Big News Network.com Monday 4th July, 2011
Greece has offered to ship aid to Gaza through “existing channels” just days after authorities in the country barred a flotilla of ships from leaving for Gaza to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade of the territory.
The offer was made Sunday by Greece’s Foreign Ministry, offering in a statement to “undertake the task of transporting the humanitarian aid, with Greek vessels or other appropriate means, through existing channels”.
The offer has been applauded by the United Nations, which released a statement shortly afterwards saying the offer “could help to reduce tensions in the region and ensure much-needed aid is delivered to those who need it in Gaza”, the statement went on to say that the UN would “work closely with Greece, Israel and Palestinian authorities on this matter.”
However, the offer has been rejected by some Palestinian officials, including chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, who told the international media that channeling aid through existing channels is an endorsement of Israel’s blockade.
Erakat thanked the organisers of the aid flotilla for their passion and support and said that the aid convoy was not about border crossings and shipment channels, but rather “the illegally denied and internationally recognized rights of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination”.
A US ship, The Audacity of Hope, was part of the nine ship flotilla that was barred from leaving Greece last week. The ship is carrying activists but no aid and released a statement saying that the Greek offer “doesn't really address the issue for us, (which is) ending the naval blockade”.
Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip became the focus of international attention several months ago when Israeli forces boarded ships of a similar flotilla in international waters, killing several protesters.
