httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcnhWe_wSHU
CAIRO: The Viva Palestina aid convoy, Lifeline 5, arrived in Gaza through the Rafah border, the only gateway to Gaza that bypasses the Israeli siege, on Thursday to a “warm reception.”
“Everyone has been walking around hugging each other. We’re at a loss for words,” Asif Bhayat, a volunteer pilot in the aid convoy who also provides extensive coverage of the convoy’s progress on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter, told Daily News Egypt.
The convoy was received by a number of NGOs and charity organizations in Gaza.
According to Asif, the convoy crossed through the Rafah border without any difficulties or delays.
“We got through the Rafah border very easily and smoothly for the first time, thanks to the Egyptian authorities,” he said.
The convoy was delayed in Syria for 16 days before reaching Al-Arish Port on Wednesday evening. During the time, the convoy organizers were negotiating with Egypt “over entry requirements [enforced] by the Egyptian authorities”, according to the Viva Palestina website.
“They [Egyptian authorities] gave us a strict list on what was allowed into Gaza in terms of vehicles and aid [that had to] be strictly labeled and packaged in a certain way,” Bayat said.
“They [Egyptian authorities] were also very strict with the paperwork,” he added.
“[But] once we arrived to the airport in Al-Arish, we were received very well by airport officials and everything went smoothly from there,” he added.
Eighteen international activists in the convoy including former British MP George Galloway were prevented from joining the convoy after Egypt said they pose a national security risk, according to members of the convoy.
The 18 activists “decided to go back to their countries because they didn’t want to delay the convoy further or pose any risk on the other activists,” Bhayat said.
Galloway, leader of the convoy, said on Viva Palestina’s website, “I have no wish to have a fight with the Egyptian government; my fight is with Israel.”
“This was a random decision that is unjustifiable. They said they are a threat to national security. How can an 85-year-old Jordanian be a threat to national security, or a British female working for the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign be [threatening],” Zaher Beirawi, the convoy’s spokesman previously told Daily News Egypt.
A total of 330 members of the convoy arrived by plane, while 40 survivors of the Mavi Marmara Gaza flotilla were allowed to travel from Latakia, Syria for Gaza by ship.
The forty survivors were scheduled to pass by the location — where the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara took place in May leaving 9 Turkish activists dead — and hold a small ceremony to honor those who died.
The Lifeline 5 launched their journey from London on Sept. 18, carrying $5 million worth of aid, mostly medical.
The convoy includes activists from 30 countries, from New Zealand and Australia to Canada and the United States, according to Viva Palestina website.
Activists from Arab countries including Jordan, Algeria, Morocco and Qatar also participated in the convoy.
Israel has imposed a severe blockade on Gaza’s 1.5 million people, ever since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 following its huge victory in the 2006 elections in Gaza.
Israel claims that the siege is a legitimate tool to prevent Hamas from firing rockets on Israel.
More than 80 percent of Gaza’s population is now impoverished; 43 percent unemployed; and 75 percent lack food security, a UN report states.
The Viva Palestina charity organization has led several convoys into the Gaza strip through the Rafah border — during which it clashed with Egyptian authorities — in a bid to break the Israeli siege on Gaza and deliver aid to the impoverished people of Gaza.
“I am currently leading a huge international effort to break the siege on the Gaza Strip, imposed by Israel and its allies to punish the people for how they voted in a free, democratic election,” Galloway said.
source: dailynewsegypt.com
more information about VIVA Palestina
The Elders
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PAkHAHiiog&feature=player_embedded
Who are the Elders
“The Elders can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes. They will reach out to those who most need their help. They will support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair.” Nelson Mandela.
The Elders in Gaza
I thought Desmond Tutu was retiring
The long-running conflict in the Middle East has been one of the Elders’ top priorities since the group was founded. Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the current peace negotiations, the Elders are most concerned about the impact of the conflict on the people of the region – on the ordinary Israelis and Palestinians who largely agree on the need for a comprehensive peace, but have become disillusioned by division amongst their leaders and by the harsh realities of daily life.
The situation in Gaza remains an ongoing concern for the Elders. Despite Israel’s ‘easing’ of the blockade, the people of Gaza are still unable to rebuild their homes and their lives following Israel’s military assault in 2008/09. The Elders are hopeful for an end to the siege in a way that meets the needs of Gaza’s inhabitants without threatening Israel’s security.
What are the Elders doing?
While the Elders actively support international efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, the group is not directly involved in political mediation or negotiation.
As an independent group, they hope that by directly interacting with ordinary people affected by the conflict and supporting those working for peace and reconciliation at the grassroots, they can help connect people’s concerns to leaders and policy-makers and draw attention to neglected aspects of the crisis.
The Elders’ visit to the Middle East
In August 2009, the Elders visited Israel and the West Bank to meet with a wide cross-section of society working for peace, including youth representatives, non-violent activists, women’s organisations and human rights experts. They also met with a number of UN agencies and Israeli and Palestinian officials.
The report of their visit, People and Peace in the Middle East, shared impressions of how the conflict is affecting ordinary people.
The Elders also used blogs posts and videos to reflect on some of the key issues surrounding the conflict – in some cases giving very personal responses to their experiences – and invited the people they met to do the same. Above all, they valued the opportunity to listen to the concerns of Palestinians and Israelis and encourage them to share their stories and experiences with a global audience.
Mary Robinson: ‘Peace making is too important to be left to politicians alone. It needs the active, sustained involvement of all sectors of society – civil society, business, young people, women’s groups – supported by all international friends of peace and justice.’
source: theElders
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