The New Dark Age

6 January, 2010 — James Jordan, Sky News Online

Controversial MP George Galloway has been involved in scuffles with Egyptian police as a group of pro-Palestinian activists tried to get a relief convoy into the Gaza Strip.

According to medics 55 people were injured after the 520 activists broke down the gate at the port in El-Arish to protest against an Egyptian decision to ship some of the goods through Israel.

They blocked the two entrances to the Sinai port with vehicles and clashed with police who used water cannon to control the protests.

A statement by one of the convoy leaders, Kevin Ovenden, on the Viva Palestina website said that their situation was at “crisis point”, after rioting broke out in the port.

Mr Galloway said:

“Together with myself and other leaders of the convoy we were in negotiations with the Egyptian authorities about their determination to remove more than 55 of our vehicles and send them to the Israeli checkpoint.

“We refused this because it is a breach of the agreement we reached in Akabar between the government of Egypt and the Turkish side and it completely unconsciounable that 25% of our convoy should go to Israel and never arrive in Gaza.

“Because nothing that ever goes to Israel, ever arrives in Gaza.”

The protests were sparked by an Egyptian decision to allow 139 vehicles to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, about 30 miles from El-Arish, but requiring a remaining 59 vehicles to pass via Israel.

Talks in which Mr Galloway and a delegation of Turkish MPs sought to change the Egyptian’s minds proved unsuccessful.

The convoy of nearly 200 vehicles arrived in the Mediterranean town on Monday after a dispute with Cairo on the route.

Source: Sky News