RamallahOnline.com

News from occupied Palestine

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

RamallahOnline.com is looking for contributors, If you would like to contribute pictures, articles or other data directly you can email me at ramallahonline @ gmail dot com.

Convoy Update - 04-03-2009

Thursday, 05 March 2009 00:52 RamallahOnline Content - RoArticle
Print PDF
User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 
Convoy Update
19.30 (GMT) Wednesday 4rd March 2009
 
TRAGEDY SO NEAR TO THE END
 
This afternoon, a Libyan female journalist on her way to join our convoy, was involved, along with her colleague and a photographer in a road traffic accident, which unfortunately resulted in her death. Her two colleagues were also injured ain the crash, but the extent of their injuries is (at the time of writing) still unknown.
 
The leader of the Manchester contingent Talat Ali and Rabah Abdulramuz would like, on behalf of the Viva Palestina British convoy, to pass on their condolences and prayers to the families of the young lady and a speedy recovery for the injured.
 
They would like to reassure the families back home that all of the British members are safe. However, understandably the mood is very sombre and a Janaza (funeral ceremony) prayer has been organised by the convoy members this evening.
 
The Convoy are now about 20km from the border with Egypt. The Egyptian government has taken charge of the arrangements to ensure a smooth and comfortable crossing of Egypt by Viva Palestina starting tomorrow morning.
 
An official delegate from The National Party is in the border area preparing the welcome. He has informed the leaders of the route they will be taking and of the program of events awaiting them.
 
What follows is a brief summary, translated from the Arabic program.
 
Thursday: 05-03-09
Stop at SALUM - Rest-Dinner- Press conference
4pm Leave for MATRUH- Evening meal- Overnight Stay
 
Friday: 06-03-09
9am Leave for ALAMEIN
12pm Dinner, Stop for special Jumaa (Friday prayers)
3pm RAFED MIAMI- Light lunch
8pm JAMSSA
10pm The Arab Contractors Village -Dinner and overnight stay
 
Saturday: 07-03-09
10am Short press conference
2pm Rest at EAST AL SALAM BRIDGE- Dinner
4pm Set off for EL ARICH
7pm Dinner and overnight stay
 
Sunday: 08-03-09
10am Public Rally at EL ARICH
11am head for RAFAH CROSSING
12 noon deliver aid to GAZA.
 
Prepared and translated by Farid Arada
 
 

From Rob Hoveman, House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA

Re: Guardian article March 3, ' Galloway's Gaza mission runs into protests'

It says everything we need to know about cynical journalism (March 3) that the first time the Guardian chooses to cover the Viva Palestina convoy of aid to Gaza - an epic journey of over 5,000 miles - it is to repeat as fact tittle tattle culled from the blogosphere.

Two hundred and eighty people have driven through eight different countries to deliver over a million pounds of aid to the stricken people of Gaza. Everywhere we have been, the convoy has been greeted with thousands of well-wishers who have provided food, fuel and accommodation. 

The Algerian government allowed passage across the border with Morocco for the first time in 15 years. In Tunisia we were joined by six of the people who the Lancashire police wrongly arrested and detained, preventing them reaching London for the start of the journey.

In Libya we were celebrated by thousands on the streets and a Libyan charity, inspired by the convoy, has established its own convoy of trucks to Gaza.

We are currently negotiating entry into Egypt and passage through to Gaza. The Egyptian authorities are doing everything they can to assist the process and we are in their hands, as we have been with all the other governments whose countries we have crossed in order to take these vital supplies into Gaza. 

The Viva Palestina convoy and the achievements of the 280 volunteers who have driven so far deserve celebration, not denigration by The Guardian.

Rob Hoveman
Assistant to George Galloway MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

Trackback(0)
Comments (0)Add Comment
Write comment
 
 
smaller | bigger
 

security image
Write the displayed characters

busy
 
Banner

Poll

Are you optimistic that Israel & Palestine can reach a peace deal this year?
 

Well Said!

“Remember the solidarity shown to Palestine here and everywhere... and remember also that there is a cause to which many people have committed themselves, difficulties and terrible obstacles notwithstanding. Why? Because it is a just cause, a noble ideal, a moral quest for equality and human rights.”

- Edward Said

 

This brief review of Israel’s record over the past four decades makes it difficult to resist the conclusion that it has become a rogue state with "an utterly unscrupulous set of leaders". A rogue state habitually violates international law, possesses weapons of mass destruction and practises terrorism - the use of violence against civilians for political purposes. Israel fulfils all of these three criteria; the cap fits and it must wear it. Israel’s real aim is not peaceful coexistence with its Palestinian neighbours but military domination. It keeps compounding the mistakes of the past with new and more disastrous ones. Politicians, like everyone else, are of course free to repeat the lies and mistakes of the past. But it is not mandatory to do so.

-Avi Shlaim

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)

Remembering Rachel Corrie

 

 


Latest Content (none front page)


Must Read Articles & Books

Palestine Monitor Factsheet

The 2009 Factbook is a Reference Guide for Negotiators, Researchers and Civil Society Leaders Concerned with the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

 

FactBook picture

The Factbook is being released in hardcopy, in sections and full version online, to coincide with the one year anniversary of the Annapolis Peace Process launched in November of 2007. The topics discussed within are the economy, the plight of Palestinian children, refugees, prisoners and torture, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Settlements, Checkpoints and Movement Restrictions, the Wall, Water and Non Violence.

Each section has been thoroughly researched and referenced to provide readers with the most up-to-date information available from only the most credible sources.

The aim of our hard work is to make your research and advocacy on behalf of the Palestinian cause easier and more accurate. We encourage you to go to our site www.palestinemonitor.org to download our factsheets and disperse them as widely as possible.

In this most controversial of topics in international relations, Palestine Monitor hopes to arm you with the facts.

 

PDF Image

Factbook - Online version
Download the designed factbook version -including references and endnotes- factsheet for screen reading and printing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25 Most Viewed Articles

Would you like to Donate and help a Palestinian Family? Please check out the following organizations.

Link Tomorrow's Youth Organization
Tomorrow's Youth Organization (TYO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that works in disadvantaged areas of the Middle East, enabling children, youth and parents to realize their potential as healthy, active and responsible family and community members.

Link PALESTINE CHILDREN'S RELIEF FUND
The Palestine Children's Relief Fund was established in 1991 by concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East. It has since expanded to help suffering children from other Middle Eastern nations, based only on their medical needs. The P.C.R.F. helps to locate free medical care for children from the Middle East who are unable to get the necessary and specialized treatment in their homeland.

Link Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief strives to alleviate poverty and suffering wherever it is found, paying no heed to gender, race or creed.

Link Dalia Association
At Dalia Association, we believe that many of the resources we need for social change and sustainable development already exist within the community.

Link United Palestinian Appeal, Inc.
UPA is a member of the Independent Charities of America, a participating agency of the Combined Federal Campaign, and is registered with USAID as a private voluntary organization engaged in foreign aid

LinkJewish Voice for Peace
Jewish Voice for Peace is a diverse and democratic community of activists inspired by Jewish tradition to work together for peace, social justice, and human rights. We support the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination.

Link Free Gaza
We are these human rights observers, aid workers, and journalists. We have years of experience volunteering in Gaza and the West Bank at the invitation of Palestinians. But now, because of the increasing stranglehold of Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine, many of us find it almost impossible to enter Gaza, and an increasing number have been refused entry to Israel and the West Bank as well. Despite the great need for our work, the Israeli Government will not allow us in to do it.

(This list by no means is complete, please help by submitting a link here.)