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'Viva Palestina' Activists Deliver Tons of Aid to Gaza Strip
Over 300 activists from Syrian aid flotilla "Viva Palestina" crossed Thursday the Egyptian Border into Gaza by land with tons of medical equipment and food supplies for the residents of the coastal enclave.
Members of the Lifeline convoy arrive at the Rafah Border crossing. (AFP) According to the organizers of the
flotilla, which departed from the Syrian port of Latkia, activists
transported products worth in excess of $5 million.
Most of the activists arrived at the Egyptian port El-Arish on flights from Syria, while just 30 activists made the journey with the aid supplies by ship.
Egyptian security services barred a Mauritania citizen who arrived with the group from crossing the border into Gaza and his passport was taken for inspection. While 12 Mauritania activists remained with him pending the inspection, the remaining activists crossed the land border with Gaza uneventfully.
Viva Palestina activists claimed the point of their aid flotilla was to "break the siege on Gaza" despite the fact that Israel recently lifted many of the restrictions imposed on the enclosed coastal strip.
Israel imposed the blockade in 2007 after Hamas wrestled control over the territory in a violent coup.
During a visit to Syria on Tuesday, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter called for Israel to lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip. Carter made the remarks in the forum of a delegation known as The Elders, who met with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hamas leaders in Syria.
"The blockade is one of the most serious human rights violations on Earth and it must be lifted fully," said Carter from Syria.
Besides Carter, the Elders delegation includes former Irish president Mary Robinson and former UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. While in Gaza, the group described Israel's blockade as an "illegal collective punishment" and "an impediment to peace."
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13 Comments so far
Show AllHurrah, hurrah. I wonder how historians, 100 years from now, will look back on these popular efforts to break the blockade punishing a million children, women, and men, trapped, bombed and brutalized by Israel. The governments of the USA, Canada and the EU all officially support the collective punishment of the Palestnians. But concerned citizens in these nations, from private donations, motivated by feelings of human sympathy and justice, have repeatedly sent aid to break the blockade.
The bias of this Hareetz reporter is glaring:
"Israel recently lifted many of the restrictions"
"Israel imposed the blockade in 2007 after Hamas wrestled control over the territory in a violent coup"
Are all Hareetz reporters so ignorant of the facts?
Israel lifted very few restrictions, and Hamas was elected by the Palestinian people--the "coup" occurred only after the PLO tried to undermine the election results and prevent Hamas from its rightful leadership role. This article should not have been in Common Dreams--unless it's beginning to take a pro-zionist occupation tilt???
Thank you for pointing this out. You are correct. Hamas is the elected government. The PLO, with US and Israeli backing, was partially successful in its coup against the elected government. Abbas is now beyond his election term of office, and has no legal basis to claim leadership of the Palestinians and no legal basis to be negotiating on behalf of Palestinians.
To "Serious Citizen": Bravo, bravo, bravo!! (Do you want me to repeat that?)
Most serious commentators electronically and Noam Chomsky in particular in
most recent book "Hopes and Prospects" p. 177 also confirm this.
Many (such as "Donna" and others) prefer to be blinded by the Israeli and
US propaganda machine. I confess that I do have an "agenda". It involves
among other things, "BDS" (boycott sanction and divestment), establishment
of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine, elimination of the blockade,
elimination of so-called "settlements" (Palestine has been "settled"
for thousands of years !!), establishment of a Middle East Nuclear Free
Zone under IAEA (UN) supervision, elimination of military and freezing of all
military and "domestic" aid from the US to Israel and its occupied territories,
condemnation of murder, slaughter, apartheid, colonialist actions by Israel
within a day (a good "photo-op), support "Goldstone Report", support full
membership of the sovereign state of Palestine in the UN and according to
all international laws. Yes, I have an "agenda" and damn it, I am not ashamed
of it. Not at all.
Lastly: Good luck to VIVA.
Thaankyou Donna.
Theses lies are repeated incessantly. They know full well that if they repeat the lie sufficiently it becomes accepted fact in most peoples minds. These are not white lies. They are deliberate lies of the very worst sort. Like the WMD lies they have consequencess. That is why they are told. These lies need to be exposed continuously, so please dont stop.
I was reading this article thinking here we go again...
I am sick of having to point out these fabrications in comments.
I am always happy to see when someone beats me to it.
The bias of the reporter here shouldn't surprise you. What should be a surprise is that Israel allows this to be reported - and a quasi-democratic/progressive paper such as Ha'aretz - within 'its' borders. Now, that's amazing!
I am glad others noted the "violent coup" caused by the US and Israel sending a general to take over from the elected Hamas govt, who fought back. As for the lifted restrictions, anyone can see what is still needed, and the main thing is freedom of movement.
YES! Thank you Syria, Egypt, Jimmy Carter and the Elders.
VIVA PALESTINA! Wow, too bad Israel doesn't have a free press, but then our is pretty lame too.
I know how difficult this was to actually help the Palestinian people:
You couldn't have a Berlin type Air lift, or you'd be shot down.
You couldn't have a flotilla, or you'd be shot at.
BUT, when nations cooperate, ( Syria and Egypt) then , shoot, there's no target that can't be met! Cooperation, and humanity working together, what a great concept!
Egypt? Did you really say Egypt?
Hamas violently wrestled control of Gaza? Hamas was the elected government of Palestine. It was the West Bank that was wrestled away from Hamas. Abbas is the result of coup instigated by Israel with US support.
And yes, Gaza is a crime, a war crime. In the 21st Century governments no longer punish crimes against humanity.
Wow! Look at this 11 comments on the subject (3 of them from yours truly). Glad to see that the "Progressives" are hard on the job protecting the world from Capitalism, Imperialism, propaganda and blah blah blah.
And Kudos to Viva Palestina, they seem to be getting more and more proactive and helping the poor battered people of Gaza one truckload at a time.
Viva Palestina!
i like that part of your article i am glad others noted the "violent coup company logo design" caused by the US and Israel sending a general to take over from the elected govt, who fought back. As for the lifted restrictions, anyone can see what is still needed business logo design, and the main thing is freedom of movement thanks for sharing this great news.