Gaza Convoy: Monday passed, the goods did not – Time for protests

Gaza Convoy: Monday passed, the goods did not – Time for protests

Saturday the army representatives at the Erez checkpoint indicated that Monday our truckloads of relief would go through. We didn’t rely on this vague promise too much but gave it the benefit of the doubt. After all, we also heard from KM Dov Kheinin (Hadash) that PM Olmert had told him personally that our relief would be let through.


Meanwhile, Monday passed and the goods did not go through.


While we are still in negotiations with the army and busy mobilizing Knesset members we would very much want activists abroad to strengthen the demand of “Let the convoy pass.”


We also prepared an appeal to the Supreme Court, but still hope to save the money it would cost and instead buy more water filters and add these to the convoy. But if all other means would fail we are prepared to go to court.


See also:


Israel bars aid convoy to Gaza


Lift the blockade on the Gaza Relief Convoy


`We are all under the same sky` – story of the aid convoy to Gaza


You can help in the campaign in many ways, by organizing protests but let’s start already by phoning, faxing and emailing. You may use the following sample letter or make a text of your own.


1) To Prime Minister Ehud Olmert through the PM’s Press office:


E-Mail: [email protected] , [email protected], [email protected] (please, send to all)


Fax: +972-2-6233388 (NB: Fax is more likely to be noticed than an email message)


(You can personalize your letter making use of the following data:


The Director of the GPO is Daniel Seaman. The Director’s direct telephone number is 02-5007502, and his direct fax is 02- 6257886. The Director’s secretary is Noa Arazi.)


2) To Defence Minister Ehud Barak


Ministry of Defense


Address:
Hakirya, Tel Aviv 61909,
Israel


the Defense Ministry spokesperson


Tel: 972-3-6975546, 972-3-6975339
Fax: 972-3-6977285
Email: [email protected]


3) To the Government of Israel via the embassy/Consulates in your country – for the embassy address look in:


http://www.learn4good.com/travel/israel_embassies.htm


http://www.travelguru.net/html/consulates/israel.html


http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/about%20the%20ministry/diplomatic%20missions/


With copies –


1) To the Delegation of the European Commission, delegation head Ramiro Cibrian – [email protected]


2) To the highest-ranking politician in your country whose address you can get, and/or which you have reason to think might act on it.


3) To MEP Luisa Morgantini [email protected]


4) And also cc to us at: [email protected]


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Sample letter


Dear Sir


I am writing to urge you to authorize without further hindrance the entry into the Gaza Strip of the humanitarian goods carried in the convoy of Saturday 26, 2008, and held up near the Gaza Strip border ever since then. The goods held up consist of sacks of flour, rice and other basic food-stuffs, purchased with donations from Israel and all over the world*; of water filters, likewise purchased by donations, which are desperately needed due to the extreme pollution of Gaza’s water supply; and of parcels and packages which Israeli families bought as a gesture of goodwill to families in Gaza. All these goods are urgently needed in Gaza, and the passage of none could in any conceivable way endanger Israel’s security in any way. The continued holding up of these goods, as well as the continuation closing of passage of vital goods into Gaza in general, is a shame which must be ended.


Sincerely Yours,