Galloway stoned!
The antics of the jolly anti-Israel bunch led by the gallant George Galloway, MP, has hit an impasse. As a PR stunt to protest the blockade of Gaza, a ferryboat was filled with supplies in 120 trucks at the port of Latakia in Syria. They were not able to dock in Gaza itself due to the Israeli naval blockade. So instead they headed for the port of El-Arish in Egypt, about 60 km from the Gaza border at Rafah.
The Egyptians were understandably upset by this move, not least by having 120 trucks and about 500 pro-Palestinian activists going thru their territory, but also by the anti-Egyptian statements made by George, lambasting Mubarak for meeting with Israeli leaders. He also criticized Egypt for their blockade of Gaza and for building a metal barrier into the sand to prevent tunneling from Gaza into Egypt. George is pro-Hamas, and Hamas is an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, the enemy of the Egyptian regime, while the Egyptian Government and many of the people are anti-Hamas. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a scathing attack on Galloway calling him a liar and on his group for their antics.
When they docked at El-Arish there were negotiations between George and the Egyptian authorities which were not friendly. Not only were the trucks stopped there for some time, but they were attacked and some of the food was stolen and the Egyptians stoned the convoy! Then the Egyptian police arrested three Hamas members hiding with the group trying to sneak back into Gaza. Finally there were clashes between the activists and Egyptian riot police and many of the group were injured. This and the Egyptian metal wall in the sand led to severe Gazan rioting and an Egyptian border policeman was shot and many Gazans were injured.
To add insult to injury, the Egyptians insisted that a third of the trucks, those not containing food or medical supplies, but cars and equipment, could not cross the border at Rafah but would have to head further south and cross the border at the Israeli checkpoint at Kerem Shalom. Since the Israelis are unlikely to let them in, that puts the whole PR stunt in a shambles. Where will George go from there? Who cares!
The Egyptians were understandably upset by this move, not least by having 120 trucks and about 500 pro-Palestinian activists going thru their territory, but also by the anti-Egyptian statements made by George, lambasting Mubarak for meeting with Israeli leaders. He also criticized Egypt for their blockade of Gaza and for building a metal barrier into the sand to prevent tunneling from Gaza into Egypt. George is pro-Hamas, and Hamas is an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, the enemy of the Egyptian regime, while the Egyptian Government and many of the people are anti-Hamas. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a scathing attack on Galloway calling him a liar and on his group for their antics.
When they docked at El-Arish there were negotiations between George and the Egyptian authorities which were not friendly. Not only were the trucks stopped there for some time, but they were attacked and some of the food was stolen and the Egyptians stoned the convoy! Then the Egyptian police arrested three Hamas members hiding with the group trying to sneak back into Gaza. Finally there were clashes between the activists and Egyptian riot police and many of the group were injured. This and the Egyptian metal wall in the sand led to severe Gazan rioting and an Egyptian border policeman was shot and many Gazans were injured.
To add insult to injury, the Egyptians insisted that a third of the trucks, those not containing food or medical supplies, but cars and equipment, could not cross the border at Rafah but would have to head further south and cross the border at the Israeli checkpoint at Kerem Shalom. Since the Israelis are unlikely to let them in, that puts the whole PR stunt in a shambles. Where will George go from there? Who cares!
posted by Jack Cohen at 12:10 PM
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