Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

jamesieboy · Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

The Gaza convoy has been held up at the Syrian (?) border where the border guards and the Syrian government are demanding $30,000 or they'll not let them through.

At least that's what was reported in various radio stations today.

2 questions:

How the hell are they managing to go through Syria? The route from Spain is direct and straightforward. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt then the border with Gaza.

Where is the solidarity with their fellow Arabs here? After all the bluster, and all the hand-wringing the evil hand of mammon raises it ugly head again.

Holebender

I take it you know the route across North Africa? Why would anyone go that way from Europe unless they were riding a Panzer tank? Wouldn't it seem more logical for Europeans to cross Europe to Greece, then cross to Turkey and continue on through Syria?

Red Justice

This has been recently posted on Socialist Unity website

http://www.socialistunity.com

VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY - warm welcome in libya

The Viva Palestina Gaza aid convoy has recieved a rapturous reception in Tripoli, capital of Libya

The Viva Palestina convoy of aid for Gaza, which is being headed up by George Galloway MP and two Respect councillors from Birmingham, has
now reached Libya, two weeks after leaving London. Thousands of people turned out to greet them in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, on Sunday.
The reception has been spontaneous and breathtaking. Farid Arada reports

“After the the public rally in Tripoli today, they set off with an additional 60 Libyan vehicles loaded with humanitarean aid and medicine towards the coastal town of Misrata. They were met with jubilant ordinary Libyans who hold Palestine and Gaza close to their hearts. The organisers and the Gaddafi Foundation are ensuring the smooth and safe passage of the convoy through Libya by providing everything the convoy needs - from free fuel to accomodation and repairs, etc.

According to Libyan TV News, the convoy could reach 300 vehicles by the time it reaches the border. I have just seen the size of some of the HGV’s going to Gaza lined up with ours. It is an awsome sight”

This follows excellent support for the convoy in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia from the authorities there, who provided fuel, food and accommodation for the convoy. In Tunisia George Galloway met the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister for talks on the situation in the Middle East.

The convoy also saw the opening of the border between Morocco and Algeria for the first time in 15 years to allow its passage into Algeria.

At the rally in Tripoli it was announced that the convoy would be doubled in size with a hundred vehicles full of aid provided by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.

The convoy is expected to reach Egypt on Thursday and to enter Gaza around Monday 9th March, although these timings remain provisional.

Lord Pitsligo · Re: Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

Holebender

Good grief! Did they really take the North Africa route? You'd think they'd have learned from Rommel's mistakes.

Aventinian

jamesieboy

Yes, I have read the viva palestina website and Galloway, true to form, praises the Gaddafi Foundation, named after the current dictator in Libya, although i think he refrained from calling him 'the indefatigeable one' this time.

Is there any limit to the hypocrisy of this pri*k?

A dictator whose agents murdered a london policewoman, brought down an airliner killing all innocent people on board and who have dealt ruthlessly with all political opponents over the last 30 years or so. A man whose actions, if not words, reveal he is a true right-winger.

Anyway, look at the map of Libya. Big, isn't it? And Syria. And Egypt. And Morocco and Algeria. And little, tiny Israel - smaller than Wales.

When they say this is a dispute over land do they never ask the obvious question. How can the Arabs, who have so much land, want even more?
It doesn't make sense.

Holebender

Never mind the quality, feel the width, eh?

Rinty

"Yes, I have read the viva palestina website and Galloway, true to form, praises the Gaddafi Foundation, named after the current dictator in Libya, although i think he refrained from calling him 'the indefatigeable one' this time."

can you link to that 'praise'. If you had read the site you would have known that your nonsense original post was both nonsense and nonsense Smile

Anyway, look at the map of Libya. Big, isn't it? And Syria. And Egypt. And Morocco and Algeria. And little, tiny Israel - smaller than Wales.

"When they say this is a dispute over land do they never ask the obvious question. How can the Arabs, who have so much land, want even more?
It doesn't make sense."

A spectacular display of ignorance, even for you. The land disputes in Israel/Palestine are not about how big Libya is nor is it about finding any old land for 'arabs'. It is about the right to return for Palestinian refugess and the establishment of a viable palestinian state.

You really have no idea do you?

Lord Pitsligo · Re: Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

Rinty

Do I? Do I need a source to ask is something is true or not? I read the website and cant find the praise for Gaddaffi? So therefore I returned to Jamesie to ask for a link.

Lord Pitsligo

Rinty

apologies mate I misread and it wasnt even close to what I asked Embarassed

jamesieboy

The source was not Viva Palestina but Gaza Convoy, Misrata, 2nd March.

Galloway praised some bloke called Gaddafi for the safe journey through Libya.

Now is he the infamous tyrant (Gaddafi, that is!) or is it a stooge with the same name and an apologist for the regime?

Consistency is all we look for.

Lord Pitsligo

Alasdair

Rinty

"Consistency is all we look for."

Who are "we"? What I look for is a quote and a link to that quote.

jamesieboy

Type in to Google - gaza convoy misrata 2nd March.

That shouldn't be too difficult.

Misrata is a stop on the way, by the way.

(Don't be fooled by the Islamists - they've just carried out another attack on a visiting cricket team in Pakistan)

Rinty

WTF has the attack on the Sri lanka cricket team have to do with this convoy? Only an extremist bigot who sees islamist terrorists.

It looks like these attacks were carried out by gunmen from pakistan. Just a wee while ago you were talking about 'arabs' as a group and now you also include pakistan.

Do you know what an arab is? Do you think it is the same thing as a muslim? Do you think a muslim is the same thing as an islamist? Do you think that an aid convoy to Gaza is the same thing as attacking a cricket team?

Holebender

Were they Islamists or were they Tamil Tigers?

Lord Pitsligo

jamesieboy

Gazaconvoy.com

Irish Times - Hassan al Hamqlawy, leading opposition spokesman said Viva Palestina convoy was an 'ass-licking carnival'.

Gallovile said 'we are people of few words and much action'.

I would say the opposite was true.

Holebender

Where does the Syrian border get a mention?

Lord Pitsligo

Can we please have a direct link to the evidence that backs up your original post please?

jamesieboy

The BBC news site of a few days ago said it was the Jordanian border police who demanded money. I still find this barely believable as the convoy would not go through either Jordan or Syria unless they were doing a detour to maximise publicity.

It was definitely on a radio station 4 days ago about the Syrian border police demanding money - probably a local radio station.

Irish Times.com Hassan el Humqlaqy, prominent blogger for the opposition in Egypt - the ass-licking carnival comments were attributed to him.

Lord Pitsligo

jamesieboy

Type in the words - then you will find the information. That's the way I use the internet.

Links? The only time I have come up against that word is when I was studying German (it means left). Or when I was at the home ground of Montrose F C (Links Park)

Lord Pitsligo

Dave Coull

Jamesieboy started a topic here on Our Scotland, under his own choice of heading, "Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption". Several posters questioned this on geographical grounds. Why would a convoy to Gaza go through Syria? Several people asked Jamesie for some sort of source for his tall tales. Jamesie mentioned Gazaconvoy.com misrata 4thmarch. I did a google for that. What I found was that a convoy from Bolton, Lancashire, had made a smooth crossing from Libya into Egypt, where they were warmly welcomed. Yes, they had passed through Misrata a couple of days earlier. Misrata is a town in LIBYA. It is WELL OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY from any part of Syria. Jamesie, you have repeatedly shown dreadful ignorance of geography. You thought Algeria was in SUB-Saharan Africa. You managed to put the Gaza aid convoy more than a thousand miles off course. Yet you have claimed that you have "a degree in Geography from Cambridge". Either you're a liar, or it's a good job my son, Sam, turned down Cambridge University's offer of a place.
http://www.bolton.vivapalestina.org/

jamesieboy

Dave, you haven't been reading the blogs properly.

If you had you would have read that I questioned the news bulletins' accuracy. I am well aware of the geography of North Africa. I have already asked, on a number of occasions, why the convoy would go through Syria and Jordan if it's going to Gaza; which is next to Egypt; which is next to Libya; which is next to Tunisia; which is next to Algeria; which is next to Morocco and which has Spain lying to the north.

I am quoting radio station reports - which I said I thought were wrong. I am quoting BBC News, and Irish Times.

I said southern Algeria is in sub-Saharan Africa, not northern or Central Algeria. You have displayed hitherto unreached levels of pedantry. Never mind the arguments and the examples, the important thing is - the 't' wasn't crossed!!!!!!!!!

I'll give them this on this forum - I was warned about you!

Yet again, the BBC reported the Jordanian border corruption incident. Are you going to say they are idiots?

Irish Times.Com. Hassam el Humqlawy said Viva Palestina and Galloway was an ass-lickin carnival.

Sounds like all you Islamist apologists. Do you condone 9/11? Do you condone 7/7? Do you condone the Madrid bombings? Do you ever watch the news????? Islamist attacks, massacres every other day.

Dave, it's time you woke up and smelled the coffee.

Rinty

This is the typical jamsie debate, insinuation, half truths, rumours, none of them backed up by anything except that we should google it.

The work of a troll and we should start to just ignore it.

Dave Coull

jamesieboy

BBC News. Gaza Convoy. Jordanian border. 4th March.

A convoy of medical supplies from Glasgow which is heading for Gaza, is moving again after a 2-day delay.

4 lorries were held up at the Syrian border following a cash row with Jordanian officials, but they have now been allowed through.

The aid for Palestine convoy began its 5000-mile passage on 20th Feb.

Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis following Israel's recent 3-week offensive. Aid agencies are working to bring in food and medical supplies.

Bruce Whitehead, who is travelling with the Glasgow convoy, told BBC Radio Scotland that the lorries were on the move again.

'We're just outside Amman, the Jordanian capital. We had made arrangements before we left the UK with the Jordanian embassy for safe passage through the country. But when we got to the border, officials there insisted that we had to pay huge sums of money, hundreds and hundreds of pounds'.

'We're extremely disappointed with the government here and it has put our convoy in real doubt'.

jamesieboy

Now I think that is a different convoy from the Viva Palestina one.

Nevertheless, they aren't the only ones who are likely to be disappointed.
The people who need the aid, for a start.

With friends like these who needs enemies.

I said before that much of the support for the Palestinian cause was lukewarm throughout much of the Arab world: amongst the Egyptian and Jordanian governments in particular.

The old Arab tradition of 'baksheesh' is alive and well as this incident proves.

Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

Re: Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption

Re: Gaza convoy held up at border due to Syrian corruption