“Our crew physically ok, sounded shaken. Started
whn Egypt said big vehicles & trucks had to b given to ISRAEL!
Galloway said no. Eg negotiator walked out. 5 mins later riot police
turned up. Trouble seemed 2 start wn plain clothed Egypt police in
compound started stirring things Thn riot police came in Mike &
others vouch …for this.
Galloway made a speech and calmed things down. Now everything is
quiet. Team have been using bandages etc from ambulance…. saw the
person stretchered off but doesn’t know more about this…. there is a
mosque in the port and that is where people are being treated” – @YorktoGaza

news from Mahathir’s niece. “All hell has broken lose at the port. Shit flying around and police spraying and gassing. We’re in the gates. Instigators
started moving in from within the police lines and moved on the inside
of the police side of the barricades. Convoy mbers were Sitting on the ground when shouts from polic…e lines started and then wham, hell. Just helped bandage a friend’s head. Some people are missing including a Msian student who came on his own from the UK. We are trying to find him. He may be arrested. For Gaza siege.
We have bend over backwards to come to Elarish cause EGY said we’d be
welcomed here, instead welcomed with violence” @juanajaafar

Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish.

This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza.

He left two hours ago and did not come back. Egyptian authorities called over 2,000 riot police who then moved towards our camp at the port.

We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid.

The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point.

We are now calling upon all friends of Palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy’s and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow!

Kevin Ovenden
Viva Palestina Convoy Leader