THE RETURN TO GAZA
This follows Viva Palestina’s successful convoys in February and July 2009 were both given permission to deliver limited aid to Gaza. However, Israel has placed severe restrictions on what can enter Gaza, leaving its trapped population desperately short of essentials such as food, clean water and medical supplies. Steel and concrete is also denied entry, leaving Gazans unable to rebuild the 8,000 homes that were destroyed during Israel’s assault, or reconstruct their devastated infrastructure.
The current convoy is being organised in conjunction with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the UK’s biggest organisation campaigning for solidarity with the Palestinian people, and is supported by Stop the War Campaign.
The convoy aims to cross the Rafah border into Gaza on 27 December – this will mark the first anniversary of the beginning of Israel’s 2008/9 land and air assault on Gaza, which killed 1,400 Palestinians in three weeks. 1.5 million Palestinians are blockaded in Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross (June 2009) says they are ‘trapped in despair’. The report adds that many have ‘exhausted their coping mechanisms’. Amnesty International (October 2009) reports that 90 to 95% of water in Gaza is undrinkable. Its report states that ‘obtaining even poor-quality, subsistence-level quantities of water has become a luxury that they [Palestinians] can barely afford’.
Aid will be delivered to NGOs working in Gaza, and solidarity links built with schools and hospitals. All the convoy vehicles will be left in Gaza, and drivers will fly back from Egypt.
Support for the convoy, and calls for Israel to lift its siege, has been widespread:
Tony Benn, the veteran human rights campaigner and former Labour MP, said: ‘I would like to express my full support for the Viva Palestina convoy. The ongoing siege of Gaza is a crime against humanity, as was the Israeli attack last year. British support for the relief efforts is a contribution to the solution of a human problem. I wish the convoy all success.’
Actors Corin Redgrave and Kika Markham said: ‘We welcome the Viva Palestina convoy and its initiative that will bring assistance to Gaza that is so desperately needed. We call on Israel to lift the siege and allow the people of Gaza to be able to get on with rebuilding their homes, schools, hospitals and lives.’
William Dalrymple, the author of books including White Mughals and in Xanadu, said: ‘Best of luck to the convoy and its important work. The world must not be allowed to forget last year’s horrific massacre of the innocents in Gaza, and anything which continues to put pressure on Israel and helps relieve the continuing suffering of the Palestinians of Gaza should be supported.’
The convoy will drive more than 3,000 miles through Europe, Turkey and the Middle East, crossing seven borders. Greece and Turkey will host cultural events for convoy drivers and passengers as they pass through.
To see all the messages of support for the Viva Palestina convoy, please visit
http://www.palestinecampaign.org/Index5bwide.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=79&l2_id=86
Great initiative and I hope all the left will support it this time round.
“Greece and Turkey will host cultural events for convoy drivers and passengers as they pass through.”
As I am in Greece, any more information on this?
Comment by anticapitalista — 1 December, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
#1
try contacting viva palestina direct, they can give you details.
Comment by Andy Newman — 1 December, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
“‘The Return to Gaza’ is the brainchild of highly respected MP George Galloway”
Keep winding them up Andy, great work!
Comment by PaulZ — 1 December, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
George is almost making up for his idiotic decision to appear on Big Brother. Almost…
Comment by Omar — 2 December, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
The Viva Palestina convoy named ‘The Return to Gaza’ is the brainchild of highly respected MP George Galloway which will include old ambulances and humanitarian aid
Lols. Will it include wads of cash to be handed over to Hamas?
Comment by badnewswade — 2 December, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
#5
- ‘Will it include wads of cash to be handed over to Hamas?’
Hopefully, yes.
Comment by Anonymous — 2 December, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
anti-capitalista - Don’t know the details but I believe there is a big reception planned in Thessaloniki on the 13th.
Comment by TLC — 2 December, 2009 @ 10:19 pm
#7 Thanks. That is where I am.
Haven’t heard anything about it though.
Who is organising the reception?
Comment by anticapitalista — 2 December, 2009 @ 10:44 pm
“Tony Benn, the veteran human rights campaigner and former Labour MP…” you forgot to mention that he is a Zionist (sold nuclear material to Israel) and his father was a zionist (the Alan Dershowitz of his day). it is perfidious of Benn to state that it is a human problem. It is a political problem created by British imperialists and the least Benn could do is call for the British government to pay reparations and compensation to the Palestinians!
Comment by W.O. Goodman — 2 December, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
Sorry Anti-Cap - can’t help you. I’m sure something will go up on the Viva Palestina site over the next few days - or contact them directly at the office alice@vivapalestina.org
Comment by in despair — 2 December, 2009 @ 10:53 pm
Tony and George- millionaire socialists.
Comment by fiannanahalba — 2 December, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
#10 Thanks. I’m sure we’ll here something this end soon enough.
See you (the convoy drivers and passengers) on the 13th, though we are organising a 1 day mini-Marxism event on that day.
Comment by anticapitalista — 3 December, 2009 @ 12:54 am
Better to be a millionaire socialist than a skint one?
Comment by Owen — 3 December, 2009 @ 1:07 am
anticapitalista - you may have found out by now, but one place that the convoy is passing through is Selonika. This is to recognise that the Nazis murdered 30,000 Jews here and despite all the nonsense, Palestinians see that the holocaust was the cause of the imperilaists supporting the Zionist expansion leading to Nakba. Selonika was a tragedy for jews and a precursor of what would happen to them.
This convoy is real solidarity and although the zionist troll machine is hard at work to discredit it, it has wide support and it will grow as it progresses.
Comment by Howard T — 3 December, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
#14 I have been living in Thessaloniki/Salonika for nearly 20 years now and do know of its history.
For those that don’t, and want to read more, I suggest Mark Mazower “Salonika, City of Ghosts”
This city saw one of the first Socialist movements in what in now Greece-The Federation/Federacion, which united workers from all the nationalities that lived in the city from Jews (the majority), Bulgarians, Greeks, Turks, Albanians and others.
The Federation was 100% internationalist and its leader was a Jew called Avraam Benaroya who was a militant anti-Zionist.
Palestine solidarity is very strong here, so I’m sure the convoy will receive a warm welcome on its journey through Greece.
Comment by anticapitalista — 4 December, 2009 @ 2:25 am
Those Jewish antizionists of that era sure showed the wisdom of their beliefs by how they got themselves exterminated.
Comment by Omri — 4 December, 2009 @ 2:27 am
Not feeding the troll, but Andy do leave that last comment up by Omri. The utter contempt for Jewish victims of Fascism shines through and is a useful reminder of what HP politics really represents.
Comment by johng — 4 December, 2009 @ 3:35 am
“So cowardly, in fact, that you delete the comments”
Just so everyone knows, the comment that got deleted was telling everyone to make sure they bring swastikas on the convoy.
Seriously. That’s all it said.
Comment by external bulletin — 4 December, 2009 @ 8:23 am
#17
Omri works at MIT - it is interesting that Americans feel so confident at intervening in british politics; but i think it reflects the entirely different political context.
In the USA Zionists still can browbeat Palestinian solidarity with false accusations of anti-Semitism, over here in Europe the same tactics rebound on them becasue they are seen as intolerant thugs justifying the indefencible.
Comment by Andy Newman — 4 December, 2009 @ 8:34 am
#17
This is actually an antisemitic comment on the part of the scumbag in question. If you know where he works, it might be an idea to send them the remark along with the IP address in order that they can do a trace.
Comment by Anonymous — 4 December, 2009 @ 8:55 am
Sabah Al Mukhtar is not a trustee of the British Charity Viva Palestina. The cash George Galloway MP handed to the elected government of Palestine for use by their health ministry was not Viva Palestina’s money as was explicitly stated live on television and available on any video-tape of the event. Galloway announced the identity of the four donors of this cash: himself Yvonne Ridley then Councillor Naim Khan and Councillor Mohammed Ishtiaq. None of this can have been illegal or,as I seem to recall Harry’s Place salivating at the time, the four would be facing charges. Wouldn’t they?
Comment by Molotov — 4 December, 2009 @ 9:20 am
Why have you deleted the comment by Omri?
(S)he claimed that the Thessaloniki anti-Zionist Jews were responsible for their (own) extermination at Auschwitz (in the main that was where most were sent to).
In fact the small group of Zionists in Thessaloniki did not organise any resistance to the Nazi occupation of Greece. Instead the chief Rabbi told people that all would be ok.
The anti-Zionist Jews called on people to resist the occupying forces, just like they did in Warsaw.
anti-Zionist Jews are proud of their history, their internationalism, their anti-racism and their solidarity with the oppressed. Let it continue and we will welcome the Viva Palestina convey in our city.
Comment by anticapitalista — 5 December, 2009 @ 1:05 am
In the USA Zionists still can browbeat Palestinian solidarity with false accusations of anti-Semitism,
Even here things have changed. Nowhere near to the degree they have in the UK, but they have changed.
Comment by christian h. — 5 December, 2009 @ 1:30 am
Can I point out that a solicitor, who is
is an officer of the court, is supposed to be beyond reproach in terms of their character, and in particular in relation to their approach to the truth.
A solicitor is an officer of the court,
Comment by Armchair — 5 December, 2009 @ 4:28 am
Sorry about that last post- pressed the button by mistake before ready to send, but it referred to the thread now closed on Zionist libel.
Comment by Armchair — 5 December, 2009 @ 4:31 am
#22
“Why have you deleted the comment by Omri?”
the automatic span filter deleted it, because he is now barred. I have now restored it.
Comment by Andy Newman — 5 December, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
Andy Newman
“In the USA Zionists still can browbeat Palestinian solidarity….blah blah blah”
What’s a ‘Zionist’? Do you have a definition?
Comment by Mick — 7 December, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
Someone who supports the Zionist political project.
simples.
Comment by Andy Newman — 7 December, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
‘highly respected MP George Galloway’
Respected by who? Press TV (for who he works as scab labour)?
‘Someone who supports the Zionist political project’.
That means ’someone who favours a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’ in Andy’s ever-diminishing social and political circle.
Comment by sackcloth and ashes — 8 December, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
“That means ’someone who favours a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’ in Andy’s ever-diminishing social and political circle.”
Yeah, with all the illegal settlement activity we can see how committed Zionists are ( and were) to the “two-state solution.”
Comment by Omar — 8 December, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
The Viva Palestina convoy hit town today (Thessaloniki, Greece) and was shown on local and national tv. Left unity in action over an issue saw PASOK, SYN and KKE send representatives to welcome the convoy and its parade through the city was welcomed by the citizens of Thessaloniki.
Good luck with the convoy. I’m sure you will receive the same (if not more) support when you arrive in Turkey.
Freedom for Palestine!
Comment by anticapitalista — 13 December, 2009 @ 10:12 pm