Sunday February 15, 2009 03:45 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

According to Israeli media, 9 British activists on their way to join a humanitarian aid caravan to Gaza were arrested by British ‘anti-terror’ police, along with the aid in their vehicles and the vehicles themselves.  Most of them were released without charge, and three are still being held.

The caravan they were trying to join left for Palestine from London Saturday morning, led by British Parliament Member George Galloway.  The group calls itself ‘Lifeline for Gaza’, and consists of over a hundred vehicles, including a dozen ambulances, fire trucks, a boat, and a million tons of humanitarian aid.  They are driving from Britain to Gaza via France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, and plan to cross the Rafah border from Egypt into Gaza on March 2.

Three vehicles which were travelling from Blackburn, north of London, to join the caravan, were stopped by British ‘anti-terror’ police in a massive operation.  But police did not say why they detained the activists, or what they were being charged with.  Their vehicles had banners on them reading, "Stop Killing Children, Free Palestine" and "From Blackburn (U.K.) to Gaza."

The massive aid caravan was organized in just four weeks by a number of groups, including Viva Palestina, the Stop the War Coalition, the Respect Party, the Anglo-Arab Organization, several British trade unions and a large number of Muslim organizations.

As the caravan departed from Britain, MP Galloway said to the British Sky News, "There is an intifada sweeping Britain. It is a massive and peaceful movement in support of the beleaguered population of Gaza and Palestine.  It is happening everywhere, but is especially strong in the north of England and especially among young Muslims.  This convoy is material manifestation of it. In barely a month, it has metamorphosed from an aspiration I threw out at the 100,000-strong pro-Palestine demonstration on January 10 to more than 100 vehicles and nearly 300 people from across Britain.  We will lead the biggest convoy of British vehicles across North Africa since Montgomery."

The participants in the caravan are all self-financed volunteers, and all of the vehicles they are driving, including trucks and ambulances, will be donated to the people of Gaza when they arrive on March 2.

British aid convoy to collect Gaza donations on journey through Europe, North Africa

Date: 14 / 02 / 2009  Time:  10:29
Bethlehem – Ma’an -

Thirteen ambulances, a fishing boat, several tons of aid and medical supplies collected by British organizations will set out from London on Saturday at 11am London time.

The journey to the Gaza Strip is expected to take 16 days as the trucks travel through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and into Egypt. The convoy has room for further donations from people and organizations in each of the countries on the route.

The journey has been given the moniker “lifeline” and is meant to both raise awareness of the siege being imposed on Gaza as well as collect donations for the people there.

In France there will be an a reception at the town of Beaujolais, while in Spain Paz Ahora, a pro-Palestinian organization, will host the convoy in Saint Sebastian in the Basque region and then again in the capital Madrid.

Northern sector of Gaza electrical grid down; company desperate for repair equipment

Date: 27 / 11 / 2008  Time:  10:02
Gaza – Ma’an –

The power grids in Gaza have begun to collapse as lapsed maintenance and repair efforts reach a critical stage. Some grids have ceased to function and others are in dangerous condition.

Head of Public Relations at an electricity company in Gaza Jamal Al-Dardasawi said on Thursday that the Israeli ban on maintenance equipment and spare grid parts was to blame for recent power outages.

Al-Darasawi explained that parts for the power station have not been able to enter Gaza for more than a year, and local supplies for repair are totally exhausted. Areas in the northern Bet Lahia sector will have no electricity until new switches and generators can be provided.