> Here is a report in the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram about the Viva Palestina
> aid convoy to Gaza. It mentions our fundraising dinner here in San Diego.
>
> Thanks to all who attended or contributed.
>
> Larry
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Zahi Damuni" <
zahi@al-awda.org>
> To: <
Al-Awda-News@yahoogroups.com>
> Cc: <
VivaPalestina-scal@yahoogroups.com>;
> <
vivapalestinasd@googlegroups.com>; <
Al-Awda-San-Diego@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 11:10 AM
> Subject: Al-Ahram: US lifeline to Gaza
>
>
>
> US lifeline to Gaza
>
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/955/re6.htm>
> Americans have something to be truly proud of on this Independence
> Day, says Anayat Durrani
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The indomitable British MP George Galloway celebrated the former
> British colony's independence in an appropriately defiant way, as he
> departed New York for Cairo 4 July, to join the Viva Palestina US convoy
> that will take over 100 trucks filled with medical aide to the suffering
> people of Gaza. If successful, the American convoy will mark the largest
> grassroots medical relief effort for Gaza in US history.
>
> Rabbis, Christian activists, and Americans of various backgrounds
> departed JFK airport wearing blue t-shirts with the 1776 US Declaration of
> Independence superimposed on the Palestinian flag. Over 200 Americans,
> including Vietnam War Veteran Ron Kovic, will join Galloway as he crosses
> the Rafah border into Gaza mid-July.
>
> Galloway spent most of June through his 4 July departure date in
> the
> United States raising money for the convoy through several "Save Gaza"
> speaking engagements across the nation. Pastors for Peace served as fiscal
> sponsor for the Viva Palestina US Convoy to Gaza.
>
> At every table before every chair at a 23 June San Diego "Free
> Gaza"
> fundraiser was a card with the name and age of a Palestinian child
> tragically killed during the 22-day Israeli onslaught on Gaza. One, Raneen
> Abdullah Saleh, age 12, was murdered by an Israeli soldier in Gaza on 6
> January 2009.
>
> The event showed graphic news footage by Al-Jazeera, rarely seen by
> American audiences, of the mass death and destruction which unfolded in
> Gaza
> during the December 2008 Israeli invasion. Over 1,400 people were killed
> in
> the Israeli assault and invasion that began December 2008. Many victims
> lost
> limbs or were hurt by phosphorous bombs and other weapons used by the
> Israelis. Thousands of homes were destroyed.
>
> "This is why I decided to go on the convoy. This is why I decided
> to
> devote a lot of time to the Viva Palestina organisation," said Rinad
> Abdallah, an American lawyer from California taking part in the convoy.
> "We
> need as much help as possible to help the people of Gaza."
>
> "Gaza was bombarded mercilessly. Atrocious carnage was committed
> against our people while the borders were sealed," said Zahi Damuni,
> co-founder of Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition. Some
> "61,000
> homes, 39 mosques, two churches and 18 hospitals and hospital facilities
> were destroyed in Gaza. All this in a bombardment that was funded by our
> American tax dollars."
>
> The impoverished sliver of land is home to 1.5 million
> Palestinians -- the most densely populated place in the world. Israel has
> severely restricted the entry of goods into Gaza and since 2007 has
> enforced
> a blockade that has only deepened its poverty. Israel bans all but
> humanitarian relief from entering into Gaza, including a ban on building
> materials, at the same time as it builds thousands of new homes for
> illegal
> Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank -- funded by US tax dollars.
>
> The $2 million raised in the US will help purchase trucks and
> relief
> supplies in Cairo for the convoy. The group will drive the trucks flying
> American flags across the Rafah border into Gaza.
>
> From city to city, and despite tough economic times, Americans of
> all faiths and backgrounds contributed their money to the convoy in an
> effort to ease the suffering of Palestinians. Galloway said at a single
> event in New Jersey over $300,000 was raised. "The breadth and depth of
> support for Palestine and this mission in the US is inspiring," Galloway
> said in a statement.
>
> Before embarking on the journey, Galloway said that he was
> confident
> hundreds of Americans would succeed in taking "the biggest single convoy
> of
> aid to the Palestinian people ever to leave these shores".
>
> A reception committee comprised of hospitals, doctors and health
> professionals, charities and grassroots non-governmental organisations
> working in Gaza will receive the convoy. The NGOs will distribute the aid
> to
> those most in need.
>
> "An American convoy with American flags going all the way across
> from the US to Cairo to the heart of Gaza is very, very significant," said
> Al-Awda's Damuni. "We are telling the world that Americans care and
> support
> the people in Gaza."
>
> In March, the Viva Palestina UK convoy completed its 5,000 mile
> journey from England, with 210 trucks and vans loaded with more than $2
> million worth of relief supplies. As it crossed continents it gathered
> supplies and support along the way. The arrival of the Gaza relief convoy
> marked the successful breaking of the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Kovic,
> award-winning author of Born on the 4th of July, and Galloway are the main
> organisers of the Viva Palestina US convoy.
>
> In a June visit to Gaza, former president Jimmy Carter said the
> people of Gaza are "treated more like animals than human beings". He
> criticised the Israeli blockade and said history had never witnessed a
> people "savaged by bombs and missiles and then deprived of the means to
> repair itself."
>
> Last week, the Israeli Navy detained several foreign peace
> activists, including former US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who were on
> a
> ship headed towards Gaza on a humanitarian mission. Israelis confiscated
> medicine and other supplies, including toys. The Israelis have since
> deported several of the activists. McKinney, who was released and deported
> by Israel, is expected to join the Viva Palestina US convoy.
>
> © Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Support Al-Awda, a Great Organization and Cause!
> Become an Al-Awda Sustainer:
> Monthly:
http://al-awda.org/sustainers.html> Annually:
http://al-awda.org/sustainers2.html>
>
> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Viva Palestina San Diego" group.
> To post to this group, send email to
vivapalestinasd@googlegroups.com> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>
vivapalestinasd+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> For more options, visit this group at
>
http://groups.google.com/group/vivapalestinasd?hl=en> -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
>
_______________________________________________
Sdcpj mailing list
Sdcpj@lists.quantumimagery.com
http://lists.quantumimagery.com/listinfo.cgi/sdcpj-quantumimagery.com
