Haniya receives US-EU solidarity delegations, including Ultra Orthodox Jews, calls on Obama to support solidarity campaigns

Haniya calls on Obama to adopt campaigns of solidarity with Gaza

[16/07/2009 - 01:55 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Palestinian premier Ismail Haniya called on US president Barack Obama to follow the steps of Gaza supporters and work on ending the unjust Israeli blockade, stressing that the Palestinian people in the Strip would remain steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation.

Following his meeting with the lifeline convoy members who came from America (including a delegation of Ultra Orthodox Jews), premier Haniya told a news conference that this convoy carries a special meaning especially since most of its members are from the US and anti-Israel rabbis.

The premier added that the lifeline convoy confirmed that the American people started to express their anger and rejection of their country’s support for the Israeli occupation.   He underlined that the Palestinian people are not against the Israelis because they are Jewish, but they are against the occupation and the Zionism that deny Palestinians their rights.

The premier hailed the activists participating in the convoy as “heroes” for taking the trouble to reach Gaza and help its people despite all difficulties they knew they would face during their journey.

Haniyah meets the crew of Viva Palestina aid convoy

Thursday July 16, 2009 15:43 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

Around 200 American, the crew of Viva Palestina aid convey, meet on Thursday the deposed Palestinian Prime Minsiter Ismal'el Haniyah, of Hamas.

Haniyah welcomed the crew in Gaza and expressed deep appreciation to their solidarity work. He added that this prove that Americans refuse the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian land.

The Palestinian leader said that the fact that there are Jewish Rabbis among the crew holds a special meaning, he added that the Palestinians do not hate Jews but fight the Israeli Zionist occupation.

The Viva Palestina aid convoy of 50 trucks loaded with food and medical supplies, arrived at the Gaza-Egyptian border on Wednesday.

Late on Wednesday night, the Egyptian military allowed the convoy crew to enter Gaza for 24 hours only, along with half of the trucks. The rest stayed on the Egyptian side.

On Monday, the caravan members were met by British MP George Galloway, who organized the aid campaign, and US former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who was deported from Israel last Wednesday while attempting to bring several tons of aid to Gaza by boat.

The aid convoy is the second one organized by Galloway the first successfully brought aid via a truck convoy from the United Kingdom earlier this year.

Israel has placed the Gaza Strip under a total strict siege in June 2007 driving the economy there to the verge of collapse and leaving the Gaza population of 1.5 million Palestinians lacking basic food, medical and fuel supplies.