Ismail Haniyah makes first public appearance since Gaza assault, presents Galloway with Palestinian passport

Ismail Haniyah makes first public appearance since Gaza assault

Date: 11 / 03 / 2009 Time: 16:29
Gaza – Ma’an –

De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah made his first public appearance on Wednesday afternoon since Israel’s 22-day assault and criminal war on the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa satellite channel showed Haniyah on Wednesday receiving foreign supporters with the Viva Palestina convoy from the United Kingdom, which arrived on Sunday in Gaza.

Haniyah was photographed embracing leftist British Member of Parliament George Galloway.

The appearance was the first for Haniyah since he went into hiding following Israel’s onslaught in Gaza that began in late December. He had previously made statements to the media but had not appeared in public since the war ended.

The Viva Palestina convoy departed Gaza on Wednesday after a two-day visit to the besieged coastal strip. MP Galloway led a delegation that reviewed destruction there and donated money for displaced families and the de facto, Hamas-run government in Gaza.

Haniyeh apparently discussed recent political developments in Palestine’s internal power struggle between Fatah and Hamas, which appeared to be coming to an end as various factions expressed optimism at an Egyptian summit designed to unite the rivals in Cairo.

Haniyah also presented Galloway with souvenirs from Gaza, in addition to a Palestinian passport as an expression of his “deep appreciation” for the convoy’s role in supporting Palestinians and their cause.

The aid convoy, which traveled mostly by land from the UK to Gaza, departed on Wednesday afternoon through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, after having delivered financial and material support to the de facto government.

On Tuesday, Galloway personally donated 25,000 British pounds and a fleet of vehicles to the de facto government in the Gaza Strip.

Galloway dared western states to prosecute him for supporting the Hamas-run government, which is boycotted by the US, EU, and much of the international community.

UK MP meets Hamas officials in Gaza

Wednesday March 11, 2009 16:19 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

British MP George Galloway met with deposed Palestinian Prime Minister Isma'el Hanniya of Hamas late Tuesday night, Palestinian sources reported on Wednesday.

Hanniya also met members of the British aid convoy, Viva Palestina, with whom Galloway came to Gaza. The Hamas official gave Galloway a Palestinian passport to thank him and those who came with him. Viva Palestina's convoy left London several weeks ago and arrived to Gaza late Sunday afternoon delivering a variety of vehicles loaded with much needed humanitarian supplies.
The Gaza strip, home to 1.5 milion Palestinians, has now been under a siege by Israel for a total of 21 months.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.