U.S. Marine Calls for “ROAD TO HOPE”

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Road to Hope Convoy Needs Help Now

By Ken O’Keefe for VT

BREAKING THE ISRAELI BLOCKADE

PRESS RELEASE

1 November 2010

Road to Hope (R2H) Convoy in Positive Dialogue with Egyptian Officials

Access to Gaza via Egypt looking likely

Arriving at the Libyan/Egyptian border on 26 November, 2010, the Road to Hope Convoy continues to wait at the border.   However, over the last two days increasingly positive communications with Egyptian officials gives us reason to be optimistic and the final manifest of vehicles and convoy members has been requested and received by the Egyptian Government in Cairo.  We now await final approval.

“Although the outlook for an expeditious approval to proceed with our mission is likely, we have always been prepared for the ups and downs and challenges that have been commonplace when attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.  If we were to move forward in the next day or two this would be one of the most trouble-free convoys yet.” – Convoy Leader Kieran Turner

“Our chief desire is to continue our journey to Gaza by land as soon as possible and fulfill our mission, nevertheless, we are prepared for any possibility.  Hopefully Egypt maintains its commitment to receiving aid destined for Gaza.  A successful and relatively trouble-free conclusion to our convoy will help to affirm Egypt’s commitment, thus shifting the burden of responsibility to people of conscience to support the people of Palestine in Gaza until the Israeli blockade is completely broken.” – Ken O’Keefe

Of secondary concern are the R2H Convoy participants who are survivors of the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara; they are proven humanitarians and we hope there will be no hindrance in their ability to complete this mission.

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The Road to Hope humanitarian aid convoy continues its role in the international community’s collective mission to break the illegal siege of Gaza and deliver desperately needed aid to the people of Palestine in Gaza.

The convoy comprises 30 vehicles and 101 humanitarian aid workers.  Among them are 8 survivors of the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla, 7 of them were aboard the Mavi Marmara, including Ken O’Keefe who was involved in disarming two Israeli commandos.

The convoy has travelled four and a half thousand miles and is currently located at the Libyan / Egyptian border. As it stands the convoy finds itself at a standstill, with direct communication with the outside world being limited, and access to the internet very difficult.

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It has always been a central aspect of the Road to Hope convoy that it acts in a non-political, non-confrontational manner.  To work with and cooperate with every government in every country through which it travelled.  Thus far this approach has rewarded it with exceptional receptions in every nation.  All of the North African governments have been extremely accommodating and the people of each nation even more so.

We must give special praise to the Libyan government for its constant support; when the convoy have had challenges, including breakdowns of vehicles, the authorities here have provided the means to repair those vehicles and continue our mission.

Ken O’Keefe:

“Now we find ourselves in our third day at the Libyan / Egyptian border and we remain hopeful that the land route will be opened to us in the coming days”.

The convoy departed from London with the understanding that the land crossing through Egypt had not been closed to it. Convoy leader, Kieran Turner: “One reason for our optimism that we will travel the land route is the fact that the Al Quds convoy, a Libyan convoy also delivering aid to Gaza, is set to travel the land route in the coming days.  For several weeks we have hoped to join our convoys and travel together.”  However, the convoy is awaiting permission from the Egyptian authorities to pass through Egypt in this way.

Mr. Turner understands that there is a possibility the Egyptian government will deny the convoy the land route, in which case they will have only two acceptable options —

To press on via the land border without permission, at which time our only chance of success will be by way of significant international pressure and a reversal of a policy which tacitly supports the illegal siege of Gaza.

If the land route is denied the only remaining option is to deliver our aid by sea.  This option inherently requires significant increases in the cost of our mission, and importantly, to all subsequent aid missions.  The end result of this policy is a reduction in the already limited resources that can be brought to bear for the people of Palestine.

The convoy leadership urge the Egyptian authorities to allow us safe passage to Gaza by land in the coming days, allow the convoy to join the Al Quds convoy, and ultimately increase the “easing” of the blockade which continues to collectively punish the people of Gaza.

Mr. Ken O’Keefe calls on all the supporters of Palestine “to support Road to Hope and the Al Quds convoys by spreading awareness of our missions and encouraging Egyptian cooperation”.

Contacts

• Official Web Site:  www.RoadtoHope.co.uk
• Primary contact: London – Eleanor Merton +44 777 037 6701
• Libya / Egypt – Kieran Turner +44 779 22 66 111 (interviews in Libya available if the roaming costs are covered.)

Ken O'Keefe

Ken is a former U.S. Marine who served in the 1991 Gulf War and subsequently spoke out about the use of depleted uranium as a “crime against humanity” and the US military using soldiers as “human guinea pigs” with experimental drugs that were directly linked to Gulf War syndrome. He is also a social entrepreneur utilizing direct action marine conservation, he is more widely known for leading the human shield action to Iraq and as a survivor of the Israeli attack on the MV Mavi Marmara in which he participated in “defending the ship” and “disarming two Israeli Commandos”.

On January 7, 2004, O’Keefe burned his US passport in protest of “American Imperialism” and called for US troops to immediately withdrawal from Iraq. He replaced his US passport with a “World Passport”, subsequently proclaiming himself a “Citizen of the World” with “ultimate allegiance to my entire human family and to planet Earth.” His is also legal citizen of Ireland and Palestine citizenship. Read Full O’Keefe Biography>>>