GAZA, (PIC)-- Mohammed Sawalha, the deputy-head of the international committee for breaking the siege on Gaza, said on Thursday that the lifeline 5 convoy came to Gaza to deliver clear and sound message to the world that the blockade must end immediately.
In an interview with the PIC, Sawalha said that the free people of the world support the lifting of the oppressive siege and back the Palestinian struggle for independence and freedom.
"As we arrive in Gaza we forget all the pain [of an arduous journey]. We will always be ready to come to Gaza because Gaza leads the international struggle for freedom and deliverance from [the control of] Zionism. Victory and dismantlement of the racist state are near," Sawalha said.
He said that activists participating in the aid convoy were determined and convinced that they will enter the Gaza Strip, and they kept praying for that, adding that they all enjoyed very high morale despite the hurdles on the way of the convoy.
He expressed disappointment at the Egyptian decision to ban former British MP George Galloway and some other activists from entering Egypt on their way to the Gaza Strip and asked: "Why were those people barred from entering the Gaza Strip? They only came to support the weak and besieged [people of Gaza]".
He called on the international community to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and to open all border crossings for the residents of the Strip.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmad Yusuf, the undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry in Gaza, said that his government was preparing for an official reception in Rafah on Friday, but they were taken by surprise when the Egyptian authorities allowed the activists to enter on Thursday.
He thanked Egypt for facilitating entry of the convoy, adding that this move will hopefully encourage other aid conveys to travel the same route.
He also thanked all those who participated the convoy, especially, George Galloway and said that even though George was not present, he is ever present in the hearts and minds of the people of Gaza
Lifeline 5 enters Gaza Strip amidst big jubilation
[ 22/10/2010 - 02:17 PM ] GAZA, (PIC)-- Members of the lifeline 5 convoy have arrived Thursday to the besieged Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing point after the Egyptian authorities allowed them entry following marathon negotiations full of Egyptian preconditions.
An atmosphere of Jubilation was engulfing the activists once they stepped into the occupied Palestine as many of them fell in prostration to Allah for enabling them achieve their mission.
"We are with you oh people of Gaza and Allah willing you will win and emerge victorious over your enemies", chanted the activists as they embrace Palestinian officials receiving them at the borders.
"Thanks to Allah that we arrived to Palestine and the land of Gaza after an exhausting five weeks of suffering, and we indeed enjoy very high morale now in Gaza that deserve more than what we are doing for it", said one of the activist as he spoke to the PIC correspondent.
Well-informed sources confirmed that Qatar, which funded the transportation by air of the convoy's activists mediated with the Egyptian authorities to allow the activists and the ship into AL-Areesh.
Egypt had imposed a number of preconditions on the activists and the ship to allow them into Gaza through Egypt, causing delay to the ship's departure from the Syrian port as scheduled, in addition to forcing the activists to travel by air to Egypt instead of accompanying the ship via sea.
Qatar, according to the sources, joined efforts with Syria to convince Egypt not to block the aid convoy. Egypt conceded at last to the two Arab countries mediation.
The ship carries around 140 truck and cars loaded with humanitarian assistance with the aim to alleviate the suffering of the 1.6 million Palestinians blockaded in the Strip for the fifth year now.
Organizers of the convoy asserted that they want to deliver a message to the "civilized" world that the siege on Gaza must end immediately, and the will of the Palestinian people must be respected.
Birawi: Lifeline carries 5 million dollars worth of aid
[ 22/10/2010 - 11:39 AM ] GAZA, (PIC)-- Spokesman for Lifeline 5 aid convoy to the Gaza Strip, Zaher Birawi, said on Thursday that the convoy carries with it 5 million US dollars worth of aid for the besieged people of Gaza, including medical, humanitarian and educational aid.
He added that the activists will remain in the Gaza Strip for three days and will be leaving on Sunday morning and that they will be making field visits to areas destroyed by the Israelis during the war on Gaza and meeting some of the affected families.
Birawi said that the Egyptian authorities allowed 342 activists from 30 different coutries, 12 of them Arab countries, into the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian authorities however barred 17 activists, including the leader of the convoy George Galloway, from entering Egypt on their way to the Gaza Strip.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
No comments:
Post a Comment