Armouti: Egypt's claims about the opening of Rafah crossing untrue

Armouti: Egypt's claims about the opening of Rafah crossing untrue

[ 01/07/2010 - 12:56 PM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)-- Dr. Ahmed Al-Armouti, the head of the Jordanian delegation who was denied access to Gaza, denied that the Egyptian authorities facilitate the movement of goods and people into the besieged Gaza Strip and said that the humanitarian situation at the Rafah border crossing is very tragic.

In a news conference held on Wednesday in Amman, Dr. Armouti expressed his shock and dismay at the Egyptian government's insistence on blockading Gaza while deceiving the whole world about its opening of Rafah crossing before anyone.

Armouti, who is the dean of Jordanian doctors, stressed that the Egyptian authorities have no legal right to prevent anyone to leave Egypt for any destination he wants, including Gaza.

For his part, deputy dean of Jordanian lawyers samir Kharfan told journalists that what he saw along with other members of the delegation at the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing was very insulting to human dignity and confirmed that Egypt's siege on Gaza was tighter than any blockade.

"We were eyewitnesses to the suffering of Palestinians who wanted to pass into Gaza through the Rafah crossing," Kharfan said.

In another incident, a delegation of prominent Egyptian figures including lawmakers and senior members of the noted Al-Wafd party in Egypt has arrived in Gaza on Thursday on a one-day visit during which they will meet with premier Ismail Haneyya and other officials.

The delegation brought with them modest humanitarian aid of medical supplies and wheel chairs.

Before leaving for Gaza, head of Al-Wafd party stressed in a press statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC) on Wednesday the need for breaking the siege on Gaza in light of the weak regional and international moves to end it.

In a press statement on Thursday, Egyptian lawmaker Ilem-Addin Al-Sakhaawi strongly denounced minister of religious affairs in Egypt Mahmoud Zaqzouq for calling for visiting the occupied city of Jerusalem through Israeli visas.

Sakhaawi stressed that the minister was supposed to lead the efforts to break Gaza siege instead of taking such step that could confer legitimacy on the Israeli occupation.

Political activist Ibrahim Yousri, who filed a lawsuit in Egyptian courts demanding the demolition of the iron wall being built on Gaza borders, refused to comment on the administrative justice court's decision to delay issuing a verdict in this regard to the fifth of July and only said that the wall is contrary to the concept of Egypt's national security.

"The people of Gaza are brothers and not enemies and there is a joint defense treaty between us. They do not pose any threat to out security, property or safety," Yousri highlighted.

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