Rod Cox and Gaza: Waiting & Politics

Monday, 9 March 2009

Waiting & Politics

The convoy did not pass through at noon yesterday as planned. Here are Rod's texts (British time):

Sunday 12.34pm
A problem is developing here. Riot police deployed to stop convoy leaving as a single unit. Libyan secret police & trucks involved. New negotiations mean that vehicles which are not staying in Gaza will not be allowed to enter and that would mean I cannot load up in Gaza.

Sunday 7.23pm
George Galloway announced after negotiations with the Governor of Sinai that medical aid and all UK vehicles which are staying in Gaza will enter through Rafah. All Libyan aid and all our non-medical aid will go by Israeli-controlled crossings but in the hands of the Red Crescent. This is (almost) in accordance with international agreements & was the position when we left the UK. We have not forced any changes on Israel. Our aid will be transhipped to Red Crescent trucks tonight & we leave for the border at 6am tomorrow. However the convoy is adamant that they will enter together and not through any Israeli-controlled crossing.

Monday 4.50am
Our aid unloaded to Red Crescent last night but 50% still waiting to unload. Police asking us to start engines but convoy refusing to move until all can travel.

Monday 6.58am
1st section of convoy now moving in groups of 20, but will wait to consolidate at fuel stop ahead. I think it will be slow.

Monday 7.39am
1st (our) section of convoy now 30kms from Rafah moving at 35kph, with refuelling stop ahead. Tail end still not authorised to start.

Pauline Thompson

1 comment:

taKi said...: Hey Rod this is Ric from Melbourne, Australia,we here at htt://justiceforpalestine.org have been following your progress and are quite excited by the fact that you will all be in Gaza soon. One of our friends Kamahl Mashni is in the convoy, say hello from us.

Gheers

Ric; 9 March 2009 at 12:49

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Welcome. What are we trying to do, and how you can help.

*Giving Children a voice: Everyone in Gaza is Traumatised by the Israeli onslaught. There was nowhere to run to, and nowhere to hide. When Decent people see how it has affected Children in particular, they want to do something about it. I have brought a travelling exhibition of Children's Paintings to the UK, and you can see the dates that it is booked on the Chester and Palestine Exchanges website www.cape.uk.net

For the posts in the blog about the collection of the children's paintings from Gaza click here.

*The Campaign to open the Gates of Gaza, and end the siege, is of course wider than the Art Van. It is fundamental. Gaza is not even a prison, it is regarded by the Israelis as a Zoo. Any complaint from the Lions caged up here is met by death through the Bars. Honestly, there is nothing more important in all the world than ending this siege, where one set of people treat another as sub-humans, and seem to be supported by the country where you live. Please tell Your Friends, together we can make a difference. Link to this blog.

*The pictures show attacks by the Israeli army on civilians. While the Israelis claim they are fighting a just war they are suppressing any evidence to the contrary. The pictures reveal evidence of bombs that tear off arms and legs, and of the widespread use of Bulldozers in the frontline, demolishing houses to bury people alive, as well as destroying agricultural land, so they could be evidence of War Crimes, too.

**What we need to achieve is a wider awareness of Isreal's crimes, and I hope that seeing the Exhibition will encourage schools and others to link with counterparts in Gaza. We have few resources in CAPE but we will try to put you in touch if you ask, otherwise Twinning with Palestine is the group to contact.

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