Egypt allows 'Viva Palestina' to leave Syria for al-Arish

Aid convoy set to arrive in Egypt then continue journey by land to Gaza; organizer George Galloway still won't be allowed entry into country.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Amalthea 311 (photo credit: Associated Press)
Amalthea 311
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Egypt on Monday approved the Viva Palestina flotilla to leave Syria and sail by Gaza en-route to al-Arish.
The convoy is set to dock in the Egyptian port of al-Arish then continue its journey by land to Gaza.
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Egypt, however, was still expected not to allow convoy organizer George Galloway to enter the country.
Hussam Zaki of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed last week that the convoy will be allowed access to Gaza however he insisted George Galloway, the British ex-parliamentarian leading the convoy, will not be allowed in the country and will remain as persona non grata.
The main ship, carrying 380 activists from 42 countries, 147 vehicles and $5 million in medical aid departed from London September 18 and has been held at the Syrian port of Latakia for just over two weeks.
Some of the passengers on board the flotilla include 40 people that were also onboard the Mavi Mamara aid ship which was involved in an IDF interception on May 31.
The convoy was joined by activists from Morocco, Algeria, Jordan and Gulf states, organizers said.