’s father, Professor Ahmet Doğan has said he has traveled to Washington D.C. seeking answers in his son’s death.
“I call upon the United States government to at least release information related to the flotilla attack and what it knows about my son’s death. Why isn’t the United States investigating the death of a U.S. citizen in this case?”
Even though there is much confusion and anger surrounding last year’s unjustified attack on the flotilla, especially among those who are questioning the motivations of the American government in not pursuing an investigation into an American citizen’s death, another committee on the other side of the ocean is getting ready to set sail to Gaza.
In Paris, France, The international Steering Committee of Freedom Flotilla II has finished their meetings, only weeks before they attempt, themselves to break the nearly five year long siege on Gaza.
In a press release, the committee said that, “The UN Human Rights Committee Fact Finding Mission into the 2010 flotilla attack found Israel’s blockade on Gaza to be unlawful. The International Committee of the Red Cross has said that Israel must end its illegal closure of Gaza.”
According to the press release, the Freedom Flotilla II will set sail in the third week of June, from ports all around Europe and has added to their group, the Swiss-German boat.
“In July 2010 Germany’s Bundestag passed a resolution calling for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. A number of our respective governments have said the same Yet Israel continues to disregard international law and ignore the will of the international community.”
The committee stated that the question of why they are setting sail, even though last year’s incident is a chilling example of what could transpire again. They believe the question is why the international community is so slow to act.
“We call on the community of states and people around the world to uphold international law in Palestine, and support the Freedom Flotilla.”
Sources: CCRJustice.org, Freegaza.org
