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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Maryland native loses eye; shot with tear gas canister in Gaza Flotilla solidarity action 1 June 2010: A US solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister while standing peacefully in a demonstration at a West Bank checkpoint Monday. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, recovering from two surgeries which were necessary to remove her left eye, insert three metal plates, and wire her fractured jawbone together. Henochowicz was shot at one of the many global demonstrations held in protest of Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters early Monday. 21-year old Henochowicz, a Maryland native, was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint Monday. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel. For further information, please contact: at Hadassah Hospital: Robin Brown 00972(0)548196551 Ellen Stark - Media Office 00972(0)546180056 Photographs can be found at: http://palsolidarity.org/2010/05/12604/ "They clearly saw us," said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. "They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face.” Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan. She was at a demonstration near Qalandiya checkpoint terminal, located on the border between the Occupied West Bank and Occupied East Jerusalem.The demonstration was one of dozens across the United States, Europe and the Middle East protesting the Flotilla attack and calling for an end to the siege on Gaza. Tear gas canisters are commonly used against demonstrators in the occupied West Bank. In May 2009, the Israeli State Attorney's Office ordered Israeli Police to review its guidelines for dispersing demonstrators, following the death of a demonstrator, Bassem Abu Rahmah from Bil'in village, caused by a high velocity tear-gas projectile. Tear-gas canisters are meant to be used as a means of crowd dispersal, to be shot indirectly at demonstrators and from a distance. However, Israeli forces frequently shoot canisters directly at protesters and are not bound by a particular distance from which they can shoot. Israeli occupation forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships on the Freedom Flotilla at 5 a.m. this morning, opening fire on the hundreds of unarmed civilians aboard. No-one aboard the ships were carrying weapons of any kind, including for defense against a feared Israeli attack in international waters. At least 10 aid workers aboard the ship have been confirmed dead, with dozens more injured. The assault took place 70 miles off the Gaza coast in international waters, after the flotilla was surrounded by three Israeli warships. The Freedom Flotilla, carrying 700 human rights activists from over 40 countries and 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, was headed for the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip. The Israeli blockade on Gaza, combined with the illegal buffer zone, has put a stranglehold on the territory. 42% of Gazans are unemployed, and food insecurity hovers around 60% according to figures from the Palestine Centre for Human Rights. ### The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led non-violent resistance movement committed to ending Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land. We call for full compliance with all relevant UN resolutions and international law. For specific media inquires such as interview requests, photo usage, etc. please email the ISM Media Office at me...@palsolidarity.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to ism-media-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
