Ithaca Blog

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Ithacan Audrey Stewart's Peace Mission in Gaza

Audrey Stewart of Ithaca recently went to Gaza with Kathy Kelly, a multiple nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, as a proponent of peace and an observer of the warfare there.

Kathy Kelly appeared today on "Democracy Now" with Amy Goodman.

The trip lasted six days. Kelly and Stewart stayed with residents just outside the area where people were told to evacuate. Kelly told Goodman, "Every eleven minutes, there would be a huge bomb thudding down on the neighborhood."

Kelly and Stewart traveled to a number of area hospitals. Doctors reported that the majority of victims were non-military, including many elderly and children, and that lack of medicines and materials led to much suffering and death in the 22-day assault.

Kelly said that the United States gives more than $2 billion in aid to Israel annually, and called on the Obama administration to "abandon these military projects" irrevocably and immediately.

"I think if we take a wait and see attitude, that could quickly morph into inertia," Kelly said.

The broadcast and transcript can be seen at the website for Democracy Now.

Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog

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