Egypt blocking Scottish medicines for Gaza

Scottish medicines for Gaza now in Egypt, heading to El Arish

(Sunday 20 July, 4.45 p.m.) The 1.5 tons of medicines from Scotland to Gaza are now a few metres outside the gate into Gaza at Rafah on the Egyptian side of the Israeli-built wall that has enclosed the people of this area, mainly refugees, for decades.

The Egyptian authorities in Rafah are refusing entry of the medicines to Gaza and are now demanding that Khalil and Linda drive the van away from their destination towards El Arish. They are threatening to load the van onto a truck and impound van and medicines.

Khalil and Linda, who have overcome may obstacles on the road from Scotland to Rafah to deliver these medicines, are refusing to drive the medicines away from the gate through the Wall into Rafah.

Please text and call with your support for Linda (+ 44 [0]795 867 3840) and Khalil (+ 44 [0]796 00 87 000)

Also write and/or call

Egyptian Prime Minister:
Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohammed Nazif
Phone: + (202) 7958 014/35/36
Fax: + (202) 735 6449 - 795 8016
Website: http://www.cabinet.gov.eg
Email: primemin@idsc.gov.eg

Egyptian Interior Minister
General Habib Ibrahim Habib El Adly
Phone: + (202) 794 8308 - 7984300
Fax: + (202) 794 5529
Email: Moi1@idsc.gov.eg

At the Egyptian Embassy in London, please email Mr Amr Al Shams at amrshams@live.com+ 44 (0)785 233 7210

If he is unavailable, you can also try calling + 44 (0)795 091 2304

+ (020) 7235 9719 Consulate General
+ (020) 7409 2236 Press and Information Office

A projected five-day journey has turned into 10 days: earlier, they were turned back by the Croatian authorities, and had to drive through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to reach the Turkish border. There, they were initially refused entry and told to turn back, before the medicines were allowed to transit Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Egypt to get to the people of Gaza.

Obviously, this is a very modest gesture of our support for the people of Gaza, in the main a refugee people, who are suffering the grim results of a wholly man-made crisis. We must all redouble our efforts to end the shameful EU-wide support for Israel's brutal siege and wider policies of ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign
secretary@scottishpsc.org.uk
www.scottishpsc.org.uk
SPSC is affiliated to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK) www.palestinecampaign.org.

For more information, click here and view Khalil's and Linda's video below.