European campaign: The siege lifting should not be linked to Shalit

BRUSSELS, (PIC)-- The European campaign to lift the siege on Gaza on Wednesday said that there should be no link between the siege lifting, which is considered an absolute human right guaranteed by all international conventions and laws, and the issue of releasing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Anwar Al-Gharbi, a founding member and spokesman for the European campaign, deplored the statements made by French foreign ministry spokesman Eric Chevalier in which he said that France is willing to make simultaneous efforts to get Shalit released and the siege lifted. Gharbi underlined that these French statements provide Israel with pretexts to continue its aggression and siege, urging Paris to take just positions towards the issue of lifting the siege on Gaza. The spokesman considered the failure to open the crossings in order to reconstruct what had been destroyed by Israel during 23 days of devastating war is a continuation of the aggression despite the fragile ceasefire. "It has been now a full month since the cessation of the Israel war on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing and wounding of about 7,000 Palestinians, half of them children and women, the destruction of more than 20,000 homes and the displacement of thousands of families, but till now the crossings are still closed and the aid is not allowed in," the spokesman added. He also stressed the need for opening the Rafah border crossing and making no excuses to justify its closure, urging Egypt to open the crossing immediately until a Palestinian-Egyptian agreement is reached to retain it open fully and permanently. In another context, the lifeline for Gaza convoy, which started its journey last Saturday from London, arrived Wednesday in the Moroccan city of Tangier as many locals lined the roads cheering, waiving and giving victory signs. The number of the convoy vehicles reached more than 130 after many cars joined it during its trip. For his part, Rami Abdo, the spokesman for the popular committee against the siege urged all active Arab parties in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt to welcome and support the convoy.