WALTHAM FOREST: Women return home after taking part in Viva Palestina convoy (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WALTHAM FOREST: Women return home after taking part in Viva Palestina convoy
5:52pm Monday 11th January 2010 in
A VOLUNTEER aid worker from Walthamstow has told of her dramatic struggle to get aid into Gaza over the festive period.
Ellie Merton, 40, of Markhouse Road, returned yesterday after more than a month on the road trying to deliver supplies to the troubled region.
Ms Merton, chair of the Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WFPSC), was joined by fellow members Josephine Tyrconnell-Fay and Rada Daniell in an ambulance donated by supporters in the area.
The three women set off from London to Gaza on December 6 as part of the Viva Palestina convoy of 250 vehicles delivering ambulances, medical aid, clothing and school supplies.
The convoy aimed to reach Gaza on December 27, but the convoy was stopped from getting into the country by Egyptian authorities and had to spend a week over Christmas at the beach resort of Aqaba, in Jordan.
They only managed to deliver the aid last week, amid reports of attacks by Egyptian riot police in the Mediterranean port of Al-Arish.
Ms Merton described pitched battles at the gates of the compound where the ambulances had been delivered, with people suffering headwounds and broken limbs.
She said she had assumed an important role, ushering injured volunteers through the police barricade to Egyptian ambulances waiting on the other side.
The group finally made it into Gaza on Wednesday and delivered the aid.
Ms Merton said they faced further difficulties with authorities as they tried to return home from Cairo Airport, with some people being told they weren't allowed to travel and missing planes.
But Ms Merton said the Waltham Forest group enjoyed their experience despite the problems.
She said: "Despite the difficulties we had, both getting there and coming back, we are all thrilled we got out there and met people and were able to get the aid through.
"The messages of support we had from people in the UK were fantastic - it was a brilliant experience."
Comments(4)
larry g
says...
11:55pm Mon 11 Jan 10
iranians, sudanese, somalians, surely there must be a few lebanese and jordanian casualties too, maybe , just maybe, once they've all finished killing each other in their own countries , they will seek an answer .,
#
oh and lets not forget whats going on in pakistan too, thats labours fault too is it
newyear
says...
8:33pm Tue 12 Jan 10
nwidrissi
says...
12:37am Sat 16 Jan 10
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Ambulances on the Viva Palestina convoy
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Mrs Brilliant says...
8:21pm Mon 11 Jan 10
And as we know Nu Labour are anxious to change the law so that Israeli war criminals cannot be prosecuted when they set foot in Britain.
It shows what a disgusting travesty our occupation of Afghanistan is. Britain is no friend of justice or democracy.
Well done Ms Merton for exposing the hypocrisy of Gordon Brown and his pathetic supporters. Every member of the Labour Party should be ashamed of their party for its repellent and fanatical foreign policy, which is bringing misery to the Egyptian people, the Palestinians and the people of Afghanistan.