Tag: viva palestina

Disinformation and False Accusations of Anti-Semitism by Heather Stroud

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16 June 2019 — Dissident Voice

Permitting Israel’s Slow Motion Genocide of Palestinians

The smearing of George Galloway and widely reported disinformation that there was no evidence to support the claim that Viva Palestina delivered aid, raises serious concerns, not just in this case, but far beyond.

It is seriously disturbing how disinformation and lazy ‘cut and paste’ journalism has become common place within the monopoly media of the UK. One wonders where the professional and serious investigative reporting of old has gone.

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AID CONVOY SET TO SAIL FOR GAZA

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14 October 2010 — Viva Palestina

viva-palestina-logo.jpg

Tfter a tense ten day stand off in Syria, the Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza has now been cleared to sail.

The convoy started out from London on Saturday 18th September and drove down through France, Italy, Greece and Turkey before arriving in the port of Latakia, Syria, on Saturday 2nd October. In Latakia, the convoy has been joined by two other convoys. One came from Morocco and Algeria, the other originated in Doha and came through the Gulf states and Jordan.

There are now 147 vehicles about to board two ships together with 380 people from some 30 countries stretching from New Zealand and Australia to Canada and the United States carrying aid worth some 5 million dollars. This includes 40 people who were on the Mavi Marmara flotilla which was attacked by Israeli commandos murdering ten human rights activists from Turkey.

Over the last ten days in Syria, the convoy has taken on medical supplies urgently needed in the besieged Gaza Strip. Simultaneously negotiations have been conducted with the Egyptian authorities to allow passage into the port of Al Arish and then on to the Rafah Crossing. The support of the Syrian authorities and others has been vital in the successful negotiations.

Last night word finally came through that the Egyptian authorities would allow the ships to dock, unload and passage through to the Rafah Crossing and Gaza would be guaranteed.

The ships will now sail past the place where the Mavi Marmara was attacked and flowers will be laid in memory of the victims. When the convoy reaches Gaza the soil from the graves of some of those who were murdered will be used to plant trees as a memorial to the Mavi Marmara victims.

The convoy hopes to reach Gaza this Saturday or Sunday.

Viva Palestina 5 in Ancona, a photo essay By Mary Rizzo

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25 September, 2010 — Palestine Think Tank

Written by Mary Rizzo, Photographs by Daniela Filippin

Palestinian flag made by an Italian activist's mother.
Palestinian flag made by an Italian activist’s mother. It is being brought to Gaza

Yesterday, the Viva Palestina 5 convoy arrived in Ancona to end the first leg of their land journey, and sail closer to the final destination. We all think the destination is Gaza, Palestine, but actually, it’s freedom for all of us. Nobody among us is really free if we allow the atrocities against the Palestinian people to continue, and breaking the siege, while not in our power, is just one of the most urgent things that needs to be done.

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Register now for Viva Palestina 5 – a global lifeline to Gaza

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25 July, 2010 — Viva Palestine

Registration now open for the next convoy to Gaza

Registration for the new convoy, Viva Palestina 5 – a Global Lifeline to Gaza, is now live. The VP team has put a lot of work into reviewing everyone’s feedback from the previous three successful convoys, and from the Freedom Flotilla, in order to make this next convoy even more effective. So even if you have taken part before, please read through the application process (links at bottom of page) carefully. There are, for example, new procedures governing registration and controls on finance and aid.

The challenges are immense – the government of Israel, and others, remain committed to this siege on the Palestinian people. But the chance to make decisive progress is better now than at any time in the last three years. The blockade is weakening, though that has come at the enormous price of the loss of nine aid volunteers aboard the Mavi Marmara when it was so brutally attacked. Many governments and major NGOs are now calling for an end to the blockade.

Ending this illegal and immoral siege is going to require a huge effort from all those who care about Palestine. It is also going to need strategic cooperation between the international aid efforts.

That’s why Viva Palestina has agreed to launch this convoy after extensive discussions with partners in Gaza and internationally, aimed at maximising rather than duplicating our efforts.

It is hoped that a new, bigger, more international flotilla will head off for Gaza at around the same time as the land convoy is there. In any case, Viva Palestina 5 will be the biggest convoy yet, with three legs – from London, from Casablanca and from Doha, converging at Al Arish.

We are asking you to get behind the convoy in whatever way you can – going on it, providing a vehicle, fundraising, promoting it and helping to ensure widespread public awareness as it travels.

The aid we are taking will be of the highest quality. The people of Gaza deserve nothing less and we have clear lists of what is needed from those who are working on the ground and who know first hand.

We aim to take some of all the different categories of humanitarian relief required in Gaza. And, of course, by doing so we aim to highlight the unjust and unsustainable siege.

Enthusiasm for this convoy is very high and we anticipate it filling up quickly. Already, support is coming in from new areas, such as major trade unions in the UK, and new coalitions to build the VP5 convoy are forming in many countries – from New Zealand to Morocco and Italy.

We are very grateful for your ongoing support for the people of Palestine and for Viva Palestina’s efforts.

There are many ways you can help, including volunteering to be part of the teams working on aid, fundraising, vehicles and so on.

Please feel free to contact us with your ideas. But don’t delay, we have eight weeks to make a major contribution to ending the suffering in the Gaza Strip and moving a step closer to justice for the Palestinian people.

To read more about the convoy, please click here – http://www.vivapalestina.org/vp5/intro.html

For details on how to register, please click here – http://www.vivapalestina.org/vp5/register.html

Register now for Viva Palestina 5 – a global lifeline to Gaza

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25 July, 2010 — Viva Palestine

Registration now open for the next convoy to Gaza

Registration for the new convoy, Viva Palestina 5 – a Global Lifeline to Gaza, is now live. The VP team has put a lot of work into reviewing everyone’s feedback from the previous three successful convoys, and from the Freedom Flotilla, in order to make this next convoy even more effective. So even if you have taken part before, please read through the application process (links at bottom of page) carefully. There are, for example, new procedures governing registration and controls on finance and aid.

The challenges are immense – the government of Israel, and others, remain committed to this siege on the Palestinian people. But the chance to make decisive progress is better now than at any time in the last three years. The blockade is weakening, though that has come at the enormous price of the loss of nine aid volunteers aboard the Mavi Marmara when it was so brutally attacked. Many governments and major NGOs are now calling for an end to the blockade.

Ending this illegal and immoral siege is going to require a huge effort from all those who care about Palestine. It is also going to need strategic cooperation between the international aid efforts.

That’s why Viva Palestina has agreed to launch this convoy after extensive discussions with partners in Gaza and internationally, aimed at maximising rather than duplicating our efforts.

It is hoped that a new, bigger, more international flotilla will head off for Gaza at around the same time as the land convoy is there. In any case, Viva Palestina 5 will be the biggest convoy yet, with three legs – from London, from Casablanca and from Doha, converging at Al Arish.

We are asking you to get behind the convoy in whatever way you can – going on it, providing a vehicle, fundraising, promoting it and helping to ensure widespread public awareness as it travels.

The aid we are taking will be of the highest quality. The people of Gaza deserve nothing less and we have clear lists of what is needed from those who are working on the ground and who know first hand.

We aim to take some of all the different categories of humanitarian relief required in Gaza. And, of course, by doing so we aim to highlight the unjust and unsustainable siege.

Enthusiasm for this convoy is very high and we anticipate it filling up quickly. Already, support is coming in from new areas, such as major trade unions in the UK, and new coalitions to build the VP5 convoy are forming in many countries – from New Zealand to Morocco and Italy.

We are very grateful for your ongoing support for the people of Palestine and for Viva Palestina’s efforts.

There are many ways you can help, including volunteering to be part of the teams working on aid, fundraising, vehicles and so on.

Please feel free to contact us with your ideas. But don’t delay, we have eight weeks to make a major contribution to ending the suffering in the Gaza Strip and moving a step closer to justice for the Palestinian people.

To read more about the convoy, please click here – http://www.vivapalestina.org/vp5/intro.html

For details on how to register, please click here – http://www.vivapalestina.org/vp5/register.html

GAZA AID FLOTILLA ATTACKED, 10 KILLED – GEORGE GALLOWAY SPEAKS OUT

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31 May, 2010 — Viva Palestina

Israeli forces have attacked the international aid convoy Freedom Flotilla en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 10 people and leaving more than 50 injured.

The attack came on Monday morning after one of the six ships in the convoy was hit by Israeli navy forces before being stormed by commandos descending from helicopters.

The interception reportedly took place in international waters, more than 150km (90 miles) off the coast of Gaza.

George Galloway speaks out in outrage from Houston, Texas at 05.18
Gaza TV News: Gaza TV’s phlog

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———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK
Tel: +447889726777
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
Sign up to the Viva Palestina Mailing List http://www.vivapalestina.org/alert.htm
Viva Palestina, helping to make the positive steps in breaking the siege of Gaza!

GAZA AID FLOTILLA ATTACKED, 10 KILLED – GEORGE GALLOWAY SPEAKS OUT

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31 May, 2010 — Viva Palestina

Israeli forces have attacked the international aid convoy Freedom Flotilla en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 10 people and leaving more than 50 injured.

The attack came on Monday morning after one of the six ships in the convoy was hit by Israeli navy forces before being stormed by commandos descending from helicopters.

The interception reportedly took place in international waters, more than 150km (90 miles) off the coast of Gaza.

George Galloway speaks out in outrage from Houston, Texas at 05.18
Gaza TV News: Gaza TV’s phlog

http://ipad.io/KIN

Please share
Short URL: http://ipad.io/KIN
Wharton, TX, USA, US

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK
Tel: +447889726777
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
Sign up to the Viva Palestina Mailing List http://www.vivapalestina.org/alert.htm
Viva Palestina, helping to make the positive steps in breaking the siege of Gaza!

LATEST NEWS ON THE GAZA AID FLOTILLA – FROM VIVA PALESTINA’S CREW MEMBER KEVIN OVENDEN

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30 May, 2010 — Viva Palestina

At 08.50 am today we are awaiting the arrival of the European parliamentarians, who begin to shuttle from Northern Cyprus to our staging ground in international waters to the south of the island where they will board the lead ship. The decision by the Greek Cypriot government not only not to allow the flotilla to harbour there, but also to object to, and twice prevent, the departure of a parliamentary delegation directly by sea to join the convoy is creating something of a scandal in Greece and beyond.

Cyprus recently elected its first ever Communist President, earning him the moniker the Fidel Castro of the Mediterranean. If this recent shabby episode is anything to go by, Akel, the Cypriot Communist Party, would be better served by its previous policy of supporting a left of centre figure for the highest office. The last such president allowed friends of Palestine to muster there.

Five vessels are ready to go – three cargos and two passenger, three Turkish and two that sailed from Athens – one Greek and one Greek-Swedish. They are larger boats and the clear lesson is that for such an operation a few larger and well fitted vessels are more effective than a larger number of smaller boats.

A coalition of organisations and initiatives has come together in this flotilla, but the Turkish IHH has set the standard by raising around 20 million USD and setting about the mission with elan, peerless organisation and a collegiate approach that belies the extent to which they are responsible for the impressive force that is gathered now in the Eastern Mediterranean.

To my mind, the lessons are worth learning now, for whatever the outcome of the next 48 hours, there will be another sea mission to Gaza – and it will need to be even bigger and broader.

A small boat has pulled alongside with the parliamentary delegation. They will now join us on the Mavri Marmara and then it’s all a question of timing:when to start the 18 to 20 hour journey down to Gaza so as to avoid giving the Israeli forces the best conditions to attack us.

Kevin Ovenden
Viva Palestina
———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK
Tel: +447889726777
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
Sign up to the Viva Palestina Mailing List http://www.vivapalestina.org/alert.htm
Viva Palestina, helping to make the positive steps in breaking the siege of Gaza!

Viva Palestina: Flotilla to break Gaza siege

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5 May, 2010 — Viva Palestine

Dear Friends of Palestine
On May 15th, an international flotilla of cargo and passenger ships will depart from various European ports  and set sail for Gaza. 3 cargo ships will carry over 5,000 tonnes of medical and building supplies, and  5 passenger boats will carry over 600 people.

This flotilla is been led by the IHH charity from Turkey, and is supported by many groups worldwide, including the Free Gaza Movement, Free Palestine Movement, European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza and the Greek and Swedish Boat to Gaza groups amongst others.

In January of this year, IHH  was an integral partner with  Viva Palestina on the convoy to Gaza, where 500 people in over 200 vehicles successfully broke the siege on Gaza and delivered essential humanitarian aid.  Viva Palestina are therefore very proud to announce their involvement with IHH again on this flotilla, and in addition to sending medical and building supplies, a Viva Palestina Coalition team will be on board this historic journey.

The siege imposed on Gaza is now in it’s 4th year. It has created a humanitarian crisis that has left the entire population without sufficient food, water, medicine, electricity, building supplies, clothes, toys, and freedom of movement. 1.5 million people, over half of whom are children, suffer directly because of this siege. Since the attacks on Gaza last year that left over 1,400 people dead, and 50,000 people homeless, no building supplies have been allowed to enter Gaza. 15 months on, people still live in tents and temporary shelter, unable to rebuild their homes.

Viva Palestina, led by George Galloway M.P. have successfully broken the siege on Gaza 3 times with land convoys of aid. Over 1,000 volunteers in 500 vehicles have delivered essential humanitarian aid to the stricken region in the past year. By taking part in this flotilla, Viva Palestina will be bringing much needed humanitarian aid, and attempting to break the siege once more.

We are calling on our supporters to donate towards the cost of medical and building supplies. Viva Palestina will be purchasing supplies in Turkey that will be loaded onto the IHH cargo ship departing from Istanbul. People can donate towards the cost of materials by clicking on the following link:  http://www.vivapalestina.org/donations.htm

You can also follow us on facebook by joining the following Viva Palestina Flotilla group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=238347355199&ref=mf%20

If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at: info@vivapalestina.org

Thanks for your valuable support,

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/Viva Palestina
Sign up to the Viva Palestina Mailing List http://www.vivapalestina.org/alert.htm

Galloway opens summer ‘University of Palestine’ in Lebanon

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26 March, 2010 – Viva Palestina

BEIRUT: British MP George Galloway announced on Tuesday 23rd March the foundation of the first annual University of Palestine, due to take place in Lebanon each year to educate Lebanese and international students on the Palestinian cause.

“We are going to bring 500 students from all over the world to study intensively for one week the Palestinian question: the history, the geography the culture and the politics. They will come from America, Australia and I hope from all over the world, with a substantial number from here in Lebanon”, Galloway said.

“We will make excursions to the border, to the Palestinian camps, to places of interest. We will hold lectures and workshops, sporting and cultural events”, he added.

The summer university will take place for one week each year at the campus of the Lebanese International University in the Bekaa Valley. Galloway said many prominent international speakers were expected to attend, such as Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, Naomi Klein, Fadwa Barghouti, the wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, and Hizbullah spokesman Ibrahim Mousawi. The luminaries will give lectures, and plan the next 12 months of solidarity with the Palestinian people, according to Galloway.

Galloway also used the occasion to announce plans to break the blockade of Gaza later this year with a convoy of aid from Arab countries under the banner Viva Palestina Arabia.

The convoy will travel by sea from Turkey to the port of Gaza, led by Arab countries but including aid contributions from Viva Palestina campaigns in Britain, Turkey, America and Australia.

We are asking the Arab people to join us and see what they can do. We are appealing to the Arab world to act as their own public opinion, Galloway said Tuesday.

Galloways Viva Palestina campaign has delivered several convoys of aid to the Gaza Strip since its first trip from Britain in March 2009, most of them traveling by land or air to Egypt where they then crossed to Gaza through the Erez checkpoint. The last convoy was denied entry to the enclave by Egyptian authorities, leading to violent clashes between participants and security forces.

The ships will be loaded this time not with bread or medicine, which is all that has been allowed in across the land borders, as if the Palestinians in Gaza were animals in a zoo to be fed and kept alive; this time the ships will be loaded with building materials to rebuild houses, said Galloway, adding that the convoy would travel under the patronage of Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Galloway stressed the importance of the Palestinian solidarity movement in taking action at a time when Israeli policies are damaging chances of peace in the region.

Its up to us to act, to capitalize on this moment. Its up to Arabs to capitalize on this moment, especially those Arab countries with the closest ties with the United States, he told The Daily Star.

To become a member and book your place at the Summer University of Palestine click here: https://www.vivapalestinaarabia.org/en/sign-up andto make a donation visit https://www.vivapalestinaarabia.org/en/donate

Piece written by Richard Hall in the Daily Star in Lebanon

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
Sign up to the Viva Palestina Mailing List http://www.vivapalestina.org/alert.htm

Free Gaza Movement: ‘We’re Sailing Again – Join Us!’

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11 January, 2010

This spring, the Free Gaza Movement is sending at least six boats to Gaza to break Israel’s illegal blockade on 1.5 million Palestinians. This blockade constitutes an act of collective punishment, a crime prohibited under international humanitarian law. Gaza’s man-made and internationally perpetuated crisis is set to deepen as Egypt builds an Iron wall 30 meters deep and 20 meters high on the southern Rafah border, closing off the final route for Palestinians to get basic supplies.

The urgency of breaking the blockade grows by the day, as Palestinians living in this prison are denied their most basic rights.

Our mission will include two boats committed by a Turkish NGO plus a cargo ship purchased with donations from the Malaysian people. This ship will be loaded with cement, water filtration systems and paper – all essential reconstruction materials denied entry to Gaza by Israel.

Free Gaza’s missions were the first to challenge Israel’s hermetic closing of Gaza when we sailed two small boats into Gaza in August 2008. We did not ask permission of Israel or Egypt to travel to Gaza and sailed directly from international waters into the waters of Gaza. Since then, we have been the catalyst for a growing international movement of civilian advocates, including the Gaza Freedom March and Viva Palestina.

Of course we will face Israel’s illegal naval blockade. But we have broken through it before and we will do it again. We are writing to ask you to make sure the mission is funded and publicized.

We sailed four more successful missions to Gaza since August 2008, and we intend to come back this year with a small flotilla, so you still have time to get boats and come with us. We are calling on all NGOs, human rights organizations and communities around the world to join us. If you already have funding for boats, we can provide the logistical and technical advice on how get them ready to join the flotilla. If you want to help in other ways, we have listed five below.

Fundraise for this trip. Consider organizing a big or small fundraiser in your community. We already have people available to speak at your events. http://www.freegaza.org/en/join-in/speaker-bureau. Friends returning from the Gaza Freedom March, or the Viva Palestina convoy can be especially helpful by turning report backs into fundraisers.

Get your community involved and turn this flotilla into a global effort. Our boats will carry building supplies and school supplies, both banned by Israeli authorities. Contribute by donating paper, ink or books for our Right to Read campaign: http://www.freegaza.org/right-to-read. If you can donate reconstruction supplies, please contact us. Get your children and their schools involved by having them write letters to children in Gaza that we will carry on our boats and deliver.

Publicize the trip. Once we have announced the date, help us get the message out to the media and to your elected officials to assure the passengers and boats will sail safely.

Ask your Member of Parliament/Congress to come with us. We already have MPs from South America, South Africa, Malaysia, Turkey and Europe who are going. If you have contacts with other high profile people, please let us know.
Volunteer as land crew, media or support crew in your countries.

To help, organize a fundraiser, suggest passengers and offer support, please email us at friends@freegaza.org, and we will follow up immediately. We have only two to three months to finish organizing, raise the additional funds, and to set sail.

Join us as we sail together to Gaza this spring!

Amira Hass: Pro-Gaza activists under siege – imposed by Egypt and Hamas

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8 January, 2010 — Ha’aretz

[Amira Hass was in Cairo during the stay of the Free Gaza March activists, and she went into Gaza with the small group that was allowed to enter (minus those who declined). This article covers some of her impressions of the activists in Cairo, as well as what happened in Gaza. This last part has not been widely reported, especially the role of Hamas in keeping the visitors under tight control, and undermining civil society role in organizing and carrying out the Free Gaza March. – Racheli Gai]

Pro-Gaza activists under siege – imposed by Egypt and Hamas By Amira Hass

The departure from Ramses Street in Cairo, in about 20 buses, was set for the morning of Monday, December 28. However, the organizers of the Gaza Freedom March knew the buses would not arrive. Just as on Sunday night, the buses hired by a group of French activists never made it to their starting point – Cairo’s Charles de Gaulle Street, near the French Embassy and across from the zoo.

In the week before the planned march, the Foreign Ministry in Cairo made it clear that the protesters would not be permitted to enter Gaza. Boats even mysteriously disappeared from the Nile on Sunday evening. The Egyptian authorities knew that scores of activists were planning to sail and light candles to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s attack on Gaza and the 1,400 people who were killed.

A total of 1,361 people came to Cairo from 43 countries to participate in the Gaza Freedom March, 700 of them from the United States alone, many more than initially expected. It started out as a small initiative. Then the American feminist and peace group Codepink signed on, and it gradually spread to other countries.

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Egypt deports British lawmaker Galloway

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8 January, 2010 — PRESS TV

British lawmaker George Galloway has been a vocal critic of Israel and Egypt’s attempt to continue the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Cairo has deported British lawmaker George Galloway, following clashes between a Gaza-bound aid convoy he was accompanying and Egyptian police.

The lawmaker was planning to return to Gaza via the Rafah crossing early Friday when several Egyptian plainclothes security forces detained him and bundled him into a plane and flew him to London.

A spokeswoman for the convoy said police intervened when Galloway and colleague Ron McKay arrived at the crossing.

“As soon as they emerged on to Egyptian soil, both men were forcibly pushed into a van, refused exit and told that they were leaving the country. They were then driven off in a police convoy,” the BBC quoted him as saying.

There are no comments from the Egyptian government on the deportation.

On Tuesday, Egyptian police harshly confronted a protest by Viva Palestina activists in the port of El-Arish, leaving some 60 people injured and arresting a number of them.

The scuffle followed Cairo’s refusal to allow aid vehicles to enter the Palestinian Gaza Strip — which has been under a paralyzing Israeli blockade since 2007 — making the convoy take a big detour and delaying its arrival.

Despite restrictions imposed by Egyptian authorities, the convoy finally managed to deliver nearly 200 aid trucks to Gaza after a month-long journey.

Galloway, the Bow and Bethnal Green lawmaker, and his team of international activists have sent three relief convoys into the Palestinian territory.

Israel’s move to keep border crossings with Gaza sealed off is further reinvigorated by Egypt’s refusal to open the Rafah crossing, the only border terminal not in Tel Aviv’s control.

Furthermore, Cairo has recently started building a steel wall on its border with the Gaza Strip to disrupt a network of cross-border tunnels, through which the Palestinians have been pushing in food, fuel and other essential necessities.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency Commissioner-General, Karen Abu Zaid, has described the wall as more dangerous than the Bar Lev Line built by Israel along the eastern coast of the Suez Canal after it captured the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt during the 1967 six-day war.

MRS/HGH/MD

Egypt ‘deports aid convoy leader’

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8 January, 2010 — Viva Palestina

egypt-viva.jpgClashes broke out between the actvists and police in El-Arish on Tuesday night [AFP/VIVA PALESTINA]

George Galloway, the British MP leading the Viva Palestina international aid convoy to the Gaza Strip has been forced to leave Egypt, the group has said on its website.

Galloway was apparently picked up by Egyptian officials at the Rafah border crossing on Friday and driven to Cairo where he was placed on a flight back to London.

Galloway told Al Jazeera by telephone from the airport that he had been harassed by about 25 Egyptian police officer as he attempted to re-enter Gaza to join the rest of the Viva Palestina activists.

He said Egyptian officials told him he was being sent out of the country and was now “persona non grata”.

There was no immediate comment on the situation from Egyptian officials.

Galloway has been vocal in his criticism of Egyptian authorities in recent days after their decision not to allow the about 200 vehicles in the convoy to arrive in Egypt through the port at Nuweiba.

Cairo insisted that the aid be sent back through Syria and then by ferry to the port of El-Arish on the Mediterranean.

Arrests ordered

Seven other members of the Viva Palestinian convoy have also been ordered arrested after being accused of inciting riots in El-Arish.

In depth

‘Fighting to break Gaza siege’
Viva Palestina’s bumpy road
Inside Story: Gaza under siege

The decision by the attorney-general in North Sinai means the activists could be detained after passing through the Rafah border crossing from Gaza.

It was not clear if they were in Egyptian custody on Friday.

Late on Tuesday, more than 50 people were wounded during a clash between Egyptian authorities and international members of the convoy.

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

Afterwards, clashes between Egyptian security forces and Palestinians waiting for the aid convoy led to the death of one Egyptian policeman.

Severe restrictions

Israel and Egypt have severely restricted travel to and from the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power there in June 2007, after winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006.

The blockade currently allows only very basic supplies into Gaza.

The siege has severely restricted essential supplies and placed Gazans in a dire situation, made worse by Israel’s military assault last winter that reduced much of the territory to ruins.

Source: Al Jazeera

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/


Egypt deports MP George Galloway By Tim Moynihan

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8 January 2010 — Press Association

george-galloway.jpgPlainclothes Egyptian police officers bundled George Galloway on to a plane bound for London [Getty Images]

George Galloway was deported from Cairo today despite wanting to return to Gaza to help members of a humanitarian convoy who have reportedly been arrested, a spokeswoman for the convoy said.

Plain clothes police officers bundled the Respect MP on to a plane bound for London, said a spokeswoman for the Viva Palestina convoy.

“Mr Galloway had been trying to return to Rafah after news broke that seven of the convoy members are said to have been arrested,” she said.

The incident began after Mr Galloway and his colleague, Ron McKay, arrived at the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt.

“As soon as they emerged on to Egyptian soil, both men were forcibly pushed into a van, refused exit and told that they were leaving the country.

“They were then driven off in a police convoy.”

The aid convoy of 550 people from 17 countries was caught up in violent scenes on Tuesday, which they blamed on “heavy-handed policing” of the group.

The spokeswoman said 55 convoy members were injured and seven were arrested.

“Mr Galloway and Turkish MPs struck a deal with Egyptian authorities, part of which was that the seven detainees were released without charge.

“On the enforced drive to Cairo, news came through of the imminent arrest of the seven but, when Mr Galloway demanded to return to Rafah, permission was repeatedly denied.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We will continue to offer consular assistance to anyone who needs it.”

Source: The Independent

Respect MP George Galloway has been deported from Egypt.

The Bow and Bethnal Green MP was reportedly trying to return to Gaza to help members of a humanitarian convoy who had been arrested.

A convoy spokeswoman said he had arrived at the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt when he was driven off by police.

Mr Galloway spent the night in a cell in Egypt in 2006 after attending an anti-war event.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8447847.stm

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/

Convoy Reaches Gaza! WE HAVE BROKEN THE SIEGE!

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7 January 2009 — Palestine Solidarity Committee

The Viva Palestine and PSC aid convoy arrived in Gaza last night at about 19:00pm, with thousands of Palestinians greeting and cheering the convoy to welcome them.

Congratulations to everyone taking part in the convoy and all of those here who raised funds for the trip to become a reality.  This has been a tremendous achievement and its importance is political as well as practical.

Thanks of course to the Reading PSC, Waltham Forest PSC, York PSC for their blogs and information which have kept us informed throughout the journey, we look forward to welcoming them and all the other participants back to Britain.  We hope that branches around the country will invite them to speak to get their message about Gaza out to the public.  Well done, Viva Palestina and Palestine Solidarity Campaign!

Reports here:
english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201016165325573953.html

www.vivapalestina.org/home.htm

– Contact the media: Please phone and email the BBC, and other media, to ask for coverage of the Convoy’s arrival in Gaza.
– Please ask your MP to sign EDM 536 by Richard Burden MP

– Please organize local meetings about Gaza.  PSC and Viva Palestina can provide speakers –contact the PSC office to arrange for a speaker.

Financial support: Support the financial appeal on Viva Palestina website as the additional costs incurred because of the obstacles created by the Egyptian government are astronomical  www.vivapalestina.org/emergency.htm
Sign the PSC petition to end the siege on Gaza: www.iparl.com/petition-psc/

– January Gaza Events
There will be number of events in January to commemorate the first anniversary of Israel’s attacks on Gaza. These include the following:
– National Week of Boycott Actions  9 to 17 January
– Gaza One Year On – Rally Tuesday 19 January, Conway Hall
– Palestinian Memorial Week of events, starts with meeting on Wednesday13th in Friends House, London
– Brighton Demonstration on Monday 18th
Plus many more vigils, film screenings, meetings and concerts – Please visit the Events section on the PSC website to find out more!

Plus:  Appeal for Help: we need footage from last January’s demonstrations in London – Update on Britain’s War Crimes Warrants –  Lowkey New Single – Palestinian Child Prisoners – More News etc…

View the full update here: www.palestinecampaign.org/Index7b.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=2&l2_id=14&Content_ID=1044

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) aims to raise public awareness about the occupation of Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people. PSC seek to bring pressure on both the British and Israeli government to bring their policies in line with international law. PSC is an independent, non-governmental and non-party political organisation with members from communities across the UK. Join PSC today!

Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Box BM PSA
London
WC1N 3XX
Tel:   020 7700 6192
Fax:  020 7609 7779
Email: info@palestinecampaign.org
Web: www.palestinecampaign.org



Viva Palestina Break the siege of Gaza!

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6th January, 2010 — Viva Palestina

After days of pressure imposed by the Egyptian authorities the Viva Palestina Convoy have ‘triumphantly’ entered Gaza this evening!

Despite being attacked by Egyptian riot police at the port of Al Arish last night, the ‘strong willed’ convoy of humanitarians from all over the world carrying much needed medical aid to the people of Gaza went ahead and was greeted with cheers from hundreds of well-wishers carrying flowers, warm smiles and chanting Viva Palestina!

Having agreed to Egyptian demands, the convoy of 500 people re-routed their journey from Aqaba in Jordan (some seven days ago), after receiving guarantees of a safe passage to Gaza. The recent actions of the Egyptian police are shameful.

Earlier today at the Rafah border violence broke out as hundreds of Palestinians began throwing stones across the border at Egyptian security forces, who then fired back at the protesters. This was in retaliation to the way the activists were treated by Egyptian police.

Viva Palestina convoy leader Kevin Ovenden says – We are all emotional to see that all of Gaza are out to greet us! – Our Viva Palestina convoy is symbolic! It shows the Palestianian people just how much the people of the West do care. We come in peace to deliver humanitarian aid and we hope that our convoy (and convoy’s like ours) will help to build pressure on the Israeli government to break the siege.

The convoy aimed to cross the Rafah border into Gaza on 27 December 2009, to mark the first anniversary of the beginning of Israel’s 2008/9 land and air assault on Gaza, which killed 1,400 Palestinians in three weeks.

The Viva Palestina convoy is partnered with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and departed London on December 6 2009 and have travelled nearly 5,000 miles. The convoy has received a phenomenal support (since departing London), through it’s route, Europe, Turkey, Syria and Jordan.

For further information on the Viva Palestina Gaza Aid Convoy visit www.vivapalestina.org

Press information from Alice Howard on Tel: 07944 512 469 or via email: alice@vivapalestina.org

———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/

Viva Palestina Starts Entry To Gaza – IMEMC News By Saed Bannoura

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6 January, 2010 — IMEMC News

The Viva Palestina Convoy, and after facing ongoing Egyptian rejection and violent attacks by the Egyptian security forces, started on Wednesday evening to roll into the besieged Gaza Strip.

gaza-convoy.jpg

Viva Palestina entering Gaza - Al Jazeera

Thousands of Palestinians, carrying flowers and flags, gathered in the streets while the convoy continued to move in.

A Press conference would be held on Thursday and would be followed by the official ceremony of handing the international humanitarian aid.

The Qatar-based Al Jazeera reported that a convoy of eight truck started crossing the Rafeh Terminal.

On its website the Viva Palestina reported that ‘convoy continues to move into the strip to be greeted by flowers and flag-waving crowds. Press conference later to be followed tomorrow with ceremony to hand over the aid’.

Riot police attack Britons in Gaza aid convoy by Terry Kirby

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6 January, 2010 — Viva Palestina/

egypt-riot-police.jpgBritish members of a convoy of pro-Palestinian activists trying to take aid into Gaza have been injured in clashes with Egyptian riot police.

The violence in the port of Al Arish erupted after the activists staged a demonstration protesting at the refusal of the Egyptian authorities to allow the convoy of more than 250 vehicles into the Gaza strip.

Convoy members — about 50 of whom were British — claim plain clothes police officers threw stones at them while uniformed officers attacked with tear gas and batons.

More than 50 of the 520 people with the convoy were injured, 10 of whom required hospital treatment. Six were arrested, although they were due to be released today.

George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, condemned the Egyptian authorities as “brutal, arbitrary and capricious”. He said: “This is a dictatorship funded by the United States and Israel who are stopped aid getting into Gaza. The people who fought back last night would be hailed as heroes if this was happening in some other countries, like Burma.”

He also said most of the British convoy members were Muslims.

Alexandra Lort Phillips, 37, a youth worker from Enfield who took leave from her job to join the convoy, said there was a “lot of fear” in the port compound.

“I can’t see why you need several hundred riot people to attack a humanitarian convoy. We started getting pelted with stones by people in plain clothes, then the police started moving in, using tear gas and batons. People were quite severely beaten.”

This week convoy members staged noisy protests after Egyptian officials took away their passports and there was a lengthy delay in giving them back.

After negotiations overnight with Egyptian officials, all of those arrested were due to be released and the convoy was making its was towards the border crossing of Rafah, where it has been allowed 48 hours

inside Gaza to offload food and medical supplies.

Source: Evening Standard

———————
Alice Howard Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/

Gaza aid Brits ‘beaten by police’

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6 January, 2010 — Press Association

(UKPA) – 49 minutes ago

British members of a humanitarian convoy trying to take aid to Gaza were among dozens of people injured during clashes with Egyptian police.

Around 520 people were travelling with the 150 trucks full of supplies when clashes broke out Tuesday night at the port city of El Arish, near Gaza.

One of the members, Alexandra Lort-Phillips, 37, who works for Enfield Youth Offending Service in north London, said: “I have 42 people in my team, and out of those three Britons have been injured. There are head injuries, cuts.

“We started getting pelted with stones by people in plain clothes, then the police started moving in, using tear gas and batons. People were quite severely beaten.”

She said seven or eight of the convoy members had to be treated in hospital, and blamed “heavy-handed” policing of their group.

Protests reportedly broke out when Egyptian authorities at El Arish ordered some lorries to use an Israeli-controlled checkpoint.

The activists would prefer the goods to be transported via Egypt’s Rafah crossing.

British MP George Galloway, leading the convoy, said Israel is likely to prevent it entering Gaza.

He told Sky News: “It is completely unconscionable that 25% of our convoy should go to Israel and never arrive in Gaza.”

Earlier this week convoy members staged noisy protests after Egyptian officials took away their passports and there was a lengthy delay in giving them back.

Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved.