Palestinians hope Arab and Islamic nations take steps to break Israeli siege of Gaza, like European activists

European campaign: Arrival of boats to Gaza important step in breaking the siege

[ 24/08/2008 - 05:22 PM ]

BRUSSELS, (PIC)--

The European campaign to lift the siege on Gaza has described the success of the two anti siege boats in anchoring at Gaza harbor as an important step along the road to break the siege imposed on the Strip for the third consecutive year.

The campaign said in a statement on Sunday that what happened created a new situation, notably that the Palestinian territorial waters were open before international aid and that it only needed determination to reach that end.

It said that the initiative should be exploited to rescue the beleaguered Strip especially the patients, noting that 241 patients have so far died as a result of the siege.

The campaign expressed absolute surprise at the Egyptian authority's insistence on retaining the Rafah border terminal closed in what it described as a contribution to the Israeli siege of Gaza.

Egypt could practically end this siege through opening the Rafah border terminal and allow entry of humanitarian, medical and food needs along with fuel supplies, the campaign underlined.

For his part, Saeed Siyam, the interior minister in the caretaker government in Gaza, said in a press release that the arrival of the siege-breaking vessels to Gaza was a victory for the will of the international solidarity team that was not terrorized by Israeli threats.

Siyam asked the Arab and Islamic countries and the Arab League to follow suit and to break the siege.

Haneyya honors activists who sailed to Gaza in defiance of the Israeli siege

[ 24/08/2008 - 01:40 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Ismail Haneyya, the premier of the PA caretaker government, on Sunday decided to grant all those who came on board the two break siege vessels a Medal of Honor, which he dubbed the "breaking the siege" medal.

The premier's decision said that the step reflected the government's appreciation of the positive and constructive role and the distinctive efforts of those activists.

The government in a statement also congratulated the educational staff on the start of the new school year, stressing that the educational process was not interrupted despite threats.

The government also denounced the Israeli occupation authority's closure of the Aqsa foundation in Um Al-Faham and confiscating its property, warning that the step might herald serious measures against the Aqsa Mosque.

Masri: We hope Arab and Islamic nation to take steps like the European activists

[ 24/08/2008 - 01:45 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

MP Mushir Al-Masri, the secretary-general of the Hamas parliamentary bloc, on Saturday expressed his hope that the Arab and Islamic peoples would take similar steps like the daring one taken by the European activists who sailed from Europe to the Gaza Strip to break the Israeli siege.

MP Masri hailed the European activists as chivalrous, courageous and responsible, adding that it is a shame that the Europeans risk their lives and challenge the Israeli threats in order to break the siege while the Arab and Islamic peoples stand watching the besieged Gaza people slowly die.

During his visit to the European activists, Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the acting speaker of the PLC, said that the Israeli occupation failed to face the activists who carried a message to the world saying that it is time to break the siege on the Gaza people who lose patients especially women and children everyday.

Dr. Bahar called on Egypt to break the siege, saying that the European step is also a message to the Arabs that their silence towards what is happening to the Gaza people is unjustifiable and unacceptable and that they should emulate the European step and break the siege.

The acting speaker invited the European activists to visit the PLC to honor them for their courageous step in support of the Palestinian people.

In a statement to the Jazeera satellite channel upon the arrival of the anti-siege boats to the Gaza port, the owner of the boats stated Saturday that it is shame on humanity to let the Palestinian people, who have Arab and Islamic civilization and history, deprived from enjoying their sea and communicating with the world.

Regarding the sudden Israeli decision to allow the multinational activists to reach Gaza, the owner of the boats underlined that Israel felt kind of isolated and that it could not be persistent in threatening Greek boats sailing to break an unjust siege on Gaza

He also stressed that the solidarity with the Palestinians would not stop at this point, promising that the group of activists will continue their support for the Palestinians.

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