On board the good ship "Lollipop"
I am posting the latest update from the George Galloway/Viva Palestina website on their Hamas/Gaza-bound convoy. Today was supposed to be the BIG DAY as their ship had arrived at the Egyptian port of El-Arish, from where they were supposed to enter Gaza in triumph. VP big-wigs were flying from Syria to El-Arish to lead the procession into Gaza. Here's the news update:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=115350§ionid=351020202
However, it appears those pesky Egyptians are not cooperating. Read VP's own up-to-date reports.
Day 29 – Monday Jan 4 2010
11pm: NEWSFLASH! CONVOY STUCK AT EL-ARISH AIRPORT. PLEASE ALERT ALL MEDIA TO GET OUR PASSPORTS BACK!
Mike: The Egyptian authorities have betrayed the assurances they gave to the convoy in allowing them to land at El Arish … Passports were taken, visas paid for, then they were given exit visas & told must go direct to Gaza. Passports have not been returned … 120 or so convoy members now staging sit in at El Arish demanding that convoy be allowed to proceed all together as agreed by Eg authorities… Egyptian authorities are now playing the Israelis game. All assurances have been betrayed. Expect to spend night in airport. – @YorktoGaza
Press TV reporting disputes over demands for charge of $27000 for port services which wd not have been incurred but for enforced diversions Press TV also reporting some 60 vehicles are being refused permission to proceed, incl a US vehicle, Turk sat broadcasting one, & all 4×4s – @YorktoGaza
EGY trying to break our convoy. We just told airport immigration wanna give exit stamp on passports and forcing our batch straight to Gaza. But Viva told autho we have bout 350 bro and sis who aren’t here yet and we not moving without them. This is what they did to the Gaza Freedom March; allowing a handful in and blocking the rest to make the support for Gaza look small. Memang setan. – @juanajaafar
10pm: The adventure continues!
Second 8pm flight was unable to land at Al-Arish due to engine trouble. Everyone is OK. The left-engine displayed problems on the flight. At approximately 20 minutes from Al-Arish, our plane was sent back to Syria and has landed safely in Damascus. We flew back on one engine, with superb flight control by the captain! Syria loves us too much and wont let us go. but we will b on the next flight to Al-Arish & get there as soon as possible Inshallah. your prayers help keep us safe! – @Peter2Gaza
2nd of 4 flights diverted to Damascus due to technical problems. Airplane grounded till further notice. We returning to basecamp. – @Zhat
Meanwhile… in Egypt…(!)
We’ve been at arrival waiting lounge more than 4 hours and they’ve still not returned our passports. Members and singing slogans asking for Passports back. 2nd group arrival delayed as plane had tech prob and had to land in Sham to change planes. Some members got food poisoning from yesterday and are flat out. Chant: “Let us! Let us! Let us go to Gaza!” “What do we want? Passports! When do we want it? Now!” – @juanajaafar
and…(!)
Press TV also reporting some 60 vehicles are being refused permission to proceed, incl a US vehicle, Turk sat broadcasting one, & all 4×4s – @crookedrib
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I like that; "What do we want? Passports!
When do we want them? Now!"
Cool.
Here comes George Galloway now. Maybe we can get a comment.
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