Uproar In Egypt As Gaza Aid Convoy Arrives

Marek mark at tlio.org.uk
Wed Jan 6 16:32:41 GMT 2010


LATEST
18.30 GMT - 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.
Up to the minute reports from the convoy can be found HERE 
http://readingpsc.org.uk/convoy/
and on Twitter 
http://twitter.com/viva_palestina

http://irish4palestine.blogspot.com/



Viva Palestina released the following press release today:
Our situation is now at a crisis point! A 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!

Supporters in the UK are contacting the Egyptian Embassy in the UK on
02074993304 (the Egyptian embassy stated they have received many calls).
They will encourage you to email to the Egyptian Embassy in London. The
email for the the Egyptian Embassy in London is:  eg.emb_london at mfa.gov.eg

PHONE STATEMENT
"my name is... I am phoning to express my dissatisfaction of the current
treatment of the viva palestina convoy members and gaza freedom marchers.
I have been closely monitoring the situation. This organisations members
are surrounded by egyptian police who according to media reports have used
aggressive force against them. As a result the convoy members have
barricaded themselves for what they perceive is for their own personal
safety. I urge the egyptian authorities to permit entry of the whole viva
palestina convoy and gaza freedom marchers entry in and out of the
illegally besieged gaza immediately without any harm."

Draft letter (much better to write in yr own words - use this a  basic
template):

Dear Sir/Madam

I write to you to denounce with extreme dismay the Egyptian government's
stubbornness and hostility towards the the Viva Palestina Aid convoy
trying to take humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of the Egyptian
government's continued refusal to allow the safe passage of the aid convoy
into Gaza, as well as the Egyptian authority's use of aggression and
repressive measures on people being held in transit in the port of Al-Aris
as part of the convoy yesturday (Tuesday 5th January 2010). It is the
precise nature of this stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy which
led to the precise turn of events yesturday, in particular the escalation
of a tense situation when over 2000 riot police stormed towards the camp
at the port, which led to the group barricading themselves into protect
themselves and their vital cargo.

This situation has only escalated because of the Egyptian government sees
fit not to take a proportionate, reasonable policy decision, instead
stubbornly refusing to yield to the majority of worldwide opinion that
strongly urges international assistance and emergency aid to be delivered
to people living in dire circumstances after last year's appalling
conflict. It would serve Eygpt's long-term international reputation very
well to find a solution to the current impasse with upmost ugency; each
hour this delay continues, Eygpt's international reputation is further
tarnished, for which the repercussions may not be immediately observable,
but are very, very real and deeply pertinent.

Please use your influence to ensure the safety of all persons in the
convoy and the convoy's safe passage to Gaza.

Yours sincerely,



---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [diggers350] Blocked Gaza Aid Convoy, letter to Egypt
From:    "James Armstrong" <james36armstrong at hotmail.com>
Date:    Tue, December 29, 2009 10:03 pm
To:      "Diggers 350" <diggers350 at yahoogroups.com>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Viva Palestina Convoy changes route
28/12/2009
Organisers of Viva Palestina aid convoy, which is trying to reach the Gaza
Strip, have now agreed to go via Syria en route for Egypt.
http://www.vivapalestina.org/alerts/route_281209.htm



URGENT Video Appeal from Monica of BGLINK part of the Viva Palestina
Convoy. http://bglink.ning.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yA-i-yp2E

The Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza which left London on December 6th
has been blocked from entering Egypt, they are held at the Jordanian port
of Aqaba. The convoy, which is made up of more than 200+ vehicles, planned
to reach Rafah on December 27th.

Contact your MP: http://tinyurl.com/callyourmp and the Egyptian Embassy in
London: 020-7499-3304 or around the World: http://tinyurl.com/callegypt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yA-i-yp2E

see full report at http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/691604




This is what our friend Faysal Mikdadi wrote to the Egyptian
consul general and many others regarding the imposition of conditions on
the Viva Palestina convoy - how to use facts clearly and pointedly.

Thank you so much, Faysal.

 Original Message -----From: FHM481812 at aol.com

To: consular at embegyptireland.ie
Cc: milibandd at parliament.uk ; nickclegg at sheffieldhallam.org.uk
; information.cairo at fco.gov.uk ; UsConGenJerusalem at state.gov ;
lornalow at mbarker.demon.co.uk ; info at 1948.org.uk ;
info at palestinecampaign.org
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 11:13 AM
Subject: Aid Convoy to Gaza from Dr F H Mikdadi



From:

Dr Faysal H
Mikdadi FRSA
Dorchester.



Your Excellency,



I am writing to urge your assistance to
ensure that the people of Gaza receive the medical aid which British and
European citizens have worked hard to provide for the Palestinian people
suffering under Israeli siege in the Gaza Strip.



We understand that the Egyptian
government is imposing conditions on the Viva Palestina / Palestine
Solidarity
Convoy of 210 aid vehicles which make it impossible for them to leave
Aqaba to
deliver the ambulances packed with medical aid and the aid trucks with
food and
educational materials.

As you may be aware, Viva Palestina is a UK
registered charity that was formed earlier this year to provide humanitarian
relief for the people of Gaza. The two previous convoys, which entered Gaza
via Eqypt in March and February this year, successfully delivered hundreds of
tonnes of desperately needed aid through the Rafah crossing.

Richard
Falk, UN Special Rapporteur stated on 18.12.09: “Two urgent priorities
must be stressed on this dismal
anniversary: first, Israel’s allies must demand, with a commitment
reinforced by
a credible threat of economic sanctions, that Israel immediately end its
illegal
blockade of the Gaza Strip. Second, the Goldstone Report’s
recommendations, having confirmed the commission of war crimes
possibly amounting to Crimes Against Humanity, by Israel and Hamas, must be
fully and swiftly implemented.”



Alas, the Egyptian government appears
to be aiding Israel’s blockade of Gaza .



We appeal to you to convey our demand
to the Egyptian authorities that the convoy be allowed to travel to Gaza
through
Egypt and to the Rafah crossing to show the Palestinian people there that
they
are not forgotten by people of conscience across the world.

Thank you for reading this
e-mail. I do hope that you will make the necessary representations to your
government to ensure that the blockade is lifted forthwith.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Faysal H
Mikdadi FRSA LI
One Cedar Road
Charlton Down
Dorchester
Dorset DT2
9UL

Telephone: 01305 213 702
Mobile: 07971 532 409
E-mail: fhm481812 at aol.com




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