Independent Media Centre Ireland     http://www.indymedia.ie

From Tyrone To Gaza: 'We Will Not Look Away'

category international | anti-war / imperialism | feature author Monday February 09, 2009 16:14author by John Hursonauthor email johnhurson at hotmail dot com

featured image
From Here to There

On Friday 13th February, myself and my cousin will head off to Gaza with a lorry full of aid for some of the 60,000 people left homeless after the recent attacks by Israel.

We will be joining up with a convoy of 90 other vehicles in London, where we will leave from the embankment opposite the Houses Of Parliment, and then make our way to the ferry and hopefully 17 days later we will arrive at the border in Rafa.

We are the only Irish crew going, and we feel very proud to be a part of this trip, and to try and give something to the people of Gaza who have suffered so much.

This convoy is being led by George Galloway MP, and is organised by Viva Palestina.


"Overwhelming response to the Galway Palestine Children's Appeal"
Last Saturday, members of the Galway Palestine Children's Appeal were "overwhelmed" by the public response to their appeal for humanitarian aid for the children and people of Gaza - filling not one, not two, but three 40ft containers with medical supplies, household goods, non perishable food, clothes and toys. For more, click here.

Galloway to Lead Aid Convoy to Gaza on February 14th
British MP George Galloway announced on Monday that he will be leading an aid caravan compiled of a number of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid supplies accompanied by ambulances. The convoy will leave London on February 14th heading for Gaza Strip. For more, click here.

Viva Palestina
A life line from Britain to Gaza - Click Here.



Lifeline for Gaza aid convoy: Leaving London on Saturday 14th February 2009 and arriving on about 9th March in Gaza. Sending a Valentine to Palestine

This is the letter from George Galloway, the organiser of the trip.

More than 1,300 dead – more than 400 of them children – and still they are dragging bodies from the ruins.

The death toll in Gaza is rising, while the world’s leaders and media look away in search of a new story.

We will not look away. The Palestinians in Gaza need our help now, just as they did when Israel’s bombs and illegal weapons were dropping.

Thousands of people have contacted me to say that they have marched, cried at the television pictures and feel helpless in the face of the suffering.

That’s why I have launched a major initiative in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I will be leading an aid convoy from London to Gaza leaving on 14 February and travelling through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and through Rafah and into Gaza. It will bring material aid and raise the banner of Palestine in all the countries that we visit. The convoy should take about 16 days to reach Gaza.

The convoy will be led by a British fire engine, ambulances, and many trucks full of practical aid given by the various communities in Britain.

Ambulances from Stirling will join a fire engine from Manchester

It is quite an undertaking, which I anticipate will have a high public profile throughout its journey and on its arrival in Gaza, god willing, some 30 days later.

The convoy is already supported by the Stop the War Coalition – which organised the largest demonstrations in British history – as well as the Anglo-Arab Organisation, several British trade unions and a large number of Muslim organisations. Fundraising for the convoy is taking place all over Britain.

ENDS

So folks, show your support and get behind us as we bring aid from Tyrone and beyond to the people of Gaza.

Thanks

John Hurson
Dungannon
Tyrone

Related Link: http://www.vivapalestina.org

Caption: Video Id: ZksT4dFwyVY&e Type: Youtube Video
George Galoway Speaks About the Aid Convoy


Comments (6 of 6)

Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6
What We Found in Gaza
author by redjadepublication date Mon Feb 09, 2009 17:39author address author phone

USA's National Lawyers Guild:

...This delegation is seriously concerned by our initial findings. We have found strong indications of violations of the laws of war and possible war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip. We are particularly concerned that most of the weapons that were found used in the December 27 assualt on Gaza are US-made and supplied. We believe that Israel's use of these weapons may constitute a violation of US law, and particularly the Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act.

• more at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/02/08-0


also: http://www.nlg.org/

A heartwarming story
author by Nedpublication date Mon Feb 09, 2009 20:16author address author phone

The heroic journey to far away Gaza...

Those aren't the kind of posts that could bring any benefits to the palestinians;
since Israel finished teaching the hamas a lesson, happened the following events-

1. Hamas fired some tens rockets over Israeli towns, including one yesterday,
which had fallen between two kindergartens.

2. Hamas S-T-E-A-L 10 tons of UNRWA aid on top of an earlier robbery of food and blankets,
which Israel had, ironicly, paid for...

3. Hamas Tried to influence on the Israeli elections so that it's right parties will gain popularity,
which will be translated by hamas's twisted philosophy as legitimization to continue
with teror, which will lead to a stronger Israelo offensive and the cycle will continue
and we shall see some more heroic journeys to Gaza.

So instead of criticizing hamas and preventing the same story of arab terror answered
by an Israeli offensive, you write about trips... much like in a travel magazine

Well done

PDF Document A caricature from 1956- nothing's changed 0.35 Mb


in response to ned
author by edpublication date Mon Feb 09, 2009 21:30author address author phone

Ha, thats a funny comment.

Israel should pay for a lot more than food and blankets. how about 2 billion for starters for destroying Gaza plus compensation for forty years of a criminal and illegal occupation?

Right wing parties dont need any excuse to continue with their actions in the occupied territories. They've been doing the same for the last forty years, long before Hamas was ever around.

The Same Old Song
author by Jack Granthampublication date Fri Mar 06, 2009 19:44author email jackgrantham1 at yahoo dot ieauthor address author phone

I got this YouTube video from http://www.youtube.com/user/AlHarasAlAsewad and I have put it on my YouTube page.I am sure the creator of this movie will not mind having it published somewhere else.

Caption: Video Id: FMLxDq2UJok Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video


Related Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlHarasAlAsewad
Victory and Honour in Gaza
author by Gorgeous Georgepublication date Thu Mar 12, 2009 17:00author address author phone

GEORGE GALLOWAY: THE NOBLE MAN

Wednesday, 11 March 2009 03:28

" Unlike many politicians who would rather stay on the safe side, even if that means betraying their conscience, George Galloway represents a rare breed of morally-guided politicians who are willing to call the spade a spade even in the face of danger and brutality.
The British lawmaker has displayed immense courage in speaking up against crimes and injustices inflicted by Israel, the United States and their European allies in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine. "

http://www.daily.pk/world/europe/9658-george-galloway-t....html

Galloway is a Disgrace
author by thesystemworkspublication date Fri Mar 13, 2009 03:12author email whowillrunthefroghospital at gmail dot comauthor address author phone

Hasn't anybody noticed that George Galloway will stand up for any loathsome group or cause provided they attack his pet hates, the US and Israel?

I mean, to him "Hezbollah has never been a terrorist organisation!". A statement so loony even the normally Israel-hostile NUS criticised him for it.

He hates alleged U.S. Imperialism, we all know, but what about it's former Soviet counterpart? ''If you are asking did I support the Soviet Union, yes I did. Yes, I did support the Soviet Union, and I think the disappearance of the Soviet Union is the biggest catastrophe of my life. If there was a Soviet Union today, we would not be having this conversation about plunging into a new war in the Middle East, and the US would not be rampaging around the globe.'' Communists rampaging around the world please this man greatly.

We all know of his support for Occupied Arabs, but what about if the ones doing the occupying happen to be other Arabs? Galloway happened to express support for the Syrian presence in Lebanon 5 months before it ended, telling the Daily Star of Lebanon "Syrian troops in Lebanon maintain stability and protect the country from Israel". In the same article he expressed his opposition to UN resolution 1559 which urged the Lebanese Government to establish control over all its territory. Quite a double standard, when you think of his voracious criticism of Israel's five week incursion back in 2006. Does anyone remember the joy and jubilation on the streets of Lebanese cities and towns when Syria finally got out of there? Galloway is pretty out of touch there.

In fact, Galloway is basically an Islamist in European Atheist clothing. It's such a bizarre situation these days, when fundamentalist Imams in the UK are telling their congregants to vote for a white atheist in order to advance their interests.

And who could forget him swooning with Iraqi leaders that shot people at close range for fun? And his love for Saddam Hussein, which borders on homosexual?

''Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability, and I want you to know that we are with you, hatta al-nasr, hatta al-nasr, hatta al-Quds [until victory, until victory, until Jerusalem].'' He would make a danm good Martyr, wouldn't he?

Europeans will be cursing people like George Galloway in decades to come, and fondly remebering Israel. Why? Because the Islamic Police for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice will be coming into their homes to cut their daughters' clitorises off.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/91006

Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.