Viva Palestina USA - Gaza mission

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Stopped at the "Peace" Bridge

On July 4, a delegation of solidarity activists set out from the U.S. to deliver desperately needed humanitarian supplies to the Palestinians of Gaza. The convoy was organized by group Viva Palestina, led by British member of parliament and antiwar activist George Galloway, who was part of a similar effort from London earlier this year.

The delegation arrived in Egypt and began assembling vehicles and supplies. But its progress has been hampered by Egyptian authorities, who stopped several buses filled with Viva Palestina members from crossing into the Sinai on the way toward the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. Organizers said they wanted to continue their journey on Monday with the cooperation of the Egyptian government.

Several SocialistWorker.org contributors are part of the Viva Palestina delegation and the article below is taken from their website at www.socialistworker.org . It is written by Karen Burke and Brian Lenzo. For up to date information about the US Convoy please visit www.vivapalestina-us.org

OUR GROUP of 200 activists, aptly named "Viva Palestina," encountered its first delay on July 12. The delegation had divided into two teams, with half going to the city of Al Arish to consolidate humanitarian supplies and the other half to Alexandria to secure a fleet of vehicles to carry the aid across the border into Gaza.

The delegation sent to Al Arish was delayed at the Mubarak Peace Bridge on its way over the Suez Canal. About 100 members of the delegation decided to stay the night in their buses on the bridge on Saturday, despite pressure from the Egyptian security officials to return to Cairo.

When the convoy arrived at the Peace Bridge checkpoint, Egyptian authorities asked organizers to step off the buses for negotiations. The group remained on the buses, unaware that they were being detained. The first thing they were told was that the Interior Ministry had gotten word to the checkpoint to not allow the convoy to pass. Later, organizers were told that the convoy could not pass for unspecified security reasons.

Checkpoint officials asked at least three times for a list of names of everyone present on the buses. They instructed convoy members to write their names in Arabic as well as English, even though all those present had passports in English. "That was a way to separate out and isolate the Palestinians and other Arabs among us," explained Ream Kidane, who was present at the bridge, "so everyone refused to do that, and wrote all their names in English."

After waiting on buses for over two hours, it became clear to the delegation that the Egyptian authorities had no intention of letting them cross. At that point, New York City Councilman Charles Barron, as well as a few others, joined the team to press for a speedy conclusion to the negotiations.

The final reason given at the checkpoint for the hold-up was that officials didn't have a full list of names of members of the convoy, despite their having collected a full list at least three times on site.

Furthermore, at the request of Egyptian authorities, before any of the convoy members set foot in Egypt, complete lists had been sent to authorities. The list was also sent, at their request, to Egyptian ambassadors in Washington, D.C.; London; and Tripoli, Libya. The U.S. embassy in Cairo was informed about the mission, as was the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

After the delegation realized it would not be allowed over the bridge, members organized a protest. Everyone got off their buses, formed a ring around them, waved American and Palestinian flags, held banners, and began chanting "Viva Viva Palestina!" and "Free Free Palestine!"

Officials soon became agitated, and negotiations became heated. "At that point, we established that we weren't leaving the bridge, and we were going to stand our ground, no matter what they did to us!" said Ream.

British Member of Parliament George Galloway, a leader of the Viva Palestina movement, offered these words of encouragement for the delegation at the crossing:

This is an American convoy and Americans are used to refusing to give up seats on buses in the struggle for justice. I regard everyone who's putting themselves on the line tonight at the Suez Canal for the success of this humanitarian mission as nothing short of a hero.

AND SO they remained for over 12 hours.

First, the group had to ensure the safety of bus drivers, who, being Egyptians, could be threatened with arrest, detention or other punishment for cooperating with activists. The group decided to form two human blockades, one at the front of the convoy and one in the back, to ensure that the buses would not move without encountering the locked arms and bodies of activists.

Throughout the night, spirits remained high. At midnight, convoy member Salma Elshakre celebrated her 20th birthday while the group sang "Happy Birthday" to her in seven languages. Later on, in the early hours of the morning, a few people organized a soccer game in the middle of the crossing.

As the sun came up, after enduring almost 12 hours of negotiations and stalling, the delegation decided to head to the American Embassy to procure and organize yet another set of names and documents now required by Egyptian authorities.

"There [was] a lot being done to discourage and intimidate us," Khury Peterson-Smith, another convoy member on the bus, said. "There were cops and security surrounding us. The fact that we stood our ground and made it clear that our intent is to go into Gaza is significant. The demonstration that we staged at the Peace Bridge may be one of the only demonstrations that these guards have ever seen."

A team of Viva Palestina delegates is working hard in Alexandria to take possession of 47 vehicles that will be used to drive the group's humanitarian and medical relief supplies through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. A third Viva Palestina contingent is gathering additional aid and supplies in Cairo.

Tomorrow, Viva Palestina plans to gather all its forces in Ismailia, load the collected aid on its vehicles and make final preparations for the drive through the Sinai.

Khury described the dilemma facing the mission clearly: "After hours of sitting on the Peace Bridge with medical supplies that could spoil, I realized something. In a rational world, a convoy like ours bringing aid to people who desperately need it would be welcomed. There are powerful people in this world who would rather we not succeed, but we have the power to stop them.'

As Kevin Ovenden, the Viva Palestina tour coordinator, declared with confidence back in New York City at the send-off event held at House of the Lord Church:

We are going to go to Al Arish, we are going to the Rafah crossing, we are going to go through that crossing. Those who might like to stop us have to bear this in mind. Do they want to stand against this? That we will be handing over wheelchairs and walkers to people who have been left amputated from the bombing in December/January. That we will be handing crayons to children, taking messages from children in Chicago to children in a refugee camp in Khan Younis.

In his speech in Cairo last month, President Barak Obama said conditions in Gaza are "intolerable," and called the situation, "a humanitarian crisis." Viva Palestina is determined to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, and show the world that an intolerable situation can and must be challenged.

Let them try and stop us.

[luke]

according to a few news reports, galloway is going to organise another convoy which is to include hugo chavez

[Farhud]

Intifada

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Well done to them all - smiling faces all round.

[luke]

Hamas' Haniyeh: Jews are not the enemy


Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh (R) meets with the Neturei Karta in Gaza

De facto Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh met on Thursday with a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews who arrived in Gaza with a US aid convoy.

Haniyeh told the members of the Neturei Karta sect that Jews are not the enemies of the Arabs or Muslims. “Our problem is with the occupation, that stems from the Zionist ideology and its desire to disperse all the Palestinians,” he said.

The Hamas leader praised his four Jewish guests, saying, "Those religious figures that express their objection to the siege, the aggression and the crimes – we can't help but respect them and for their beliefs and their culture."

Haniyeh also said that the US-based Viva Palestina convoy “is proof that the American people is not entirely a people of occupation and is not entirely on the side of the criminal Zionist regime.”

"We view you as heroes, you are opening the eyes of the world to the siege in the Strip,” he added.

The ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionist Jews arrived with the “Lifeline 2” convoy of 200 people led by antiwar British MP Galloway. It was the UK lawmaker’s second journey to the war torn Strip this year. In March he donated 25,000 British pounds and a fleet of ambulances to the Hamas-run Gaza government.

Members of the convoy, mainly Americans including New York City Councilman Charles Barron, flew into Cairo to travel with the convoy. The crew purchased medical aid and humanitarian goods for children in Alexandria and managed to transport the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of supplies in 50 vehicles that will also stay in the Strip following a ten-day delay.

According to Press TV, the convoy members have permission to remain in Gaza for only 24 hours.

“The silence of the world is deafening as the people of Gaza suffer,” a statement from the convoy said following its entry into the area, “but the two hundred Americans and over one million dollars worth of aide that is going through confirms our commitment to a free Palestine.”

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[Farhud]

I have a friend who went to Gaza with Viva Palestina U.S. Humanitarian Aid Convoy to Gaza. She sent me a message on her experience in Gaza. They allowed only 24 hours in Gaza by the Egyptian Government. and the American Volunteers were allowed to enter Gaza late at night. so you can imagine they only had only a few daytime hours.
here is my friends Message:
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I joined the Viva-Palestina-USA Convoy to Gaza. The Egyptian Authority permitted us only 24 hours visit to Gaza. It was a Sad and Happy 24-hours.

.Sad to see the destruction and devastation, of the infrastructure, schools, mosques, churches, hospitals, even the sewage system collapsed, shortage of food, water, and such basic amenities that come into Gaza through the tunnels and the wounded.

Happy to see the Gazans despite all the hardships they endure, “alive” and dignified, hospitable and smiling people.

You DO NOT see Beggars on the street of Gaza, like we saw in Cairo. The policemen are disciplined, polite and helpful, unlike what we experienced in Cairo. There is no bribery like in Cairo.

The owner of a Felafel Restaurant, refused to accept payment for felafel sandwhiches, from members of the Convoy, even though we insisted on paying for it.

Our 24-Hour stay in Gaza was much richer experience than our 11 days wait in Cairo for permit to enter Gaza. The food and water tasted better in Gaza than Cairo, the Gazans were dignified and full of spirit. I admire their courage and resilience.

Lastly, I have come away feeling so sorry that American foreign policy has been so misguided resulting in decades of suffering of Palestinian children generation after generation.

How long will the children of Palestine have to endure such suffering for simply being Palestinians, before the world and the so-called international community wake-up to their suffering ?

Mariam
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The picture below is:George Galloway gives a speech alongside N.Y. City Councilman Charles Barron and Former member of Congress Cynthia Mckinney

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Top Syrian comedian and Egyptian actress enter Gaza through Rafah
By Abdel-Rahman Hussein
Daily News Egypt
July 24, 2009

CAIRO: Syrian actor Dureid Laham and Egyptian actress Fardous Abdel-Hamid were permitted entry into the Gaza strip via the Rafah crossing Friday to attend a play and visit sites destroyed by the Israeli offensive last December. Hamas had issued a statement Thursday that Laham, who is travelling with his wife, had been denied entry into Gaza via the crossing.

“Egyptian security refused to give the delegation permission to enter Gaza under the pretext that the Rafah border crossing is closed for the time being,” the statement read. “Egypt opens the crossing point for foreign delegations to cross from Egypt to Gaza, while the crossing is closed. Yet, it did not let Laham cross,” it continued.

However sources in the area told Daily News Egypt that Laham and Abdel-Hamid were not present at the Rafah crossing on Thursday, but were still in Cairo. They were told they would not cross until they secured the required paperwork and permits, which they eventually did. On Friday, Laham, his wife and Abdel-Hamid travelled from Cairo to Rafah and entered Gaza at 4 pm according to the sources. Laham had been in Cairo since Tuesday.

Laham and Abdel-Hamid are due to attend the opening of a Palestinian play entitled “The Women of Gaza and The Patience of Jacob” about the suffering of Gazans, specifically its women, under the two-year siege. Laham is one of the Arab world’s most celebrated comedians. Abdel-Hamid is a prominent Egyptian actress and is married to television and film director Mohamed Fadel.

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Visit to Gaza was an eye-opener
July 28, 2009
By WERNER LANGE

On the weekend of July 4, Raed Khatib of Boardman and I joined some 200 other patriots on a humanitarian mission to Gaza, the scene of perhaps the greatest atrocity of our times. We were led by George Galloway, a member of the British Parliament; Charles Barron, a New York City councilman, and former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. She had spent the previous week in an Israeli jail after being kidnapped in international waters on board “The Spirit of Humanity,” a ship loaded with humanitarian aid for Gaza which never arrived.

Many of our supplies were also prevented from arriving in Gaza. Our mission, Viva Palestina, was designed to give renewed hope and deliver badly needed medical supplies from America to this besieged population of 1.5 million humans inhumanely trapped within a closed ghetto for the past two years. We succeeded in cracking it open, albeit for only 24 hours. After a series of frustrating delay tactics thrown at us by both the Egyptian government and the U.S. embassy, we entered Gaza on the day after Bastille Day. What we witnessed was both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Gaza is the world’s largest open-air prison. Compressed within the closed borders of this narrow strip of land are over three times as many people as were struggling to survive in the Nazi-controlled Warsaw ghetto. Terribly aggravating their plight was the recent three-week invasion and the ongoing assaults by Israeli forces. As a result, large parts of Gaza today look like Ground Zero did in the aftermath of 9/11. The destruction is overwhelming, even now some six months after the world’s fourth most powerful military machine unleashed its hell upon a largely defenseless population.

Whole sections of Gaza City have been converted into an utter wasteland. Huge piles of concrete slabs and rubble now mark what were once vibrant neighborhoods; row after row of destroyed mosques, schools and homes are found throughout the city along with homeless families living in tents. The buildings laid waste by Israel’s F-16s include the American International School in Gaza, now nothing more than a pile of crumbled concrete and twisted iron. Hotels along the Mediterranean were routinely shelled from the sea. Every house and apartment building along the coast had gaping bullet and shell holes in their walls.

It is hard to imagine how anyone in these buildings could have survived the brutal assault from air, land and sea. We know that over 1,400 Palestinians did not survive, including well over 400 children.

Tens of thousands more were wounded and remain in immediate need of proper health care, which they are unable to receive in blockaded Gaza. Among them are four Palestinian children who, thanks to the Kent-based Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, have free medical care waiting for them in the United States. However, we were unable to bring them out of Gaza with us. They, like many of the patients we saw in the woefully under supplied al-Shifa hospital, remain stranded and shut in by a world that has also tragically chosen to shut its ears, eyes and mouth to the enormity of this humanitarian implosion in Gaza.

Because things are as they are, things cannot remain as they are. The spirit and those filled with it will see to that. About the only thing Israel did not wreck in Gaza is the spirit of the people. The will to survive all adversity and the determination to be free are very much alive and well in Gaza today. It is the closest to the living Spirit of ’76 I have ever witnessed. That indomitable spirit of freedom brought to new life the immortal words of our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Amen.

The Rev. Warner Lange of Newton Falls is an assistant professor of sociology at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

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