PBS video why aren’t the names of the dead and injured published
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GWEN IFILL: Now, for a closer look at the action and reaction surrounding the high seas standoff, we turn to voices on each side of the issue.
A short time ago, I spoke with Adam Shapiro, a board member of the Free Gaza Movement. He helped organize this trip, and his wife took part in the convoy.
Adam Shapiro, welcome.
How long has this flotilla movement been in the works?
ADAM SHAPIRO, Free Gaza Movement: We have been planning this flotilla since July 2009, when our last effort to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza was stopped by Israeli forces in the waters, and we were detained.
Upon release, we started organizing this flotilla to make it bigger, to bring in more partners and to attract as many ships as possible. And we ended up with six ships on this mission, three cargo ships, and two — and three passenger ships.
GWEN IFILL: So, let’s be clear. You were on a previous flotilla or a previous ship that tried to break this blockade.
ADAM SHAPIRO: Yes. In July 2009, I was on the Spirit of Humanity ship that was — we were stopped just outside of Gaza’s waters. And we were dragged into the Israeli port of Ashdod and detained for about 10 days.
GWEN IFILL: Have you been able to talk to your wife since last night’s events?
ADAM SHAPIRO: No. The last time I spoke to my wife was just moments before her boat was captured. Since then, her and all of the passengers have been held incommunicado. Even the injured are being held in secret locations in Israeli hospitals.
We have no access to the injured people. And even, unfortunately, the names of the dead have not been released by Israel, which, at this point, forces us to — to ask the question, why is Israel keeping the names of the dead a secret?
Read more at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june10/gaza2_05-31.html
