Viva Palestina aid convoy from the US denied entry to Gaza

Will Barack Obama back up the fine words in his Cairo speech with action?

The Egyptian government is blocking the Viva Palestina aid convoy from the United States from entering Gaza. The convoy is bringing $1 million dollars of aid, including 47 much needed vehicles, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid. They have been denied access to Gaza since Saturday 11 July.

The Viva Palestina US convoy has been organised by George Galloway, the British Member of Parliament who also organised the first Viva Palestina caravan which drove from London to Gaza in March, when £1 million of aid was delivered in over 100 vehicles.

Plans have been announced for more convoys this year from Venezuela and Moscow, as well as a second UK convoy on 4 October and a second US convoy in December to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s brutal attack on Gaza in 2008.

Since it's barbaric attack, which killed 1400 Palestinians, Israel has tightened the noose of its blockade on Gaza.

New York City Council member Charles Barron, who is travelling with the convoy, believes the reason behind these new requirements and restrictions is clear.

"They don’t want this to be successful because they don’t want any more convoys,” Barron said. “They want to set an example with us. They were hoping we would be discouraged. We will get around these obstacles. We are going to Gaza"

Barron and Cynthia McKinney, former US Congresswoman and 2008 Green Party Presidential candidate, will be contacting President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to pressure the Egyptian government to the convoy access into Gaza.

Viva Palestina is calling for supporters to organize demonstrations at Egyptian consulates in the US and to call on the White House and the State Department to support Viva Palestina’s effort in bringing medical supplies.

"We have hundreds of thousands of dollars of medicine, which are time-sensitive and perishable and which need to reach the children of Gaza immediately," said George Galloway.

Barack Obama, in his Cairo speech on 4 June, spoke of the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza. Will he now back up his fine words with action to pressure the Egyptian to let the Viva Palestina convoy bringing humanitarian aid into Gaza?

For more details of the convoy and for regular updates on the obstacles preventing this much needed aid reaching the people of Gaza, visit the Viva Palestina US website.

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