Tyrone To Gaza, home safely in Dungannon

[glens abu]

Well done again John fantastic achievement

[Doogie Browser]

This man deserves fulsome praise, yet another selfless act.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

This man deserves fulsome praise, yet another selfless act.

Jeez Doogie, full praise might have been enough  :

ful⋅some
  /ˈfʊlsəm, ˈfʌl-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fool-suhm, fuhl-] Show IPA
–adjective
1.    offensive to good taste, esp. as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.
2.    disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.
3.    excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.

[Doogie Browser]

This man deserves fulsome praise, yet another selfless act.

Jeez Doogie, full praise might have been enough  :

ful⋅some
  /ˈfʊlsəm, ˈfʌl-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fool-suhm, fuhl-] Show IPA
–adjective
1.    offensive to good taste, esp. as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.
2.    disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.
3.    excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.

But sure John would be embarrassed at the amount of praise I have heaped on him 

[Aerlik]

Allah'u ahkbar.

I'm delighted for you all, John.  My mate called me today to say the convoy had got through...his family (in Jordan, watching Al Jazeerah) texted him and he then told me. 

The most inspiring post on this board in years.

[Mickey Linden]

Truly inspirational post. Fair play John! Give her dixie!

[Puckoon]

Just had this piece sent to me...


Emotional scenes greet  convoy

A TYRONE man, who is part of a massive humanitarian fleet bringing aid to the people in Gaza, has
described scenes of 'unadulterated joy' from the local population as the convoy finally reached it s destination.
John Hurson from Edendork is part of the massive 'Viva Palestina Convoy,' led by politician George Galloway. It consists of 500 people from 20 different countries in 250 vehicles loaded with charitable humanitarian aid. The Gaza was devastated and thousands of its civilians killed when it came under a sustained bombardment from Israel last January. 

The day before being allowed to enter the Gaza Strip, riot police in Egypt attacked members of the convoy before allowing it across the border. All five members of the Derry to Gaza team, and one man from Cork received what were described as 'light but painful injuries.' The other members of the Irish delegation were unharmed while an earlier news report stated that they were 'shaken' by the whole experience.

However, speaking from the Gaza, the Edendork man who drove a lorry load of aid to the beleaguered people, said, "It has been a long battle but every bit of it is irrelevant right now. We have crossed the hurdle and to see the help getting to the people is incredible. The attack by the Egyptian police is par for the course. They have done that before. It is a matter of teaching us a lesson and walking away. We got up the next morning and there was no police about. They let us go on without a single hitch. The Egyptians are owned by America because of the massive foreign aid they receive from them. They get that aid based on the fact they do exactly what they are told by Israel and America."
John was overwhelmed by the reception as the convoy reached its destination.

"It is some feeling to be back again and see all our old friends," he said. "It is absolutely amazing. We got all 517 people in. There were 43 vehicles were not allowed in. Egypt under Israeli pressure said they wouldn't allow them in. We will send them in through Palestinian camps in Lebanon and Syria.
"There must have been at least 70,000 to 100,000 people lined the roads from the border the whole way right through the town. I have never experienced anything like it. It was unbelievable. Everyone is delighted we are here. All the vehicles are in a big compound and the aid is being handed to all the different charities and agencies. It is amazing."
John hopes to return to Tyrone 'as soon as possible.' He plans to continue his work on behalf of the people in Gaza. He concluded, "The situation in the Gaza needs to be highlighted in Ireland and throughout the world."               

[Galwaybhoy]

Fair play to John and everyone else involved.  It's great to read posts like this and to see that there are people out there working away to help those that are in such desperate need of supplies.

[give her dixie]

Folks wrote this press release earlier. However, while in the Gaza City Sporting Club, we heard a loud explosion. It turned out to be a F 16 attack which has left 4 Palestinians dead.
It was a scary experience, as the attack was only half a kilometre from where we were.
Needless to say, the meeting was wrapped up on the spot, and we were returned to our hotel.
This was about an hour ago, and word on the street is that they are preparing for more attacks.
On the anniversay of the massacres, this is very worrying.
Israel just knows no bounds when it comes to Palestine.

On Wednesday 6th January 2010, 517 members from 20 different countries in 200 vehicles crossed through the Rafah Border into Gaza to amazing scenes of celebration. Close on 100,000 people lined the streets into Gaza city to welcome the "Viva Palestina" Humanitarian Aid Convoy.



The convoy left London on December 6th, and had travelled through Europe, then Turkey, Syria and Jordan. They reached the port city of Aqaba, Jordan on December 24th, however, they were refused permission to continue to Gaza, a journey of 5 hours. Instead, they had to make their way back up to Syria, a journey of 700kms in order to ship all our vehicles to El Arish. From there, 4 flights were required to fly all the volunteers to El Arish to meet up with their vehicles.



On Tuesday 5th, everyone was reunited with their vehicles in the port of El Arish. At 5pm, the Egyptian Government reneged on their witten deal and refused to allow 59 vehicles to proceed into Gaza.

They walked out of a meeting, and instantly, over 2,000 riot police surrounded the compound containing the vehicles and volunteers. Hundreds of volunteers staged a peaceful protest at the gates, and after a few hours, they were attacked by the police with tear gas, bricks, stones, and baton charged. 60 people were injured, and 20 needed hospital treatment.



The following morning, tensions had been reduced and a decision was made to send all the banned vehicles back to Syria and Lebanon to Palestinian Refugee Camps. At 4pm, the 1st of the vehicles started to roll out of the port to make the 40 km journey towards the border, and at 7pm, the gates at Rafah opened and the convoy completed it's final leg of their trip into Gaza.



Following a reception at the border, the "Viva Palestina" convoy rolled into Gaza City. A distance of 20 kms took over 3 hours as upwards on 100,000 Palestinians lined the streets to welcome the Convoy.

This was the 3rd "Viva Palestina Convoy" to break the siege on Gaza inside 1 year.



Today, all the vehicles and aid was handed over to various charities and NGO's. There were very emotional scenes as people said goodbye to their vehicles which had become their homes for the past month on the road. The appreciation from the Palestinians is very hard to put into words, such was the emotions they displayed. For people from all over the world to travel to Gaza in order to deliver aid, really means so much to the stricken region. This was solidarity on a grand scale.



Tyrone man, John Hurson, delivered Gaelic goalposts, jerseys, footballs, DVD's and books to the newly formed Gaza GAA club. Very soon, children in Gaza will be kicking points and scoring goals, and trying to emulate the skills of their President, Peter Canavan. In an offical hand over, the club were delighted to recieve all this support, and are looking forward to seeing Peter visit Gaza very very soon. Lets hope his Co President Professor Noam Chomsky pays a visit as well.



Tomorrow, the convoy members will leave at lunchtime, and return home to their families. The convoy has been an incredible success, and today in an official reception, they were told that a street in Gaza is to be re named "Viva Palestina Street". This indeed is a great honour, and a lasting tribute to the success of the convoys.

[Galwaybhoy]

Thats shocking to hear and I'm sure a very frightening experience alright.  God help the people having to worry all the time about attacks.  Safe trip home to all involved.

[gerry]

feck john thats getting to close for comfort

[leenie]

safe journey home....

you all have my uppermost respect!

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

As much as the Robinsons have plumbed the depths of what's politically wrong, John Hurson and Viva Palestina have scaled the heights of what is so f**king absolutely right! Mighty stuff, mighty!

Tyrone man, John Hurson, delivered Gaelic goalposts, jerseys, footballs, DVD's and books to the newly formed Gaza GAA club. Very soon, children in Gaza will be kicking points and scoring goals, and trying to emulate the skills of their President, Peter Canavan. In an offical hand over, the club were delighted to recieve all this support, and are looking forward to seeing Peter visit Gaza very very soon. Lets hope his Co President Professor Noam Chomsky pays a visit as well.

Let's look forward to the day when, very soon, the Gaelic Gazans teach us how to play the beautiful game   

[Doogie Browser]

From the BBC:
Respect MP George Galloway has been deported from Egypt.

The Bow and Bethnal Green MP was reportedly trying to return to Gaza to help members of a humanitarian convoy who had been arrested.

A convoy spokeswoman said he had arrived at the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt when he was driven off by police.

Mr Galloway spent the night in a cell in Egypt in 2006 after attending an anti-war event.

[thejuice]

Well done to John and the rest, incredibly brave. safe journey home. What  Israel is getting away with is downright sickening.