Physicians for Human Rights Aid Convoy and Protest Halted in Israel

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Friday January 16, 2009 18:27 by Grace Walsh - IMEMC News

Hundreds of Israelis, Palestinians and International supporters of the Physicians for Human Rights Organisation attempted to take part in a solidarity action and protest this morning in Israel.

Over 300 members and supporters of Physicians for Human Rights set out to accompany an emergency delivery of medical supplies to the Gaza Strip this morning in protest at the current Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The group planned to hold a vigil near Yad Mordechai, near to the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Three buses left Tel Aviv and others left from Jerusalem, Taybeh and Beersheba. Most of the buses were turned back by the Israeli authorities at roadblocks set up well before the crossing.

The Israeli police, threatened the drivers of the vehicles with legal action if they did not drive the group back to Tel Aviv, without communicating with the event organizers. Police sources said, they had "substantive reason to suspect the group of intention to carry out illegal action", despite the fact that PHR had expressed their intention to hold a peaceful vigil, and they had made previous contact with the police.

The group then staged a peaceful demonstration at the Israeli Ministry for Defence, where protestors carried signs asking for Israel to stop attacking medical teams, to stop the killing of innocent people, and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The truck that was due to depart to Gaza with much-needed supplies was unable to do so, as the pick-up truck from the Gaza side, was damaged in last nights Israeli bombardment in the region.

The clamp-down on peaceful protest has been on the increase over recent weeks with over 900 Israeli citizens having been arrested. According to a Human Rights lawyer that was at the protest, there has been an increasing number of people being incarcerated for several days without charge. The majority of these people are Palestinians with Israeli citizenship.

The aid delivery, was purchased with funds raised by PHR which is part of a one million NIS fund that the organisation has dedicated to using for medical supplies for the region of Gaza. PHR has already sent four convoys of much-needed aid to the hospitals of the Gaza strip.

Since Israel launched its offensive on Gaza twenty days ago, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and over 5,100 wounded. At least 400 of the wounded are in serious conditions and medical supplies have not been available in the region for some time now.