| Blair Sister-in-law Tastes Gaza Suffering |
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| Thursday, 04 September 2008 | |
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"When I went to the Israeli checkpoint I was threatened with being shot four times," she said. Israeli authorities have turned down a request from Booth, a journalist and human rights activist, to leave the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing with Israel. "There is no possibility to let in those people who entered by the sea. They cannot enter Israel," said spokesman Peter Lerner. Booth arrived to Gaza by sea on August 23, along with 43 foreign activists in a bid to break the month-long Israeli siege. All activists left last week to Cyprus by sea, except nine, including Booth, who decided to stay longer. Booth and two other activists have also been denied exit through the Rafah border crossing by Egypt. "When I went to the Rafah crossing (into Egypt) I had all the permission lined up at the top level but a lowly official stopped me from leaving," she recalls. "We were all turned back by the Egyptians," said Booth, adding suggesting Egypt "was under pressure from Israel to act that way." Suffering Taste Booth said her ordeal is giving her a first-hand experience of what Palestinians have been living with for months. "This is a real Palestinian experience of being between the devil and the deep blue sea," she told AFP. "I'd actually like to say 'thank you very much' to the Israeli authorities at Erez for giving me this fantastic chance to feel just exactly what it is like to be inside what is effectively the world's largest internment camp, where individuals who should have the right to travel under international law are withheld in a 40 kilometer by 10 kilometer camp," the British activist told the BBC. "Thanks to Israel for letting us feel a real taste of Gazan life." Israel has been closing the Gaza Strip's exits to the outside world for long months, banning food, fuel and medical supplies. Money and in kind assistance raised by NGOs and individuals remain stranded at the Egyptian border with Gaza, the latest being a Scottish aid convoy. "I am effectively being imprisoned here by authorities who wish to punish human rights activists who have come to view the situation in Gaza," said Booth. She will not request help from her brother-in-law Blair, who the Quartet's special envoy to the Middle East. Booth, rather, urged Blair, currently visiting Israel, to focus on the Palestinians and "the terrible poverty entirely created by the siege." "It is his duty as Middle East envoy to make sure he makes the effort to come here." Source: IslamOnline           Readers have left 14 comments.
Troubled man:
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What a shame it's not Tony out there - he deserves it more than anyone. The tw@
(1)
2008-09-04 08:50:35
Olson:
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What a silly woman. She's just doing this for the 'street cred' and the Hampstead dinner parties.
(2)
2008-09-04 11:47:40
wendy mann:
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What a silly woman. She's just doing this for the 'street cred' and the Hampstead dinner parties. — Olsonas long as she helps to define the israeli occupation and oppression of the innocent palestinian people and bring it to the fore i dont really care if it gives her a feeling of street cred. the fact is that our media have for far too long allowed this to be ignored and our government i sad to say has been complicit in israels crimes against humanity (UN). blair has no soul or conscience in these matters since as he states israel has no greater friend than he.
(3)
2008-09-04 14:52:32
Olson:
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"as long as she helps to define the israeli occupation and oppression of the innocent palestinian people and bring it to the fore i dont really care if it gives her a feeling of street cred."
Her motives are not good - either towards Israel or the Palestinians. If you think someone like her gives hoot, think again. She's in it for the ride - in more ways than one.
(4)
2008-09-04 15:18:05
MAQ:
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As long as it exposes Israel's criminal occupation, then good on her. She deserves the street cred.
(5)
2008-09-04 15:52:54
Martha AbuShawish:
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The Cause of the Conflict (orig: 4/13/2002)
Charles E. Carlson Aug 28, 2008 In Gaza City, the Baptist church is located between the Library of Culture and Light and the Islamic Center on Omar Mukhter Boulevard. There I met and interviewed three Christian Arab members who consider themselves Baptists. Some of them have already been bombed by the Israelis. One, who asked that I not use his name, (Mr. J.) had to find a new school for his two boys because the Israelis had bombed their school into rubble a few days before I arrived. They used American‑made F‑16s and 500‑pound American Smart Bombs. Full_Editorial Summary www.whtt.org
(6)
2008-09-04 16:48:53
Terri:
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As long as it exposes Israel's criminal occupation, then good on her. She deserves the street cred. — MAQCompletely agree. Israel's atrocious record on human rights needs to be exposed to the rest of the World and the myth that it's the only democracy in the Middle East needs to be put to rest for good.
(7)
2008-09-04 19:38:58
RSD:
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Interestingly this has echoes of some comments by Tony Blair in relation to the wall - the Israelis have the right to close their internationally recognised borders to whomever and whatever they wish, in the same way that UK prevents certain people entering. Even if the Israelis were to return to the Green Line there is no law that requires them to allow the movement of goods and people across the boundary.
Of course if you don't accept international recognition of Israel as a nation state, then it is a different matter. But then you do not accept the validity of the UNSCR242, Oslo etc etc. Lauren Booth must have known that there might be difficulties crossing the border when she made the decision not to leave with her comrades by boat. But don't worry the Foreign Office will get her out one way or another.
(8)
2008-09-04 22:24:49
F Cockburn:
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Velcome to Izrael.
Ve learnt well from ze Nazis so ve will now shoot you. Ve specialise in mutilating Arab children and foreign journalists. Ze Nazis did it one way, ve prefer to do it viz bombs from high up because it iz efficient and you cannot hear their mothers scream. Zat iz why we sell so many arms around ze world. Hands up if you vont some. Oh sorry I forgot. Ve shot them off.
(9)
2008-09-05 08:30:20
F Cockburn:
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His sister-in-law Lauren Booth has more balls than that Tony Blair.
What a gutsy lady.
(10)
2008-09-05 10:13:24
K Urban:
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If the former Prime Minister Tony Blair's own sister-in-law has to take enormous risks to show him and his policies up, then I think that gives enormous moral credence to Muslims for their support for the Palestinians.
The naive Olson should remember that Lauren Booth was not on a Sunday afternoon pleasure cruise and I challenge him to do the same thing as the very humane Lauren.
(11)
2008-09-05 12:56:37
Olson:
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K Urban
I don't think she was taking any enormous risks at all. It was a very high profile mission even before they set sail. And being such a high profile relative of the ex-PM she is very unlikely to finish up in the cross-hairs of the IDF as other activists have done. I doubt even any rogue militant or criminal gangs in Gaza would go anywhere near her either. And to say she has been 'nearly shot at four times' is an absurdity. How can you be nearly shot at. You're either shot at or not. She'll be dining out on this for years. She's one of those types looking for what they see as a romantic cause. Going to Tibet would be far too hardcore, for example - the Chinese don't mess about. No, she was always perfectly safe, and I don't think her motives were pure. It's not about the Palestinians but herself - celeb empathy for the suffering of others. Like the wave of actors from Hollywood who trot round caps of starving African kids. (IMO)
(12)
2008-09-05 16:43:33
K. Urban:
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Olson says
''And to say she has been 'nearly shot at four times' is an absurdity. How can you be nearly shot at. You're either shot at or not. '' Olson the article clearly quotes her as follows "When I went to the Israeli checkpoint I was threatened with being shot four times," she said. Your distortion of the quote does not give credibility to what you thus say.
(13)
2008-09-05 18:53:41
Olson:
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Urban
It makes no difference to what I said (in which I suspect you might agree - I'm a cynic when it comes to anyhting the Blair-Booths say and do). She was threatened with being shot four times? What, the gurad said "i'll shoot you four times" or four separate guards said "I'm going to shoot you"? Either way, it's already part of her exciting story to tell her chums as she gets drunk on expensive French wines in one of the family's many mansions.
(14)
2008-09-06 09:19:28
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GAZA CITY — Israel and Egypt are refusing to allow former British prime minister Tony Blair's sister-in-law to leave the sealed off Gaza Strip, giving her a first-hand experience of what Palestinians are suffering from.
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