New Events

International

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

Anti-Empire

offsite link Ukraine Shoots Down F-16 With Patriot, A... Sat Aug 31, 2024 11:53 | Anti-Empire

offsite link Surprise Offensive Puts 300 km² of Russ... Fri Aug 09, 2024 08:44 | Marko Marjanović

offsite link The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire

offsite link In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire

offsite link UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović

Anti-Empire >>

The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.  We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below). 

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Israeli-Iranian auctions mask the reorganization of alliances in the Middle East... Tue Nov 05, 2024 06:52 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N°106 Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:21 | en

offsite link Luis Arce allegedly planned the assassination of his rival Evo Morales Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:12 | en

offsite link In Kazan, the order of the world changed , by Thierry Meyssan Tue Oct 29, 2024 07:01 | en

offsite link Letter from Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir, by Mohammad Ishaq Dar Sun Oct 27, 2024 12:43 | en

Voltaire Network >>

Irish in Xmas humanitarian bid to break siege of Gaza hindered by Egypt

category international | rights, freedoms and repression | feature author Saturday December 26, 2009 22:55author by Fintan Lane - IPSC media officerauthor phone 087 1258325 Report this post to the editors

The Israeli siege of Gaza must end

featured image
Huge crowd welcomes Gaza convoy in Amman, Jordan

Following several months of fundraising, four teams from across Ireland departed on Saturday, 5 December, to travel 4,000 miles across land to Gaza in Palestine to deliver ambulances and humanitarian aid to the besieged people of that tiny region. Concerned Irish citizens from Cork, Derry, Dublin, Galway and Tyrone are bringing two ambulances, a mini-bus, and a truck filled with over 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

The Irish participants decided to abandon their Christmas celebrations and family gatherings in Ireland this year because they feel so strongly about what is happening in Gaza.

They have received considerable support and encouragement from well-known public figures such as Prof. Noam Chomsky and Proinsias De Rossa MEP (SEE HERE).

After leaving Ireland, they linked up with the ‘Viva Palestina Convoy’ in Britain and more than 100 vehicles set off on 6 December for the long overland journey through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Video footage of the convoy entering Turkey on Tuesday, 15 December, showing Irish citizens from Cork and Derry, is available (SEE HERE)

The convoy then entered Syria, after 14 days on the road, before moving into Jordan, where they received a huge welcome in Amman with large crowds attending a solidarity reception. For a report on the welcome in Amman, Jordan, (SEE HERE)

The convoy, however, has since run into serious difficulties as it attempted to enter Egypt for the last leg of its journey to the border with Gaza. Despite interventions by many human rights activists and even by Irish Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea (SEE HERE)

It appears that the Egyptian government is intent on hindering the humanitarian convoy and is also consciously undermining the ‘Gaza Freedom March’ planned for 31 December (SEE HERE).

On Christmas Day, Cork convoy participant Kate O’Sullivan published the following plea on the 'Viva Palestina Cork’ Facebook page

“Hi! The convoy needs help!! We are currently stranded in Jordan because the Egyptians won't leave us in so we need everyone to email the Egyptian embassies to pressure them. Please word emails politely but firmly. We all have visas so they should not be able to do this but they are. Let's pressure them into doing what ...is right and let's get this aid into Gaza!

Please contact the Egyptian Embassies (Contact information in Link box above)

Unfortunately, it remains unclear whether the Egyptian government will relent and allow the aid convoy to proceed. The plan is to reach the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza on 27 December.

Their arrival on this date is symbolic as it marks the first anniversary of the beginning of Israeli assault on Gaza last year, which left over 1,400 people dead, including more than 300 children, and over 5,000 injured.

The situation in Gaza remains dire as this small area of Palestine is under permanent siege by Israeli forces and is sealed off from the outside world. Michael Martin, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, recently became one of the many refused permission to visit the area. Homes, hospitals, schools and mosques still lie in rubble, and Israel continues to restrict the entry of basic goods such as fuel, medical equipment, oxygen, baby food, paper, books and construction materials. There is a concerted effort underway by the Israeli state to force the people of the area into submission.

In total, 12 Irish people are on the ground participating in these attempts to help break the siege of Gaza. Tyrone man David Callendar outlined his reasons for travelling when he spoke of seeing a young child in Palestine holding a sign at a demonstration two years ago:

“I saw a young boy of about 7 or 8 holding a sign that said ‘Where is the world?’ This is a very common question in Palestine and, for me, being part of the ‘Viva Palestina Convoy’ makes that little boy’s sign bigger, brighter and louder.”

On 27 December, more Irish citizens – including members of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) – will fly out to Cairo to meet up with the Irish convoy participants. Together, they will attempt to enter Gaza and the intention was, on 31 December, to join thousands of people from Gaza and across the world in the ‘Gaza Freedom March’. Unfortunately, it now appears that the Egyptian government is doing everything in its power to frustrate the international delegations from reaching Gaza for the march. Consequently, march organisers are planning commemorative Gaza solidarity events to be held within Egypt if they are not allowed to proceed to the besieged territory.

Among those taking part from Ireland will be John Hurson, Ger Cassidy, Hilary Minch, Zoe Lawlor, Caiomhe Butterly, Kate O’Sullivan, David Callendar and Deirdre Morgan.

According to Dublin IPSC member Hilary Minch, who was to be one of the Irish participants in the march, “Despite calls for justice, in spite of the flagrant violations of international law by Israel, the siege continues. Do we stay silent? Do we continue to look the other way? I don’t believe it is acceptable to bury our heads while the people of Palestine suffer horribly.”

It is not certain now that Hilary will be allowed leave Egypt for Gaza.

The demand of the ‘Gaza Freedom March’ on 31 December is simple: that the government of Israel opens the borders and ends the illegal collective punishment of the 1.5 million civilians of Gaza. The ‘Gaza Freedom March’ is a grassroots global response to the inaction on the part of world leaders and institutions.

Among the distinguished international participants will be 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, Hedy Epstein, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker.

Inside Gaza, excitement over this event has been intense. Representatives from all segments of civil society, including students, professors, refugee groups, unions, women's organisations and NGOs, are busy organising and estimate that at least 50,000 Palestinians would participate. “We are moved by the tremendous response to this march and are heartened that the global community has not forgotten us,” said Haidar Eid, a member of the Organising Committee in Gaza.

It would be shameful if Egypt destroyed this international act of solidarity.

It is not clear how events will unfold over the next few days, but the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is calling on Egypt to clear the way for both the convoy and the participants in the ‘Gaza Freedom March’ to enter Gaza. The current behaviour of the Egyptian government is a disgraceful attempt to undermine the Palestinian people of Gaza and will simply further their sense of isolation and abandonment. The siege of Gaza must be lifted.

The next few days will be crucial and it is essential that Irish people make their voices heard in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Contact the media and demand that these events be fully reported on. And contact the Egyptian embassy (address above) and insist that the convoy and march be allowed to proceed!

For regular updates on the convoy, go to Ireland to Gaza Facebook Page

Cork convoy participants with George Galloway MP in Jordan
Cork convoy participants with George Galloway MP in Jordan

Galloway addresses the crowd in Amman
Galloway addresses the crowd in Amman

 #   Title   Author   Date 
   everyone has a part to play     stephen crockett    Sat Dec 26, 2009 14:25 
   Egyptian Embassy closed until Tue, in the meantime...     Kev    Sat Dec 26, 2009 17:29 
   eirigi condems actions of Egyptian government     Viva Palestine    Sat Dec 26, 2009 18:30 
   Viva Palestina Convoy Blocked from Entering Egypt     pressTV    Sun Dec 27, 2009 22:58 
   Well Done     themonboys    Mon Dec 28, 2009 15:57 
   Break the siege of Gaza.     Ckris    Tue Dec 29, 2009 18:12 
   The only solution is the two-state solution     Moshe    Tue Dec 29, 2009 19:42 
   Boycott Egyptian Tourism     Sean Clinton    Tue Dec 29, 2009 20:47 
   The lid on Gaza's coffin : Egypt's Wall of Death?     TD    Wed Dec 30, 2009 14:45 
 10   Allowed     C.Colbert    Thu Dec 31, 2009 15:13 
 11   Gaza ghetto     rianorr    Fri Jan 01, 2010 15:31 
 12   Exclusive interview with John Hurson     The Fourth World War    Wed Jan 06, 2010 18:50 
 13   mr     connolly    Fri Jan 22, 2010 01:23 
 14   Israel would be delighted if Egypt threw open its borders with Gaza     John W    Sat Jan 23, 2010 14:32 


Number of comments per page
  
 
© 2001-2024 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy