ID :
75744
Mon, 08/17/2009 - 23:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/75744
The shortlink copeid
FREE GAZA MOVEMENT INVITES MALAYSIAN MPs TO JOIN MISSION
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The Free Gaza Movement human rights
group has invited Malaysian members of parliament to join its next mission
in mid-October to ship aid to Gaza to break Israel's blockade on Gaza's strip
and its 1.5 million population.
The movement's chairperson Huwaida Arraf said they intend to embark
on the coming mission from a port in Cyprus as it is closer to Gaza, and send
books and publications, which are not allowed into Gaza by Israel.
"I hope and welcome as many (MPs) as possible. The public with their own
boats can also join us," she told reporters after briefing a group of MPs at
Parliament Monday.
The organisation had undertaken five such missions successfully between
August and December last year, carrying goods such as foodstuff and medicines.
Another three attempts had to be aborted due to Israel's use of force
to stop them.
Huwaida said if high profile people such as MPs joined their mission, it
would be very hard for Israel to stop the ships or to use force becuse of the
global political ramifications.
Palestine-born Huwaida said the siege had rendered the Palestinian
people in Gaza without access and necessary connections to the outside world for
their economy and livelihood, thus forcing them to depend on charity.
"We don't want to live on handouts (forever). By just giving money or aid is
not helping (very much) as not all reaches Gaza because of the siege. We
seek to break the siege so that the people will get access to the outside
world and can build their economy and Israel's deliberate policy to impose a
blockade can be weakened and confronted," she said.
"More importantly, by undertaking such missions we are sending a message to
the people of Gaza that they are not being abandoned. The people and the world
community are willing to stand up to resist the blockade," she said.
So far about 16 MPs from countries such as Italy, Ireland, Britain,
Greece, Cyprus and Palestine had joined hands in the missions to Gaza, and for
the next mission, MPs from Europe as well as from some Arab countries had shown
interest to come in.
Huwaida said that former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on
Wednesday had launched the Gaza Fund to raise money to purchase a cargo boat,
estimated to cost 300,000 Euros to transport aid to Gaza, while another 200,000
Euros was needed to purchase an accompanying passenger ship.
For more information on the movement, please go to www.FreeGaza.org
-- BERNAMA
group has invited Malaysian members of parliament to join its next mission
in mid-October to ship aid to Gaza to break Israel's blockade on Gaza's strip
and its 1.5 million population.
The movement's chairperson Huwaida Arraf said they intend to embark
on the coming mission from a port in Cyprus as it is closer to Gaza, and send
books and publications, which are not allowed into Gaza by Israel.
"I hope and welcome as many (MPs) as possible. The public with their own
boats can also join us," she told reporters after briefing a group of MPs at
Parliament Monday.
The organisation had undertaken five such missions successfully between
August and December last year, carrying goods such as foodstuff and medicines.
Another three attempts had to be aborted due to Israel's use of force
to stop them.
Huwaida said if high profile people such as MPs joined their mission, it
would be very hard for Israel to stop the ships or to use force becuse of the
global political ramifications.
Palestine-born Huwaida said the siege had rendered the Palestinian
people in Gaza without access and necessary connections to the outside world for
their economy and livelihood, thus forcing them to depend on charity.
"We don't want to live on handouts (forever). By just giving money or aid is
not helping (very much) as not all reaches Gaza because of the siege. We
seek to break the siege so that the people will get access to the outside
world and can build their economy and Israel's deliberate policy to impose a
blockade can be weakened and confronted," she said.
"More importantly, by undertaking such missions we are sending a message to
the people of Gaza that they are not being abandoned. The people and the world
community are willing to stand up to resist the blockade," she said.
So far about 16 MPs from countries such as Italy, Ireland, Britain,
Greece, Cyprus and Palestine had joined hands in the missions to Gaza, and for
the next mission, MPs from Europe as well as from some Arab countries had shown
interest to come in.
Huwaida said that former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on
Wednesday had launched the Gaza Fund to raise money to purchase a cargo boat,
estimated to cost 300,000 Euros to transport aid to Gaza, while another 200,000
Euros was needed to purchase an accompanying passenger ship.
For more information on the movement, please go to www.FreeGaza.org
-- BERNAMA
