Opinion Editorials, March 2009

 'Viva Palestina' activists denied entry to Egypt

Press TV, Mar 8, 2009

 Four activists, heading for Gaza with humanitarian aid convoy 'Viva Palestina', have been returned to Libya short after crossing into Egypt.

The convoy of some 100 vehicles carrying one million pounds worth of humanitarian aid departed from Britain on February 14 and is to enter the impoverished Palestinian territory via Rafah in Egypt.

The four were identified as Stephen Gray, Richard Burton, Shams Suppin Razaq and Azam Hussein. Press TV's correspondent Yvonne Ridley, who is accompanying 'Viva Palestina', said a lawyer was to contact the British Foreign Office to find out why the four were deported Egypt.

"The Egyptian authorities have not come up with an explanation as to why these men should be separated from the convoy. There is a feeling that they could mere political pawns in a much wider game is being played out in Egypt at the moment with Libya, Egypt and Israel," she said.

"Israel is putting huge pressure on Egypt to force the convoy which is now doubled in size, a British-Libyan venture, through Israeli territory." She added that the convoy was warmly welcomed on the surface by the Egyptian authorities, local dignitaries and officials, but its movement was at the same time severely restricted due to a large number of police vehicles and officers involved in the operation of moving 'Viva Palestina' to Rafah.

Meanwhile, the convoy has been asked to move in groups of twenty, which has further reduced its speed. 'Viva Palestina' -- organized by British Parliamentarian George Galloway -- has passed through France, Spain and a number of North African countries on its way to the food and energy hungry Gaza Strip, where thousands of Palestinians have long been dependent on aid handouts. Israel refuses to lift a 19-month-long blockade on the coastal sliver to force to its knees the Islamic Hamas movement which controls the Palestinian territory.

The siege continues almost a month after the Israeli army lunched an all-out onslaught on Gaza in a bid to oust Hamas and put an end to Palestinian rocket attacks, which usually leave little damage but have drawn bitter criticism from the Tel Aviv officials. The 23-day offensive left at least 1,330 Palestinians killed, more than 5,450 others injured and widely devastated the infrastructures in the densely populated Gaza Strip, home to some 1.5 people.