29/12/2009 A convoy trying to take aid to Gaza headed back to Syria from Jordan on Tuesday after Egypt refused to give it permission to travel via the Red Sea insisting it pass through the Mediterranean, organizers said.
"We are on our way to Syria's (Mediterranean) port of Latakia. We are scheduled to leave Latakia for El-Arish in Egypt on Wednesday," said Zaher Birawi, spokesman for the organizers.
"We hope that the Egyptian authorities guarantee our safety and protect us from the Israelis, who might try to stop us in the sea. We don't trust Israel."
The sea journey from Latakia to El-Arish will take the convoy through the waters between the Zionist entity and the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Turkey dispatched an official on Saturday to try to convince the Egyptians to allow the convoy to go through the Red Sea port of Nuweiba - the most direct route. But Egypt insisted that the convoy can only enter through El-Arish, on its Mediterranean coast.
The convoy of around 250 trucks, ambulances and other vehicles is carrying Arab, Turkish and other European aid - both food and medical supplies.
Israel and Egypt have severely restricted travel to and from the blockaded Gaza Strip since June 2007. Egypt's Rafah crossing with Gaza is the only access point into the Palestinian territory that bypasses the occupied territories.
[ 29/12/2009 - 04:56 PM ]
AQABA, (PIC)-- The convoy of Lifeline 3 moved at an early hour Tuesday from the Jordanian port of Aqaba heading to Syria and then to the Arish city in Egypt in response to the agreement reached by the envoy of Turkish premier Recep Erdogan with the Egyptian authorities.
“We assure the Egyptian government that we are not in a fight with it over Egypt’s sovereignty over its territory, so we have shown great flexibility in dealing with the Turkish proposal and agreed to change the route,” spokesman for the convoy Zahir Al-Berawi told the Palestinian information center (PIC).
Spokesman Berawi said that this change means more three days of tiring travel and would cost no less than $300,000 for shipping expenses.
The spokesman expressed his fears that the convoy might be intercepted at sea by Israel and called on Egypt to protect the convoy from any Israeli attack.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
No comments:
Post a Comment