Egypt ‘deports aid convoy leader’Clashes 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 http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201018973051973.html
By Reuters
Tags: Israel News, George Galloway
Egyptian security forces clashed on Wednesday with members of a convoy led by left-wing British politician George Galloway trying to take relief supplies to Palestinians in the Gaza strip.
A Reuters correspondent in the port city of Arish, 40 km (25 miles) from Egypt’s border with Gaza, saw security forces throwing stones at about 520 people traveling with the convoy.
The protestors were holding four members of the Arish harbor police while security forces detained seven members of the convoy, who have been locked in a dispute with Egyptian authorities over the route of the 198 trucks.
Police used water cannon to force the protestors to leave Arish harbor, which they had occupied, a security source said. Around 40 members of the convoy had minor injuries while around 15 police officials were hurt, witnesses said.
Cairo insists the food and other supplies should go to Gaza via an Israeli-controlled checkpoint while the convoy’s leaders want to use the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing.
Egyptian authorities wanted 55 of the trucks to go to the Israeli checkpoint, said Galloway, the sole member of the British parliament for the Respect party who has long campaigned for the Palestinian cause.
“We refused this,” he told Reuters TV. “It is completely unconscionable that 25 percent of our convoy should go to Israel and never arrive in Gaza. Because nothing that ever goes to Israel, ever arrives in Gaza.”
Cairo has imposed strict regulations and restrictions on pro-Palestinian foreign activists who have held protests in Egypt since late December to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s three-week offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
It has also controlled the movement of Palestinians and some foreigners at Rafah and is building a controversial steel wall along its border with Gaza to prevent smuggling.
Alhamy Aref, a local government official in North Sinai, was trying to negotiate a deal between the two sides on releasing the detained people, the Reuters correspondent reported.
Leaders of the convoy originally refused Egypt’s condition that the aid should be shipped via Arish on the Mediterranean rather than via the Red Sea port of Nuweiba. But they later relented and started arriving at Arish on Thursday
al jazeera english : Egypt barred some of the vehicles in the aid convoy from passing through the Rafah crossing [Reuters]
At least 55 people have been injured in clashes between Egyptian police and pro-Palestinian activists who were trying to deliver aid into the Gaza Strip, eyewitnesses say.
Some 520 activists broke down the gate at the port in El-Arish late on Tuesday in protest against an Egyptian decision to ship some of the goods through Israel, medical workers and protesters said.
The protests were sparked by an Egyptian decision to allow 139 vehicles to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, about 45km from the port in al-Arish, but requiring a remaining 59 vehicles to pass via Israel.
Around 40 members of the convoy had minor injuries while over a dozen policemen were hurt in the clashes with protesters, who also blocked the two entrances to the Sinai port with vehicles, medical workers said.
The Viva Palestina convoy, led by George Galloway, the outspoken British MP, had already been delayed by more than a week, after he and a delegation of Turkish MPs failed to persuade the Egyptians to change their mind.
Disputed route
The convoy of nearly 200 vehicles arrived in al-Arish on Monday after a dispute with Cairo on the route.
But the arrival came after a bitter dispute between its organisers and the government, which banned the convoy from entering Egypt’s Sinai from Jordan by ferry, forcing it to drive north to the Syrian port of Lattakia.
In depth
‘Fighting to break Gaza siege’
Egypt blocks US activists’ march
Viva Palestina’s bumpy road
Video: Gaza aid held up in Jordan
The convoy with 210 lorries full of medicine and other supplies set out from the UK nearly a month ago.
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 currrently 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.
In other Gaza-related news, a Palestinian fighter was reportedly killed and four others wounded in an Israeli air attack on Tuesday in the city of Khan Younis, according to a security source.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israel had launched the raid against fighters “planning to fire rockets at southern Israel”.
The armed wing of a group called the Popular Resistance Committee said its members had been targeted by the attack.
(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.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hsNtKjFTDB1rPlyd-KGss9-fBqvw
———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
“From Viva Palestina: Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish. This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into …Gaza. He left two hours ago and did not come back. Egyptian authorities called over 2,000 riot police who then moved towards our camp at the port. We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid. The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point. We are now calling upon all friends of palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy’s and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow! It is also important that you contact whatever media outlet in your region to inform them of this event and to push your local politicians to act.”
4th January 2010
The Viva Palestina international aid convoy is just hours away from breaking Israel’s three and a half year siege of Gaza.
Despite repeated obstructions from the Egyptian government, including its refusal to allow the convoy to land in the Egyptian port of Nuweiba, convoy members hope to be in Gaza tomorrow.
198 convoy vehicles, including ambulances and vans, were loaded on to a ferry in the Syrian port of Latakia on Saturday (2nd January) and have now docked and cleared customs at the Egyptian port of El Arish.
Convoy members will fly to El Arish today from Latakia to pick up the vehicles and drive less than one hundred miles to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza.
Since Israel imposed its near total blockade on Gaza in 2006, people, aid and vehicles have been blocked from entering the Strip.
The convoy, jointly organised by Viva Palestina and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will be taking in aid, including specialised medical equipment, and will also be leaving all its vehicles in Gaza.
It had hoped to enter the Strip on 27th December 2009, to mark the first anniversary of the day Israel began its three weeks land, air and sea assault on Gaza, killing 1,400 Palestinians and destroying homes, farms and essential infrastructure.
However, the convoy was forced to retrace its route through Jordan and Syria last week, after being refused permission to sail from Aqaba, Jordan to Nuweiba.
Kevin Ovenden, convoy organiser, said: ‘Despite all the difficulties, by land, by sea and by air, we are within 24hrs of breaking the siege of Gaza.’
‘We now have every right to expect unhindered and safe passage into Gaza, but we call on all our friends internationally to stand ready to raise their voices if we face further unjustified delay.’
For further information on the Viva Palestina Gaza aid convoy and updates visit http://www.vivapalestina.org
Press information from Alice Howard on Tel: 07944 512 469 or via email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Viva Palestina rebuts Egyptian ‘bungle’ allegations
The Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit claimed at a press conference on Tuesday (December 29) that his country was willing to assist the Viva Palestina convoy’s entry into Gaza. He cited two letters sent by the Egyptian embassy in London on November 10 and December 10. What he does not say is that the conditions laid down were totally unacceptable, as convoy organiser George Galloway responded in writing at the time.
Specifically, these were that Viva Palestina co-ordinate ‘with the Israeli authorities on the passage of aid’, that land convoys would not be admitted and that the convoy should not arrive until the second week of January 2010.
“Egypt may be at the beck, call and command on Israel, but Viva Palestina is not,” said George Galloway. “We refuse to co-operate with a country which continues to illegally hold Palestinian lands, builds even more settlements in the teeth of world opinion and which, just a year ago, slaughtered 1400 people in the Gaza Strip and devastated the
infrastructure. Israel refuses to let through one brick, pane of glass or nail to help rebuild the carnage its warplanes caused.”
Galloway added that the land convoy to Gaza was symbolic because its arrival was due to coincide with the first anniversary of the war on Gaza, “which the Egyptian authorities have done all they can to thwart”.
Ends
For further comment contact Alice Howard on Tel: 07944 512469 or via email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Below are copies of recent correspondence with the Egyptian embassy in London.
Dear Alice,
Confirming the receiving of the convoy details.
Best regards.
Yasser Shaban
— On Sun, 12/20/09, Alice Howard wrote:
From: Alice Howard
Subject: Fw: Viva Palestina Convoy final details
To: yassershaban67@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday, December 20, 2009, 2:13 AM
Dear Yasser
As promised please find attached complete details on the Viva Palestina Gaza convoy.
You will now find attached the Viva Palestina Vehicle Donation list along with the list of aid that is transported in each vehicle.
I do hope that all is sufficient.
Please do advise me on the next steps.
Regards
Alice
———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
From: Alice Howard
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2009 1:55 AM
To: yassershaban67@yahoo.com
Subject: Fw: Viva Palestina Convoy
Dear Yasser
As promised please find attached complete details on the Viva Palestina Gaza convoy.
You will now find attached the Viva Palestina Vehicle Donation list along with the list of aid that is transported in each vehicle.
I do hope that all is sufficient.
Please do advise me on the next steps.
Regards
Alice
———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
From: Alice Howard
Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 2:54 PM
To: yassershaban67@yahoo.com
Subject: Viva Palestina Convoy
Dear Yasser
As promised please find details for the Viva Palestina Convoy to Gaza.
1. Viva Palestina UK registered volunteers – (see attached)
2. Viva Palestina US registered volunteers – (see attached)
3. Viva Palestina Vehicle Donation List – (see attached)
4. Viva Palestina Aid – All volunteers have completed a customs manifest document which will include the below listed items. Each hard copy document can be retrieved at the border.
1. Medicines/Medical Equipment and Medical Specialists Machines
2. Children Toys
3. Clothing
4. Infant Powder Milk
5, Medical First Aid Kits
6. Educational Material and Stationery
5 Our Viva Palestina partners are the IHH http://www.ihh.org.tr (Insan Hak Ve Hurriyetieri Insani Yadim Vakfi). You will find attached IHH Turkey VP
Participants and Medical Aid List.
Hope that all of the above is sufficient. Do please advise me on the next steps.
Regards
Alice
From: Alice Howard
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 1:35 PM
To: yasser shaban
Subject: Fw: Viva Palestina
Dear Yasser
I would like to inform you that the Viva Palestina convoy is currently approaching Aqaba and are hoping to board the ferry to Egypt this evening.
We are delighted to have received notification that Egypt have granted permission for the convoy to arrive in Gaza on the 27th of December as planned. Regarding the route taken to Nuweiba, this has been made as this is the only route available from Aqaba by ferry crossing.
I need to inform you that there will be a further two more vehicles that will join the convoy in Cairo. The two vehicles are brand new Toyota Ambulances (Hiace) Model 09, Engine 2500 cc, Diesel Manual.
Both vehicles are empty. Please can you kindly add these to your list.
I will inform Mr. Galloway of our conversation just now.
Thank you for your support.
Regards
Alice
———————
Alice Howard
Viva Palestina UK – Administration Manager
Tel: 07944 512 469
Email: alice@vivapalestina.org
Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/
From: Egyptian Embassy London
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 12:56 PM
To: alice@vivapalestina.org
Subject: Viva Palestina Convoy
From: The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
To: The Organizers of The Viva Palestina
Convoy which was launched from London 6th December 2009
To the Attention of: Mrs. Alice Howard
Viva Palestina Coordinator
The Embassy would like to inform that the Egyptian authorities have granted permission to the convoy to enter Gaza under the following conditions:
1- Fulfilling the regulations applied to the aid convoys directed to Gaza-which were previously informed by the Egyptian Embassy 25 days before launching the convoy from London 6th December 2009- by the organizers of the third Viva Palestina convoy, and in particular receiving the aid materials through Al-Arish maritime Port.
2- The organizers of the third Viva Palestina convoy should assume the responsibility of coordination with the Israeli authorities on the passage of all the vehicles to the Gaza Strip.
Best Regards
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
End
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