From the P10K website:
Ken O'Keefe and Ian Hodgson, the two main organisers of P10K, were apprehended by Israeli soldiers today on a beach in Gaza, approximately 100 metres from Palestinian territory.
There is little information to hand at this point as communication with the outside world has been denied (this initial information comes via a mobile phone call).
Both were finger printed and told they had been arrested, and their Palestinian contact names and numbers have been taken from them.
Ian was released, forced to leave the police station and barred from the West Bank.
Ken has been held against his will since 2pm and remains so as of sending this message.
We will post here when we know more.
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Update: Ken is being held at Eretz Police Station and the senior officer in charge is Ammon Golan.
www.p10k.net
Ken O'Keefe and Ian Hodgson, the two main organisers of P10K, were apprehended by Israeli soldiers today on a beach in Gaza, approximately 100 metres from Palestinian territory.
There is little information to hand at this point as communication with the outside world has been denied (this initial information comes via a mobile phone call).
Both were finger printed and told they had been arrested, and their Palestinian contact names and numbers have been taken from them.
Ian was released, forced to leave the police station and barred from the West Bank.
Ken has been held against his will since 2pm and remains so as of sending this message.
We will post here when we know more.
------------------------------------------------------
Update: Ken is being held at Eretz Police Station and the senior officer in charge is Ammon Golan.
www.p10k.net
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P10K Founder Ken O'Keefe in Israeli Jail for entering Gaza - Update
11.06.2004 00:09
Former US Marine and initiator of the Human Shield Action to Iraq, Ken
O'Keefe, was jailed last night by Israeli authorities attempting to enter
the Gaza Strip. He wished to discuss with the people and leaders of Gaza
the P10K plan to bring 10,000 western citizens to act as international
observers in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. P10K also calls for a
cessation of offensive operations from the Israeli Government and the
militant Palestinian Resistance, upon the arrival of the 10,000 strong
P10K Force.
O'Keefe and P10K coordinator Ian Hodgson were detained by ten Israeli
Soldiers at 2pm Thursday as they walked along the beach into Palestinian
Gaza from an area of Jewish Settlements at the northern end of the Gaza
Strip. Knowing that Israel would refuse entry through the usual
checkpoints into Gaza, the pair nearly caught Israeli soldiers off guard
with their unconventional approach along the coastline.
O'Keefe said: 'I desperately wanted to discuss this idea with people in
Gaza, and would not simply accept Israel's refusal to admit me entry.
P10K aims to save life on both sides of the conflict, and uphold
international law by ending Israel's illegal and immoral occupation, which
is the root cause of Palestinian violence."
"Israeli state terrorism is fueling the conflict; Israel must stop its
assassinations, incursions, house demolitions and building of the wall,
and fully withdraw its illegal settlements and military from the occupied
territories until there can be any movement towards a peaceful resolution
of this conflict. Palestinian human rights must be respected, most
importantly the right to life, but also the right to travel, which I was
denied today."
O'Keefe is being held at Sohar Prison in the Negev region of Israel, close
to the Egyptian border. Last night Ammon Golan from Erez Police Station
said that O'Keefe would be deported to London in the next two days.
Israel effectively imprisons over a million Palestinian in Gaza, with
access granted only to selected media and NGO's. P10K would bring more
than 3,500 western citizens into the Gaza Strip to prevent widespread
human rights abuses such as the destructive incursions into Rafah two
weeks ago.
The P10K plan is explained in full at www.P10K.net.
Contact:
Ken O'Keefe mobile: 00 972 (0)555 13990 (may have been confiscated by
Israeli authorities)
Ian Hodgson:
www.P10K.net
Notes:
Ian Hodgson was released late on Thursday evening after agreeing to make
no further attempts at entry into Gaza.
P10K has endorsements and statements of support from Noam Chomsky, Hanan
Ashwari, Mordechai Vanunu and many others.
Ian Hodgson
e-mail:
ian@P10K.net
Homepage:
http://www.P10k.net