International humanitarian convoy bound for Gaza call on the Egyptian authorities to facilitate their passage
In an exclusive interview with “Echourok†newspaper the coordinator of the international humanitarian convoy†Road to Hope†Mohammed Al Haddad has indicated that this campaign of solidarity aims at facilitating the passage of the convoy in order to reach its objective.
- The Libyan university teacher has further added that the organizers have excluded politicians and political parties’ members in a bid to avoid any attempt to prevent their convoy from reaching Gaza;
- Echourok: Don’t you consider that the international humanitarian convoy didn’t have appropriate media coverage?
- Al Haddad: When we started our journey from London passing through Spain, France, Morocco and Algeria we didn’t mean any kind of media uproar but rather focussed our main mission on funnelling more than one and half million tons of food and medicines to besieged territory of Gaza; however, to answer your question I believe that the humanitarian convoy has gathered enough media interest around so far in all the countries we have passed through including Algeria.
- Echourok: Since you have mentioned Algeria can you please give us more details about the visa issuing procedure between Morocco and Algeria?
- Al Haddad: Let me just tell you that the notion of easy passage differs from one person to another, but I’d like to seize this opportunity to announce that the passage through the Algerian- Moroccan borders was preceded by numerous contacts but I have to admit that the Algerian authorities led by the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika were very comprehensive and our presence with you today was made possible thanks to the president’s decision to open the borders from the Algerian side and the Moroccan authorities have done the same. There is no doubt that the opening of the countries’ borders for Gaza’s sake is something great and must be pointed out.
- Echourok: : Some raise interests over the possibility of facing problems at the Egyptian borders do you share these worries?
- Al Haddad: We have heard this before our departure and all along our trek from one country to another, but I’m deeply convinced that the Egyptian authorities and the president Hosni Mubarek will not stop such a great humanitarian project at the Egyptian territories after crossing 5 thousand miles; consequently, I’m calling on the Arab leaders including Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali, Moaamar Al kadhafi and Hosni Mubarek to follow the example of the Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika who opened the borders and facilitated the passage of the convoy for Gaza.
- Echourok: How did you appreciate the reception in the province of Maghnia, Algeria?
- Al Haddad: Believe me if I tell you that I was impressed by the hearty welcome reserved to the convoy although we expected it right from the start but not to such a degree, to an extent that dozens of families invited us to their homes for food and shelter . I would like to express my gratitude to our families in Algeria and thank them a lot.