UK Viva Palestina Aid Convoy Reaches Morocco in its Way to Gaza

Viva Palestina, Thursday 19th February, 2009

The bulk of the convoy is now in Fes, in Morocco. They expect to spend today there recovering - and a well deserved rest it will be - and waiting for delayed vehicles to catch up. Some broken down vehicles are now back on the road in Spain.

Watch George Galloway and Convoy journey activities at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwB88yjnsXY

http://www.vivapalestina.org/

Watch Press TV report (18/02) from Morocco here

SPOT YOUR VEHICLE: Youtube video of loading at Tarifa

UK aid convoy to Gaza reaches Morocco

Date: 19 / 02 / 2009 Time: 11:42
Gaza – Ma’an –

A British aid convoy to the Gaza Strip reached the Moroccan city of Tangier on Thursday amid cheering crowds.

The Lifeline to Gaza convoy of 130 trucks plans to pick up more donations along the way. Speaking from the UK, organizer Rami Abdo said the convoy will travel through Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt gathering supplies.

The convoy is an attempt to support Palestinians living under siege in Gaza and draw attention to the Israeli-led blockade of the territory.

Gaza’s 1.5 million residents have been trapped inside the tiny enclave since June 2007. Israel severely limits shipments of food, fuel, medicine, and other vital goods to the territory.

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Day 5 - Morocco provides police escort and hotels…….

Wednesday, 18th February 2009

http://gazaconvoy.com/?p=71

The convoy arrived in Tangier at 13:30 (GMT) to the first Muslim country (Morocco) on route to Gaza.

George Galloway texts to say:

“Just driven at 40mph through the streets of Tangier. Crowds of people lined the route cheering, giving victory signs and waving. Amazing!”

Here is an account of the Bradford crew’s experience………… “The feeling is immense peace, love, respect and humbleness. The people here are true brothers welcoming us with food, love and hospitality. When the convoy got off the ferry from Spain to Tangier the whole convoy group joined together in one big Jummat. We managed to get hold of Gerorge Galloway and record his declaration of gratitude to the Bradford crew. Will be uploaded soon as possible! Everyone is fine and enjoying the experience. It’s beautiful reading namaz in the open air, with millions of stars in the sky or with a blazing hot sun and cool breeze. We are heading to Rabbat. Keep us in your duahs!”

The people of Rabbat greeted the convoy today 15:30 (GMT). The locals have been very supportive and are dining with the convoy. A very emotional arrival saw cheers and tears. The Moroccan Government have extended their hospitality and provided accommodation for all those on the convoy along with a police escort all the way to the Algerian border.. Its great to see nations coming together for this cause.

The convoy is now resting - and what a well-deserved rest - in the Moroccan capital of Rabbat.

George Galloway has sent texts which say: “A great day. Local kids gave us Moroccoan flags with messages for Palestinian children. We’ve had meals with the locals in Rabbat. People have been donating money in the street.”

The convoy has been getting some very positive media coverage in Morocco.

Latest news in… 23:00 (GMT) The convoy is now back on the road en route to Fes, in Morocco.

They expect to spend a day there recovering and waiting for delayed vehicles to catch up.. a sigh of relief for the families of the boys who have not quite made it to Morocco yet.

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A Boat for the Fishermen of Gaza

By Yvonne Ridley

Viva Palestina, 18/02/2009

As the sun rose over the Tarifa ferry terminal in Southern Spain this morning the view was quite spectacular as row after row of vehicles from the Viva Palestina convoy lined up for the next leg of our mercy mission to Gaza.

But what really caught my eye this time was a boat which was being towed behind one of the vehicles.

People often forget that Gaza is a coastal strip which sits on the edge of the Mediterranean rim, and at one time the sea provided a decent living for the local fishermen.

The Israeli Navy has, with almost casual regularity, tried to ram, sink or scuttle the boats belonging to20the fishermen of Gaza.

We know this for a fact because evidence has been provided by international peace activists who have gone out fishing with the men of Gaza to show their solidarity with them.

The situation for the Palestinian fishermen is worse now than it was when I was on board the first boat in more than 40 years which sailed in to The Strip to break the Israeli blockade last August.

I am now told the coast has become a 'no go' zone.

On Saturday February 14th - Valentine's Day, as our convoy pulled out of central London, 23 year-old Rafiq abu Reala was shot by Israeli naval forces whilst fishing in Gazan territorial waters, approximately two nautical miles out from the port of Gaza city. He was in a simple fishing vessel, not much larger than a rowing boat, with a small outboard engine, known locally as a 'hassaka'.

According to the report I received this morning, Rafiq, his brother Rajab and another friend were following the course of a shoal of fish.

A group of five more hassakas were out at the time, about a kilometre to the west of Rafiq's boat, further out to sea. An Israeli naval gunboat approached the area and began shooting at the other hassakas, which quickly changed course and headed east, back towards shore. Suddenly Rafiq realised the gunboat was bearing down on their hassaka.
As he recounted the events of that day, Rafiq likened the predatory nature of the naval vessel to that of a wolf. It circled their fishing boat and began shooting heavy ammunition in their direction. The three terrified fishermen threw themselves down flat in the bottom of their boat.

The Israeli captain ordered them via megaphone to raise their nets and leave the area. At this point the gunboat was less then 20 metres from Rafiq's hassaka.

The second time the gunboat came around no attempt was made to communicate with the fishermen. Rafiq was desperately pulling in the nets with his back facing the gunboat. An M-16 assault rifle was fired hitting him twice with explosive 'dum-dum' bullets, which peppered his back with shrapnel from the bullets themselves.

The force of the shots threw him in the water, plunging him down about six or seven metres below the surface.

Rajab asked their friend to contr ol the boat while he rescued Rafiq. Being a strong swimmer, he dived in after Rafiq and pulled him out of the water into the hassaka. However, Rafiq was unconscious by this time.

The fishermen in this vessel had a mobile phone and made an emergency call. The stricken hassaka reached port at the same time as the ambulance arrived and Rafiq was taken to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza city in a serious condition.

Doctors say metal shards are embedded in Rafiq's back and the shrapnel also penetrated his lungs.

It could take Rafiq months to fully recover yet he has a family to support. He married just six months ago and his wife is now expecting their first baby. After five years of working as a fisherman, he has experienced Israeli naval forces firing warning shots on many occasions but this was the first time he has been directly targeted.

However, Rajab survived being shot in the chest by the Israeli navy two and a half years ago.

The total of Gazan fishermen killed by the Israeli navy since 2000 is now 14. Rafi q described the level shooting on Saturday like an open war.

Palestinian fishermen have come under daily assaults from Israeli gunboats since Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire which supposedly came into force on 18th January.

Reports of heavy gunfire and even missile fire are now becoming the 'norm'. Rafiq is the third Gazan fisherman to be shot by the Israeli navy during this non-existant ceasefire. On 26th January, Alaa al-Habil was shot in the lower leg whilst trawling less than one nautical mile off the coast of Gaza. On 6th February, Mahmoud al-Nadar was shot in both legs whilst 1.5 nautical miles off the coast of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Nowadays it is unthinkable for fishermen to venture beyond three nautical miles from the Gazan coast, with many vessels staying just metres from the beach. However, Gazan territorial waters reach 12 nautical miles offshore – indeed, the Oslo Accords grant a fishing zone extending as far as 20 nautical miles.

Israel is attempting to create arbitrary 'no-go' zones in the sea – enforced solely by the gun. They might succeed if it weren't for the resilience of the fishermen. All this is akin to what is happening on land. The Israeli Occupation Force has declared an area of Palestinian land a kilometre in from the Green Line a 'closed military zone', affecting an audaci ous land grab which threatens to swallow a vast swathe of rich agricultural land all the way along the eastern length of the Gaza strip.

Members of ISM Gaza Strip accompanying Palestinian fishermen on a regular basis and witnessed countless acts of Israeli military aggression against them whilst in Gazan territorial waters, despite a six-month ceasefire agreement holding at the time.

While Viva Palestina has only one boat to give to the fishermen of Gaza on this occasion, I wold urge anyone reading this column to think about these mediterranean fishermen and send more boats out to them so they can continue their honest trade.

And as for Gordon brown who is sending out his own convoy, may be the Royal Nav y might like to give some protection to the Gaza fishermen against the Israeli Navy I recently called the Pirates of the Mediterranean because of their lawless, criminal behaviour.

And, as I leave you with that thought, Viva Palestina is now about to board the ferry at Tarifa for Morocco where our North African journey begins its mission: A Lifeline to Gaza.

* Yvonne Ridley is on board Viva Palestina with award-winning film-maker Hassan al Banna Ghani where the two are making a documentary of the historic journey to Gaza.

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Viva Palestina, 17/02/2009

Blackburn brothers are back on the road

Seven men from Blackburn set off today to join the Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza. These men were wrongly arrested on Friday evening on the M65 motorway as they drove to rendezvous with the convoy in London as it prepared to move off. They are taking three vans full of donations of clothing, medical equipment, nappies and children’s toys. The men have fundraised to pay for their vans, travelling costs and all donations and intend to leave the vans in Gaza as further donations.

Hailed as heroes for the efforts to join the convoy and their fundraising, the men met with Chris Chilvers, the North West organizer of the Viva Palestina aid convoy, before setting off for Dover at noon today. Dr Chilvers said, ‘They are very angry about their treatment at the hands of the police and concerned that, despite being released without charge, the police are still refusing to return donations from the vans, personal belongings and mobile phones. The police have offered no satisfactory reason for these violations’.

‘The seven expressed their determination to join the convoy and to keep the trust of all those that donated. Their effort is magnificent and reflects the power of this solidarity movement to support Palestine. By contrast, the police behaviour has been a disgrace’.

Due to the intercession of local councillors, notably Salim Mulla, and the Lancashire Council of Mosques, the Lancashire Police has agreed to meet the costs of getting the group to Tunis and offered safe passage to Calais.

The men will cross from Dover to Calais tonight in vans decorated with posters and salutations such as ‘from Blackburn with love’. They will drive through France to Marseille to join a 24 hour ferry crossing to Tunis in Tunisia. Here the group will meet the Viva Palestina convoy as it arrives from Algeria on Saturday morning. George Galloway is overjoyed that the group has set off and looks forward to uniting them with the convoy in Tunis.

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