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McKinney released, returning to United States
By RHONDA COOK, LARRY HARTSTEIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Cynthia McKinney’s mom said she’s learned that her daughter is on the way home.
Leola McKinney said a friend who contacted the U.S. Embassy in Israel reported that the former congresswoman was released from Israeli custody and taken to Ben Gurion International Airport.
“We finally got word that she was released,” Leola McKinney said late Sunday afternoon. “We don’t know what time she is supposed to fly out. All we know is that they took her to the airport.
“I would be more relieved when I know she’s on the flight,” Leola McKinney added. “But I am relieved that she’s away from there.”
McKinney had been in custody since Tuesday, when she and 20 others were swept up by the Israeli Navy while allegedly trying to sail through a navy blockade. The group says it was attempting to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
McKinney and the rest of her group could have been released soon after they were taken into custody but they refused to sign a document admitting they violated Israel’s blockade, according to McKinney’s parents. The group was due to appear in an Israeli court Sunday.
Leola McKinney said she had no information about the court hearing.
Leola McKinney said she had not spoken with her daughter since shortly after she was taken into custody.
Cynthia McKinney and other members of the “Free Gaza Movement ” left Cyprus Tuesday on the Greek-registered ship Arion.
Their ship was stopped when they tried to pass through the Israeli Navy’s security blockade at Ashdod. The group was taken into custody and their ship was seized. Israel officials promised to deliver by ground all of the humanitarian supplies that were on the boat.
Family, friends and supporters say Cynthia McKinney believed she was in international waters and was free to pass.
“The Israelis hijacked us because we wanted to give crayons to the children of Gaza,” Cynthia McKinney said in a recorded statement delivered via telephone and posted on the internet site YouTube.
The office of the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta said in a statement released Friday, “According to Israeli law Ms. McKinney and her fellow crew members were suggested to sign a form acknowledging their deportation… Since Ms. McKinney has refused to do so, she is expected to appear before an Israeli judge on Sunday, July 5, and afterwards be returned home as soon as possible.”
Civil rights leader the Rev. Joseph Lowery, head of the Atlanta-based Coalition for the People’s Agenda, said he and others have spoken by phone with the Consulate General of Israel.
“Whatever happened, there was no harm done,” Lowery said. “She was not carrying munitions, but medicine. We hope Israel will show compassion and release her and let her go on to deliver the much-needed medicine to the Gaza Strip. … If she were carrying guns, that would be a different thing. [But] she was carrying humanitarian aid.”
Israeli officials blame McKinney and her group for the controversy, saying they were looking for confrontation to attract publicity. The officials note that Palestinian Authority and the rest of the international community had agreed to the off-shore blockade to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza. Gaza is controlled by Hamas, which is classified by the U.S. and European Union as a terrorist organization.
Leola McKinney said the trip would have received no “publicity if they had been allowed to deliver supplies to Gaza. They [Israel] made an issue out of it by taking the boat and escorting them into Israel.”
Billy McKinney, Cynthia McKinney’s father and a former state legislator, said his daughter was only trying to show “the devastation in Gaza… Anybody who has a humanitarian spirit would not want to see those people live in those conditions.”
Thanks be to god that he delivered you from t he incredible evil that you faced trying to bring huma- nitarian supplies to those poor victims You have done the work of god”””s angels
why do people always have to bring god into this? god had nothing to do with bringing her home, fictional characters dont have that capability. and its this whole god pissing contest that started this whole feud in the first place (israel/palestine, etc) israel can scarce afford the bad PR (well they dont get bad PR in the US because the MSM is zionist occupied and controlled to the hilt) of course barack obombthem had not a SINGLE word to say about his masters hijacking this ship, pathetic how hes under their thumb, just like every president since woodrow wilson.
silly atheist, God is an ancient word that means The Universe and all that is known and unknown about it. if you think the universe is not real and very much alive then you have worse problems than politics. Now lets all help God smite the tar balls out of Israel for being naughty and hurting the nice people. welcome home Cynthia 🙂
Boarding a vessel that displays the US flag on it and detaining it’s crew is tantamount to an act of piracy and/or a declaration of hostility towards the United States.
If Israel continues to be hostile, then the world will see hostility rise to the point of engaging Israel and demanding it stops by using force against them.
Cynthia McKinney is a hero for humanity and a fearless campaigner for basic Human Rights for Palestine . She is the modern day John Lennon, Gandhi or Bob Marley. May she be given the heroes welcome she deserves.
In the image of John Lennon, Gandhi or Bob Marley or any other person who fought for human rights we should peacefully pressure Israel into leaving its path of violence.
Divest, write to your friends their, write to Israeli politicians, representatives of Jewish organisations in your country, support Jews for Peace and Palestinians for Peace organisations.
Let us work together for peace and abandon the talk of war and hostility.
we covered the kidnap as much as we could at dprogram.net – http://dprogram.net
We have a large collection of anti-zionist content and probobly one of the best Alternative News sites on the net.
Dprogram.net – Countering Propaganda
This should have been considered to an act of aggression towards the U.S. by the U.S.! Just goes to show just how completely owned and ordered Congress, The House and the Presidency are by the Zionist lobby.
Get this–Israel is actually a private run, under contract, a russian civalian military base for USA.
Re Bullcrap:”The officials note that Palestinian Authority and the rest of the international community had agreed to the off-shore blockade to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza. Gaza is controlled by Hamas, which is classified by the U.S. and European Union as a terrorist organization”
The author forgets that Hamas was democratically elected. Palestine Authority–is in the West Bank–you fool :^(
So?
Who cares about Cynthia McKinney. She’s just another politician making a career off an undereducated populace who buys into theater.
Why is she going to Israel? There are people in the bay area so fucked up it looks like somebody threw them up against a wall and they bounced off.
That’s a cruel thing to say about people in the bay area, Road Construction. It demonstrates that at least YOU don’t care about their well being. So what point are you really trying to make? You have no compassion toward bay area residents who look as is they’ve been “bounced against a wall”. You don’t like Cynthia Mkinney. You think the populace is stupid. I couldn’t find anything resembling a solution in your comment, just hatred. I think your problem is that you just hate people. You’re alone. Therefore, your politics can not be trusted because they are founded not on any facts or events, but rather a personal void in your own life. In short, you’re a hater. Get back to us when you have a solution.
“That’s a cruel thing to say about people in the bay area”
No it’s not – it’s true. I’ve seen it. Cruel isn’t acknowledging something like that – cruel would entail me selling those zombies drugs and making it worse. That would be cruel.
“It demonstrates that at least YOU don’t care about their well being.”
It’s not that I don’t care – it’s that people will do whatever they want… So it doesn’t matter if I care or not.
“So what point are you really trying to make? ”
Well, to be honest my post is as pointless as yours or anyone else on this website.
“You don’t like Cynthia Mkinney. ”
Her last name is spelled McKinney..and I actually like her from what I’ve seen in the media…but she’s still just a politician with a career.
“You think the populace is stupid”
There is no such thing as a stupid person.
“I couldn’t find anything resembling a solution in your comment”
Here: Be creative, stay out of trouble and don’t do drugs.
“Your politics can not be trusted because they are founded not on any facts or events, but rather a personal void in your own life”
I don’t think anyone’s politics can be trusted… and I think all of this focus on politicians and media figures is really just a form of people compensating for voids in their own life – which includes you.
Solid!
folks, have you lost sight of the fact that these are a people who GLORIFY blowing themselves up and others as martyrs. i would love for you to see a world that is actually run by ruthless, deranged people like these so you can see what you’re criticizing israel against defending. the fact is, they intercepted her boat b/c of a blockade against the palestinians. maybe if they stopped acting like animals and electing terrorists to lead them, maybe, we wouldnt be here now.
Morris, I respect Palestine for having the courage of all people to fight back. They may fight back stupidly with the bombing themselves, but if the Romans (white Americans), Africans (Blacks), and others are too afraid of Israel and the ADL, somebody has to have courage. You can’t just take over people’s land and not expect them to say anything. Just wish Africans never lost sight of what those jews and arabs done to them with their land, history, and resources. Renaming our land “the middle east”. God does not like ugly. WE are the one’s who need to be bombing people. Maybe if Israel would stop the propaganda because they control the finances due to their stealing from ancient and present Africa, God would balance this world. They are not God’s, I’m sorry, morris..
Robert–it takes alot of courage to strape a bomb and knowingly kill yourself for your country and hardships–loss of family. FYI: that is the only means they have.
In almost all major wars–hardly no Jews risked their lives–they used other cowards–Nukes, airplanes, missiles, battleships from 32,000ft and sea. today, America, Israel bombs far away countries from their comfort from their offices in Floridia.
Please stop bashing the Arabs–Little Israel children write messages on military bombs for the PalsOfmine–Death to arabs and the Jews think it’s cute. Evil vampire peple-The most feared Russian tribe Ashkenzies have invade the world and Americans/EUs too FKN stupid to know i :^(.
I’m just glad Mckinney’s released. I ain’t studding the ashkenzie jews nor the bomb strapping arabs, both are guiity of oppressing Africans, George in Toronto. How I get caught up in this “Anit” talk again, anyways.
Cynthia Who?
Is she back already?. I was preying they would Keep her there
For a little bit longer 2-3 Years. Don’t the Idiot Know that there is war and bullets are flying back and forward? Well. If She Like the Palestinians so much Why don’t she move to live for ever there. Well I guess God do not love us anymore. Maybe she can have a part on the next batman movie as the scarecrow, She is too Ugly to Play Cat women. ( why so serious)
Sounds like your a bit jealous Magimbe… She was there with 200 other people from all over ther world and they eventually did get in to deliver aid..
“Magimbe” or more like magpie?
Listen you silly twit,if Americans were more like this wonderfull lady–united Tits for Israel won’t be a FKN mess.
Likes of you are too stupid to know that the Israelies pulled off the 911 attacks–dumb dumber than a mule.
FYI: Them rabid ashkenazie Russians making out as once Israelies and Jews,need a swift boot back where they belong–planet pluto :^/
Cheers to the PalsOFmine