ID :
97534
Thu, 12/31/2009 - 11:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/97534
The shortlink copeid
PALESTINA CONVOY TO USE TARTUS PORT TO GET TO GAZA
From Kuzaimah Idris
DAMASCUS (Syria), Dec 31 (Bernama) -- After a short rest in Damascus, the 450 members of the Viva Palestina convoy is preparing to continue their journey to the northern port city of Tartus, some 200km away from here, to deliver their humanitarian aid safely to the Palestinians in Gaza.
At first they planned to use the port of Latakia, which is further up
north of Tartus port, to get to El-Arish, a port in northern Egypt, a gateway to
their final destination, Gaza via Rafah.
But after discussion with the Syrian authority, members of the convoy were
given a better option, Tartus port, as the exit point to El-Arish.
They were supposed to leave for Tartus port by land immediately. But at the
time this news was written, their departure was still pending as members of the
convoy were in the midst of collecting money to pay for their safe passage from
Tartus port to El-Arish port via the Mediterranean sea.
The convoy of 220 trucks filled with humanitarian and educational aid and
ambulances with medical supplies, may have no choice but to spend another night
here if they fail to obtain the "right" amount to pay for the voyage.
And when they reach El-Arish, the convoy will have to travel about 40km by
road to get to Rafah before getting into Gaza.
The long journey from Aqaba Port in Jordan, however, has not deterred the
members of the convoy to fulfil their quest.
One of them, Said Benayad, hopes the best will prevail from the challenges
they have to face.
"I feel a bit tired because mentally it's not easy. We were thinking that we
were close to Rafah, just four hours from Egypt. Then we had to come back to
Syria. We don't know whether we can go to Rafah tomorrow or in two days' time,"
he lamented.
Ryan Assal felt annoyed of having to face the bad reception from the
Egyptian government.
He claimed that the delaying tactics had hampered them from reaching Gaza on
the anniversary of the Gaza bombing.
"But the main aim is to get the aid there. If we can accomplish that, then
there's a small price to pay," he said.
-- BERNAMA
DAMASCUS (Syria), Dec 31 (Bernama) -- After a short rest in Damascus, the 450 members of the Viva Palestina convoy is preparing to continue their journey to the northern port city of Tartus, some 200km away from here, to deliver their humanitarian aid safely to the Palestinians in Gaza.
At first they planned to use the port of Latakia, which is further up
north of Tartus port, to get to El-Arish, a port in northern Egypt, a gateway to
their final destination, Gaza via Rafah.
But after discussion with the Syrian authority, members of the convoy were
given a better option, Tartus port, as the exit point to El-Arish.
They were supposed to leave for Tartus port by land immediately. But at the
time this news was written, their departure was still pending as members of the
convoy were in the midst of collecting money to pay for their safe passage from
Tartus port to El-Arish port via the Mediterranean sea.
The convoy of 220 trucks filled with humanitarian and educational aid and
ambulances with medical supplies, may have no choice but to spend another night
here if they fail to obtain the "right" amount to pay for the voyage.
And when they reach El-Arish, the convoy will have to travel about 40km by
road to get to Rafah before getting into Gaza.
The long journey from Aqaba Port in Jordan, however, has not deterred the
members of the convoy to fulfil their quest.
One of them, Said Benayad, hopes the best will prevail from the challenges
they have to face.
"I feel a bit tired because mentally it's not easy. We were thinking that we
were close to Rafah, just four hours from Egypt. Then we had to come back to
Syria. We don't know whether we can go to Rafah tomorrow or in two days' time,"
he lamented.
Ryan Assal felt annoyed of having to face the bad reception from the
Egyptian government.
He claimed that the delaying tactics had hampered them from reaching Gaza on
the anniversary of the Gaza bombing.
"But the main aim is to get the aid there. If we can accomplish that, then
there's a small price to pay," he said.
-- BERNAMA
