Africa border opens for Gaza aid

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

The border between Morocco and Algeria, closed for almost 15 years, has been temporarily reopened for an aid convoy heading towards the Gaza Strip. The convoy of 99 vehicles, which left from the UK loaded with medicine, food, clothes and toys, crossed into Algeria near the Moroccan town of Oujda.

The frontier was shut in 1994 after Morocco accused Algeria of involvement in an attack on a hotel in Marrakech. The convoy is due to cross from Egypt to Gaza in early March. It left London last week, led by British member of parliament George Galloway. Its 5,000-mile route also includes France, Spain, Tunisia, and Libya.

=snip

Though the Morocco-Algeria crossing was opened for the convoy, there is little sign ordinary people will be able to travel overland between Morocco and Algeria any time soon, the BBC's James Copnall reports from the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have long been poor, and disagreements are currently focused on the disputed territory of the Western Sahara. Morocco considers the region its own, while Algeria supports the Polisario Front independence movement. The border closure also has economic consequences, our correspondent says. According to some estimates, the Maghreb has the lowest rate of internal trade of any region in the world. Morocco recently asked for the border to be reopened, but Algeria has yet to agree.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7903953.stm

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Posted here because it's a story about the relationship between two African countries not the I/P conflict in and of itself.

[bluesmail]

1. That's such good news. eom

[toopers]

2. Why not just land a plane in Gaza and deliver this tomorrow?

eom

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. a) the only airport in the Gaza Strip was destroyed by Israel years ago

b) the plane would probably just be shot down or harassed into landing elsewhere. It's not like this land convoy will be allowed in anyway.

The situation is properly called a "stacked deck".

[toopers]

6. Fine, land in Egypt and take it across the border . . .

the next day. I do not understand this 4 week trip. Or better, fly under British flag and drop the load in Gaza without landing.

[Turborama]

7. Simply put, cost. n/t

[ohio2007]

8. The cost of refueling 99 vehicles to deliver this aid is cost effective?

The real story is that the border between two african nations is as sealed as the Egyptian/Gaza crossing. The delivery of goods over the road isn't effective,just making a statement to see how it will impact Egyptian border rules.imo, if the aid gets through, the vehicles will never make the return trip let alone get out of east bum fu*k

[Turborama]

4. Good question...

12 of the vehicles are ambulances and there's one fire engine and a boat (not sure how they're transporting that but I imagine it must be on a trailer).

More info, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ectomorfo/3271763985/">here.

[Turborama]

5. "Galloway seeks inquiry into convoy arrests"

Duncan Campbell

The Guardian

Saturday 21 February 2009

The Respect MP George Galloway has called for an investigation after police stopped a convoy taking aid, toys and medical supplies to Gaza and arrested nine people under anti-terror laws.

All nine men arrested on the M65 near Preston last Friday have been released without charge, but the organisers of the Viva Palestina convoy, which is headed by Galloway, said that aid donations dropped by 80% after news of the arrests.

Police stopped three vehicles and arrested six men from Blackburn and three from Burnley under the Terrorism Act. The 100-vehicle convoy left without them and is now in Morocco.

"Nine innocent people were prevented by the police from joining our convoy," said Galloway. "The timing of the operation is seen locally as an attempt to smear and intimidate the Muslim community, and I must say they seem to be right. Photographs of the high-profile snatch were immediately fed to the press to maximise the newsworthiness of the smear."

Galloway said he was writing to the chief constable of Lancashire and the home secretary asking for an explanation.

Continues: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/21/galloway-viva-palestina-arrests-aid