Update on the Cynthia McKinney situation from NBC news (it’s about friggen time the TV media started to run this story – but it’s still only in thier blog section not on the tube).
Cynthia McKinney Refuses Israel’s Offer of Release from Custody
Jon Shirek
ATLANTA, Ga. — Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who was taken into custody by the Israeli Navy on Tuesday with 20 others while trying to sail through a navy blockade to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, has refused Israel’s initial offer to release her from custody. According to her supporters in Atlanta, McKinney refused the offer because she would have been required to sign an admission of guilt that she violated Israel’s blockade.
“At issue is the fact that Ms. McKinney was in international waters” when the Israeli Navy stopped the group’s boat, according to a statement from the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery and the Atlanta-based Coalition for the People’s Agenda.
Israel disagrees, insisting that the Palestinian Authority and the rest of the international community long ago agreed to the off-shore blockade to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza.
The office of the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta issued its own statement Friday, saying, “According to Israeli law Ms. McKinney and her fellow crew members were suggested to sign a form acknowledging their deportation, however since Ms. McKinney has refused to do so, she is expected to appear before an Israeli judge on Sunday, July 5th and afterwards be returned home as soon as possible.”
McKinney did not address any of that in a message of just under three minutes, posted on youtube.com, that she delivered by telephone from Israel.
“The Israelis hijacked us because we wanted to give crayons to the children of Gaza…. We have not committed any crime. We have been detained,” McKinney said.
She said she wants the world to “see how we have been treated just because we wanted to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.”
Related Articles
- McKinney: Looking for Colorado Bike4Peace Hosts 8/13/-8/24/10 (wilderside.wordpress.com)
Dy'er Hear? 