George Galloway - From London to Gaza

modern · Post by **modern** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:33 pm

I'd expect the aid to trickle through to the people. If not you'd expect the democratically elected government to be voted out when the next elections are held.

Post by **faceless** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:04 am

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nekokate · Post by **nekokate** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:51 am

I thought this was a million pounds in aid, not a million pounds in pounds.

Food, clothing, blankets, medicine...

???

Post by **faceless** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:59 am

I can usually get my head around most ideas, at least for the sake of argument, but not this time. Flashing the cash is taking the piss.

Though I'm not sure what kind of cash that is - anyone got an idea?

nekokate · Post by **nekokate** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:10 am

However, how else was the aid going to be distributed? Gaza seems small on a map but it's hardly a broom closet. There had to be someone, or something, that the aid was handed over to.

I'd prefer Amnesty, the UN, or even B'Tselem rather than Hamas, but since the IDF are threatening any organisation that tries to get in there to help... well... can you really blame him.

Post by **faceless** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:53 am

But that just suggests that the only political element in Gaza is Hamas. I'm sure there are many Fatah people who have been affected, and who have representatives, who would have been more than happy to get their fair share. As it is, they are now marginalised more.

modern · Post by **modern** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:23 am

faceless wrote:[align=center][/align]

'Loads of money!!!'

...to the people of Gaza I hope.

The fact that the convoy was carrying aid as well means this 'money' is only a bonus. And if part of it goes to helping the armed resistance in any way - well what's wrong with that...

mickyv · Post by **mickyv** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:54 am

faceless wrote:I can usually get my head around most ideas, at least for the sake of argument, but not this time. Flashing the cash is taking the piss.

GG explicitly said as he handed over the money, "This isn't charity, it's a political statement"; in other words he was showing his belief is that Hamas are the elected government of Palestine, and not terrorists. He was also openly challenging the political motivated sanctions against Hamas by handing over cash in Public & daring anybody to take him to court.

Post by **faceless** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:15 pm

[align=center]<object width="560" height="345"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/YgHpk-2BZwo&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/YgHpk-2BZwo&hl ... 2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="345"></embed></object>[/align]

This is from a few weeks back, before the convoy left, but it's just been uploaded.

Post by **faceless** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:53 pm

[web]https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 939480.stm[/web]

Only 2 days late - well done the BBC!

VivaGalloway · Post by **VivaGalloway** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:12 am

Hamas have a very good record of charity and social work. They are the best people to distribute the aid.

Post by **faceless** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:13 pm

I don't agree that they were the best people for the job. In future, any help I give will go through some group like gphrc.org - I refuse to give money to any armed group, whether they're legally entitled or not.

luke · Post by **luke** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:27 pm

they're the elected representatives of the palestinian people - it would be interesting to know who they'd like the aid to be distributed by? the government they voted for, or someone else?

Post by **faceless** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:19 pm

I doubt the people care where the help is coming from, but there will always be 'administration costs' when given to any large organisation and that's the problem. Also, as I've already pointed out, what about the hundreds of thousands who don't support Hamas? They're not likely to get their hands on much of this aid, though I'd be happy to be proved wrong on that.

This was a humanitarian mission as far as I was concerned - not a political one.

luke · Post by **luke** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:49 pm

but the un, amesty or whoever else would also have administration costs. i don't like the idea of not trusting the people the palestinians voted to represent them. its not for me to say who they should vote for, or who to deal with - the palestians made their choice, we should deal with their choice.

if you're right though, and people who don't support hamas are not helped then of course thats a huge problem - although i've not read of any such thing happening yet?