George Galloway recalls relief convoy to Palestine

Following his successful completion of a solidarity convoy to Gaza, former British Member of Parliament George Galloway was swept by a tidal wave of love March 24 at Rutgers University’s Newark, N.J., campus on his first stop in the United States. He was welcomed by the Palestinian American Organization at Rutgers, which also organized university stops in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Michigan, Florida and California.

The convoy completed its 5,000-mile journey from England, with 200 trucks and vans loaded with more than $2 million worth of relief supplies. “As we enter this land of heroes, we are embraced by heroes,” he said.

Galloway had originally been invited to speak in Canada, but was banned by the Canadian immigration minister—the same one who has deported several U.S. Iraq war resisters. The minister, Jason Kenney, said Galloway was supporting “a terrorist organization” by delivering relief aid to the democratically-elected government of Palestine, led by Hamas. Galloway commented that “the project of determining who should represent other people is a doomed project.”

The Rutgers event was held in Robeson Hall, named for the legendary African-American singer and revolutionary Paul Robeson, a Rutgers football star in the 1940s. Galloway recalled that Robeson was also denied entry to Canada during the 1950s, but succeeded in speaking by radio to a large audience. “Today,” Galloway said, “I’m sure I will speak to a hundred times more people in Canada by live television than I would if the minister had not denied me entry.” A large Canadian movement of protest has developed over the immigration minister’s ban.

The Gaza relief convoy was huge news throughout Europe and the Middle East, but was ignored by the official U.S. media. (Go to www.vivapalestina.org.) Starting in Manchester, England, with 100 trucks and vans and 300 drivers and passengers, the convoy traveled through France and Spain gathering supplies, support and publicity before crossing the Mediterranean Sea by ferry to Morocco, where it was greeted by throngs of well-wishers.

The Libyan-based Qaddafi Charitable Foundation doubled the convoy’s size by adding 100 large trucks filled with 4,000 tons of aid, together with drivers and support staff. During the four days it took to cross the vast country of Libya, the convoy was treated to warm hospitality, with expenses for fuel, food and lodging covered by the government.

The situation in Egypt was different. The Israeli government pressured the Egyptian government to force the convoy to pass through Israel and be subject to Israeli police prior to entering Gaza. Galloway and the other convoy leaders adamantly refused and a standoff ensued. There were street battles with Egyptian authorities, who tried to split up the convoy and force at least part of it to pass through Israel.

Galloway commented that the official Egyptian police posture was to impose a heavy-handed check on the convoy’s cargo. But unofficially they urged drivers to move through checkpoints as quickly as possible and get the relief supplies safely to Gaza, where they were desperately needed.

The convoy’s arrival in Gaza successfully broke the Israeli blockade of Gaza and delivered a worldwide message: Gaza is not isolated, and its supporters can deliver significant support and solidarity.

Galloway called on supporters of Palestine in North America to follow the convoy’s example. Mae Ramadan, a leader of the Palestinian American Organization at Rutgers, told Workers World that PAO has begun exploring possibilities for a convoy with the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and an interreligious (Christian, Muslim & Jewish) peace coalition in New Jersey. PAO has already successfully sent some relief supplies to Gaza.

PAO president Manal Ramadan mobilized a solid base among Arab and Muslim students to convince a reluctant Rutgers administration to allow Galloway to speak. PAO has also reached out effectively to Black, Latina/o and other progressive students. It has worked to engage others on and off campus both in northern New Jersey and on campuses across the country.