Viva Palestina
Encyclopedia
Viva Palestina is a British
-based registered charity which came into being in January 2009 with the initial intention of running a humanitarian aid
convoy
to the Gaza Strip
. Its aims since becoming a registered charity are: "provision from the UK of food, medicine and essential goods and services needed by the civilian population" [of the occupied Palestinian Territories], and "highlighting the causes and results of wars with a view to achieving peace."
in response to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
.
(FBU), 12 ambulances, a boat, and trucks full of medicines, tools, clothes, blankets and gifts for children. The 5,000-mile route passed through Belgium
, France
, Spain
, Morocco
, Algeria
, Tunisia
, Libya
and Egypt
.
On 20 February, Galloway condemned Lancashire Police after they arrested nine of the volunteers under the Terrorism Act
a day before the convoy's launch. Galloway said: "The arrests were clearly deliberately timed for the eve of the departure of the convoy. Photographs of the high-profile snatch on the M65
were immediately fed to the press to maximise the newsworthiness of the smear that was being perpetrated on the convoy." Viva Palestina reported an 80% drop in donations following the broadcast of the arrests and the police allegations on the BBC
. All those arrested were subsequently released without charge.
Iran
ian television news channel Press TV
travelled with the convoy via embedded reporters, and Hassan Ghani
together with Yvonne Ridley
made a documentary about it.
The convoy arrived in Gaza via the Rafah
crossing on 9 March 2009, accompanied by approximately 180 extra trucks of aid donated by Libya's Gaddafi Foundation
and The International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief
( IOPCR ). These trucks were not allowed to cross with the British convoy and were re-directed through Israel
. Not all of the British aid was delivered. At Al-Arish the Egytian authorities searched all vehicles taking any aid it did not deem to be medical. All vehicles however did make it across with the exception of the fire engine and boat which were also blocked by the Egyptian government. The boat is to be delivered later in a flotilla of craft which Viva Palestina intends to take into Gaza harbour.
The convoy was led overall by Kevin Ovenden
. When they returned to the U.K., supporters welcomed them home.
Geeley
1.6-litre petrol-engined
sedan cars) was refused entry. The operation was figure-headed by George Galloway
and Vietnam War
veteran Ron Kovic
.
The Anti-Defamation League
expressed concerns that the convoy would aid Hamas
and requested the U.S. Justice Department to investigate. To allay fears that the U.S. volunteers would encounter legal difficulties upon their return home, Hamas agreed to allow the aid to be delivered directly to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) rather than through their government.
and Damascus
), and travelled via France
, Belgium
, Luxembourg
, Germany
, Austria
, Italy
, Greece
, Turkey
, Syria
, Jordan
, back through Syria again, and finally Egypt
before entering Gaza via Rafah. The intended date of entry was 27 December 2009, the one-year anniversary of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
, but actual entry took place on 7 January 2010.
On 5 January 2010, scuffles broke out between members of the convoy and Egyptian police in Al-Arish after part of the convoy was barred from entering Gaza. On 6 January 2010 at the Rafah border, during solidarity protests held by Palestinians in Gaza awaiting the convoy's arrival, violence erupted resulting in the hospitalisation of at least three Palestinians and the death of an Egyptian policeman.
On 7 January it was reported by Democracy Now! – along with an interview with Galloway – that the convoy had successfully crossed the Egyptian border with Gaza and was beginning to hand out medicine.
On 8 January George Galloway was deported from Egypt and declared persona non grata
. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit
described the aid convoy as "farcical" and said the country would no longer allow such solidarity convoys into the Hamas
-run coastal area.
convoy from Venezuela, maybe one from Iran which we are currently discussing. And people from other countries such as Australia and South Africa are also asking if they can get involved,".
Subsequently to this, in an 11 January 2010 interview with Anas Tikriti on British-based Arabic diaspora television channel Al Hiwar
, Galloway said that the Chavez link was less likely to happen than it had been, but that Viva Palestina would enter Gaza harbour by sea. This is similar to projects of the Free Gaza Movement
.
ed by the Israelis. The flotilla was organised with the Turkish IHH charitable organisation. The IHH sent the MV Mavi Marmara
, also carrying Viva Palestina delegates, on which nine people were killed by Israeli commandos. The Free Gaza Movement
, which had experience of sending boats previously, sent the MV Rachel Corrie
.
The two projects progressed with the former becoming the Road to Hope
convoy, which departed the UK on 10 October 2010, taking with it several volunteers from the IHH flotilla, plus other international solidarity organisations, and travelled via France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, before falling victim to what they claimed was the work of a confidence trickster who, they said, told them they would be granted passage through the Egyptian border (normally not possible) because they would be travelling together with the official Libyan Al Quds 5 convoy which, as a government convoy, had exceptional permission. As a result of the deceit and confusion, Road to Hope became stalled in Libya, where it remained into November 2010. On 11 November 2010, while boarding a ferry intended to transport the convoy to Al Arish in Egypt, Road To Hope alleged that 10 members of the convoy were kidnapped by the ship's captain. They were taken to Greece where they were released several days later.
The latter project became "Viva Palestina 5" (the fourth convoy to be organised by Viva Palestina), which departed the U.K. on 18 September 2010 and travelled via Greece, Turkey, and Syria, in conjunction with partners including the European campaign to end the siege of Gaza. On 13 October, with the support of Syrian and other authorities, the ferry carrying medical aid (along with educational supplies, material to build an orphans' school, and a maternity unit in Beit Hanoun
in northern Gaza) was eventually allowed by the Egyptian authorities to dock in Al Arish, and thence allowed to pass through the Rafah crossing. More than 10 convoy members were denied access. It successfully reached Gaza and delivered its aid.
-run government in the Gaza Strip. Financial support for Hamas is unlawful in Canada, the United States and most of the EU, because of Hamas' classification as a terrorist organization. The Anti-Defamation League sent an open letter to the US Department of Justice asking that they open an investigation. Britain's Charity Commission
concluded that there was no evidence that the Charity’s property was provided to Hamas.
The Charity Commission's inquiry found that Viva Palestina was a charity because the Founding Trustee’s attempts to amend the purposes of the Charity so that it became a non-charitable organisation were not legally effective. They concluded that there was no evidence that the Charity’s property was provided to Hamas based on the material it examined. They found that the Charity had misled the public by claiming to have raised over £1 million during the first convoy because this amount included the estimated value of the goods raised during the course of the convoy which were donated on arrival in Gaza. They concluded that mismanagement in the administration of a charity had exposed the Charity’s funds to unnecessary risk.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based registered charity which came into being in January 2009 with the initial intention of running a humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
to the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Its aims since becoming a registered charity are: "provision from the UK of food, medicine and essential goods and services needed by the civilian population" [of the occupied Palestinian Territories], and "highlighting the causes and results of wars with a view to achieving peace."
Background
Viva Palestina was brought about in January 2009 by a group including British Member of Parliament George GallowayGeorge Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
in response to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
The Gaza War, known as Operation Cast Lead in Israel and as the Gaza Massacre in the Arab world, was a three-week bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel, and hundreds of rocket attacks on south of Israel which...
.
Early 2009 — first convoy
On 14 February 2009, after raising over £1 million-worth of humanitarian aid in under four weeks, hundreds of volunteers launched the first convoy comprising approximately 110 vehicles intended for use in Gaza — including a fire engine donated by the Fire Brigades UnionFire Brigades Union
The Fire Brigades Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom for wholetime Firefighters , Retained Duty System and Emergency Control Room staff...
(FBU), 12 ambulances, a boat, and trucks full of medicines, tools, clothes, blankets and gifts for children. The 5,000-mile route passed through Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
On 20 February, Galloway condemned Lancashire Police after they arrested nine of the volunteers under the Terrorism Act
Terrorism Act
-United Kingdom:* Prevention of Terrorism Acts passed between 1974 and 1989 to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland* The Terrorism Act 2000* The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001* The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005* The Terrorism Act 2006...
a day before the convoy's launch. Galloway said: "The arrests were clearly deliberately timed for the eve of the departure of the convoy. Photographs of the high-profile snatch on the M65
M65 motorway
The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and ends at Colne.-History:...
were immediately fed to the press to maximise the newsworthiness of the smear that was being perpetrated on the convoy." Viva Palestina reported an 80% drop in donations following the broadcast of the arrests and the police allegations on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. All those arrested were subsequently released without charge.
Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian television news channel Press TV
Press TV
Press TV is a 24-hour English language global news network owned by the Iranian government. Its headquarters are located in Tehran, Iran, with bureaux in Beirut , Damascus , London , Seoul and Washington DC ....
travelled with the convoy via embedded reporters, and Hassan Ghani
Hassan Ghani
Hassan Ghani, is a Scottish broadcast journalist and documentary film-maker, based in London. He has worked in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Gaza, Somalia, Turkey and Egypt during the uprising....
together with Yvonne Ridley
Yvonne Ridley
Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist, war correspondent and Respect Party activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release, her outspoken opposition to Zionism, and her criticism of Western media portrayals of the War on Terror...
made a documentary about it.
The convoy arrived in Gaza via the Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
crossing on 9 March 2009, accompanied by approximately 180 extra trucks of aid donated by Libya's Gaddafi Foundation
Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations
The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation , known as GIFCA, is an international non-governmental organisation with headquarters formerly located in the Libyan capital Tripoli and offices in Chad, Germany, the Philippines and Sudan. GICDF was established in 1998 upon signature of...
and The International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief
The International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief
The International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief is a non-governmental organization based in Tripoli, Libya. Founded in 1999, the organisation has special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and has an independent legal and financial status. The...
( IOPCR ). These trucks were not allowed to cross with the British convoy and were re-directed through Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Not all of the British aid was delivered. At Al-Arish the Egytian authorities searched all vehicles taking any aid it did not deem to be medical. All vehicles however did make it across with the exception of the fire engine and boat which were also blocked by the Egyptian government. The boat is to be delivered later in a flotilla of craft which Viva Palestina intends to take into Gaza harbour.
The convoy was led overall by Kevin Ovenden
Kevin Ovenden
Kevin Ovenden is a British, left-wing, political activist and currently a member of the Respect Party's leadership, and an organiser of Viva Palestina.-Biography:Ovenden was for many years a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party....
. When they returned to the U.K., supporters welcomed them home.
Mid 2009 — United States airborne "convoy"
A delegation from the U.S., in addition to U.K.-based organisers, was flown to Egypt. Israel then allowed a "convoy of 200 U.S. activists ... to cross into the Gaza Strip via Egypt on" July 17, 2009. Much of their aid (including 33 small Chinese-builtChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Geeley
Geely Automobile
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is a holding company and parent of Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd a private automobile manufacturer. Geely may often round out the top ten Chinese automakers....
1.6-litre petrol-engined
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
sedan cars) was refused entry. The operation was figure-headed by George Galloway
George Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran Ron Kovic
Ron Kovic
Ronald Lawrence Kovic is an anti-war activist, veteran and writer who was paralyzed in the Vietnam War. He is best known as the author of the memoir Born on the Fourth of July, which was made into an Academy Award–winning movie directed by Oliver Stone, with Tom Cruise playing Kovic...
.
The Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
expressed concerns that the convoy would aid Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and requested the U.S. Justice Department to investigate. To allay fears that the U.S. volunteers would encounter legal difficulties upon their return home, Hamas agreed to allow the aid to be delivered directly to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) rather than through their government.
Late 2009 — third convoy
On 6 December 2009, the third Viva Palestina Convoy departed from London. This convoy, the second to leave the U.K. by road, was made up of volunteers from several countries. It collected additional support in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
), and travelled via France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, back through Syria again, and finally Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
before entering Gaza via Rafah. The intended date of entry was 27 December 2009, the one-year anniversary of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
The Gaza War, known as Operation Cast Lead in Israel and as the Gaza Massacre in the Arab world, was a three-week bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel, and hundreds of rocket attacks on south of Israel which...
, but actual entry took place on 7 January 2010.
On 5 January 2010, scuffles broke out between members of the convoy and Egyptian police in Al-Arish after part of the convoy was barred from entering Gaza. On 6 January 2010 at the Rafah border, during solidarity protests held by Palestinians in Gaza awaiting the convoy's arrival, violence erupted resulting in the hospitalisation of at least three Palestinians and the death of an Egyptian policeman.
On 7 January it was reported by Democracy Now! – along with an interview with Galloway – that the convoy had successfully crossed the Egyptian border with Gaza and was beginning to hand out medicine.
On 8 January George Galloway was deported from Egypt and declared persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit
Ahmed Aboul Gheit
Ahmed Aboul-Gheit is an Egyptian diplomat who was the Foreign Minister of Egypt from 11 July 2004 to 6 March 2011, since the government of Ahmed Nazif took office. Aboul-Gheit previously served as Egypt's ambassador to the United Nations. In December 2005 he began mediating the Chad-Sudan conflict...
described the aid convoy as "farcical" and said the country would no longer allow such solidarity convoys into the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-run coastal area.
Late 2009 / early 2010 — announcements
Late in 2009, Viva Palestina founder George Galloway said that he was planning more Viva Palestina Convoys, "Next year we will bring a Viva Palestina Hugo ChavezHugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
convoy from Venezuela, maybe one from Iran which we are currently discussing. And people from other countries such as Australia and South Africa are also asking if they can get involved,".
Subsequently to this, in an 11 January 2010 interview with Anas Tikriti on British-based Arabic diaspora television channel Al Hiwar
Al Hiwar
"Al-Hiwar" is an Arabic language Satellite TV Channel broadcasting from London. Al-Hiwar was set up by a number of Arab intellectuals and businessmen from Britain and the Arab World.-Programs:*90 minutes *A cause and a dialogue...
, Galloway said that the Chavez link was less likely to happen than it had been, but that Viva Palestina would enter Gaza harbour by sea. This is similar to projects of the Free Gaza Movement
Free Gaza Movement
The Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
.
Mid-2010 — Turkish-led Gaza flotilla
Fatimah Mahmadi, Kevin Ovenden, and Nicola Enchmarch of Viva Palestina were on board ships of the Gaza flotilla raidGaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
ed by the Israelis. The flotilla was organised with the Turkish IHH charitable organisation. The IHH sent the MV Mavi Marmara
MV Mavi Marmara
MV is a Comoros-flagged passenger ship, which was formerly owned and operated by İDO Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc. on the line Sarayburnu, Istanbul-Marmara Island-Avşa Island in the Sea of Marmara. Built at the Golden Gate Shipyard by Turkish Shipbuilding Co...
, also carrying Viva Palestina delegates, on which nine people were killed by Israeli commandos. The Free Gaza Movement
Free Gaza Movement
The Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
, which had experience of sending boats previously, sent the MV Rachel Corrie
MV Rachel Corrie
MV Rachel Corrie is a 499 GT coaster owned and operated by the Free Gaza Movement. The ship is named in honour of Rachel Corrie, a former member of the International Solidarity Movement...
.
Late 2010 — further convoys
Shortly after the flotilla, in summer 2010, a group of previous Viva Palestina volunteers announced that they would be running a politically independent land convoy with the intention of coinciding with an anticipated second Turkish-led attempt to enter Gaza by sea. Three days after this announcement, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in London, George Galloway announced a new Viva Palestina land convoy to coincide with yet another attempt to enter Gaza by sea.The two projects progressed with the former becoming the Road to Hope
Road to Hope
Road to Hope is the name of a humanitarian aid convoy from the United Kingdom to Gaza, and of the charitable organisation which arranged that convoy.-Evolution:...
convoy, which departed the UK on 10 October 2010, taking with it several volunteers from the IHH flotilla, plus other international solidarity organisations, and travelled via France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, before falling victim to what they claimed was the work of a confidence trickster who, they said, told them they would be granted passage through the Egyptian border (normally not possible) because they would be travelling together with the official Libyan Al Quds 5 convoy which, as a government convoy, had exceptional permission. As a result of the deceit and confusion, Road to Hope became stalled in Libya, where it remained into November 2010. On 11 November 2010, while boarding a ferry intended to transport the convoy to Al Arish in Egypt, Road To Hope alleged that 10 members of the convoy were kidnapped by the ship's captain. They were taken to Greece where they were released several days later.
The latter project became "Viva Palestina 5" (the fourth convoy to be organised by Viva Palestina), which departed the U.K. on 18 September 2010 and travelled via Greece, Turkey, and Syria, in conjunction with partners including the European campaign to end the siege of Gaza. On 13 October, with the support of Syrian and other authorities, the ferry carrying medical aid (along with educational supplies, material to build an orphans' school, and a maternity unit in Beit Hanoun
Beit Hanoun
Beit Hanoun is a city on the north-east edge of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 32,187 in mid-year 2006. It is administered by the Palestinian Authority...
in northern Gaza) was eventually allowed by the Egyptian authorities to dock in Al Arish, and thence allowed to pass through the Rafah crossing. More than 10 convoy members were denied access. It successfully reached Gaza and delivered its aid.
Aid recipients and investigations
While in Gaza, AFP reported that Viva Palestina donated more than 100 vehicles carrying aid worth more than 1.4 million US dollars to the HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-run government in the Gaza Strip. Financial support for Hamas is unlawful in Canada, the United States and most of the EU, because of Hamas' classification as a terrorist organization. The Anti-Defamation League sent an open letter to the US Department of Justice asking that they open an investigation. Britain's Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
concluded that there was no evidence that the Charity’s property was provided to Hamas.
The Charity Commission's inquiry found that Viva Palestina was a charity because the Founding Trustee’s attempts to amend the purposes of the Charity so that it became a non-charitable organisation were not legally effective. They concluded that there was no evidence that the Charity’s property was provided to Hamas based on the material it examined. They found that the Charity had misled the public by claiming to have raised over £1 million during the first convoy because this amount included the estimated value of the goods raised during the course of the convoy which were donated on arrival in Gaza. They concluded that mismanagement in the administration of a charity had exposed the Charity’s funds to unnecessary risk.
External links
- Viva Palestina, official website
- Road to Hope, another project by some of Viva Palestina's volunteers
- Viva Palestina Still in Syria, By Julie Webb, Havana Times, October 19, 2010