Foreign Activists Enter Gaza on Solidarity Mission

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

A delegation of pro-Palestinian activists, mainly French and Egyptian, crossed into Gaza from Egypt on Thursday to deliver aid, AFP correspondents at the border reported.

The "Welcome to Palestine" delegation of about 90 people is to stay in the territory until January 1, in solidarity with the people of Gaza and in protest against the Israeli blockade in force since 2006, organizers say.

Organized by French group EuroPalestine, the delegation includes 60 French members and 25 Egyptians, and entered Gaza through the Rafah border terminal, the only land crossing between the territory and the outside world not dependent on Israel, which also maintains an air and sea blockade.

The visitors brought drugs, surgical supplies and French textbooks, the organizers said.

In the past, several similar "Welcome to Palestine" initiatives failed when activists were refused entry by air to Tel Aviv and by land from Jordan into the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Israeli blockade on Gaza was first imposed in June 2006 following the capture by militants from the territory of an Israeli soldier, who was eventually freed in October 2011 in a trade for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

It was strengthened in 2007, when the Islamist Hamas movement took control of Gaza, then eased somewhat following an international outcry over the killing of nine activists in a 2010 Israeli commando raid on a flotilla trying to break the naval blockade.

In 2011, a U.N. report found the commandos used excessive force but ruled that the blockade itself was legal.

Israel says that its restrictions do not affect the civilian population of Gaza and that it allows 50,000 tons of goods to enter each week.

Comments 7
Missing arturo 28 December 2012, 02:12

It seems like there is no longer a full blockade as Gaza has an open border crossing with Egypt. The blockade of Gaza by Israel is no different than the blockade of Israel by Lebanon.

Missing phillipo 28 December 2012, 08:33

If anyone would actually to check their historical facts, they would see that the UN found that the blockade of Gaza is legal.
Now to get down to more everyday facts, they would find that between 150 - 200 trucks actually cross the border from Israel into Gaza carrying all different types of produce.
Ask the Gazans where they get their electricity, water, petrol, cooking gas etc from, and yes, the answer is Israel.
So exactly what full blockade of Gaza is there from Israel.

Default-user-icon Davein britain (Guest) 28 December 2012, 11:02

Palestinians have the automatic Human Right to fresh Drinking Water food Medicines Concrete re-construction materials (everything except weapons)all these things are controlled & limited by Israel which is Illegal 'Group Punishment' if not for Complicit US and UK their Leaders would have been on Trial at the ICC Hague Decades ago, Mass Killer Fascists that's what Zionists are.

Missing phillipo 28 December 2012, 11:12

I see that facts are no good for someone. He continues to believe in myths.
Oh well!!!

Thumb mckinl 28 December 2012, 12:30

@ Davein britain (Guest)

Exactly correct ...

Thumb mckinl 28 December 2012, 12:32

@ phillipo

You have completely blown your cover as a Zionist operative ...

Missing phillipo 28 December 2012, 16:29

Mckini - that's funny as I picked up the information from Britains two most anti-Israeli newspapers, Guardian and Independent.
Davein britain - you are 100% correct that the Gazans deserve everything you mention, so why doesn't Egypt, their Arab Islamic compatriots supply this to them?