Israel/Palestine

azurnoir

(45,850 posts) Fri Oct 25, 2013, 12:12 PM Oct 2013

Israel denies EU delegation entry to Gaza

The Israeli government on Wednesday denied an official European Union delegation entry to the Gaza Strip, claiming the visit would strengthen the ruling Hamas movement.

Six members of an EU Parliament delegation to the Palestinian Legislative Council were due to visit Gaza from Oct. 27-30 in a trip largely focused on social, economic and humanitarian issues, including visits to UNRWA health centers, schools, food distribution centers, rehabilitation centers and sports clubs.

The MEPs, from a cross-section of political parties representing six EU member states, were informed in an email by Israeli authorities that they would not be allowed into Gaza via the Erez crossing for the three-day visit, which also included trips to Christian schools, a sports clubs and the University of Palestine.

Emer Costello, chair of the European Parliament's delegation to the Palestinian Legislative Council, said she was "astounded and dismayed" by Israel's decision to refuse an official EU visit.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=641

13 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Israel denies EU delegation entry to Gaza (Original Post) azurnoir Oct 2013 OP

Tsk. nt bemildred Oct 2013 #1

Hamas' rule is as strong as it's going to get, already... Scootaloo Oct 2013 #2

Isolating Hamas is wrong? Okay, so what's the alternative? shira Oct 2013 #3

"Okay, so what's the alternative?" R. Daneel Olivaw Oct 2013 #4

so explain please how is allowing EU diplomats to visit Christian churchs in Gaza azurnoir Oct 2013 #5

I know you want Hamas/Gaza to have normal relations with the world.... shira Oct 2013 #6

again shira how does allowing EU diplomats to tour Gaza empower Hamas? azurnoir Oct 2013 #7

Allowing official state visits leads to normalizing relations. Hamas doesn't deserve that. n/t shira Oct 2013 #8

And it's a damn good thing that your opinion coincides with the Zionist status-quo! delrem Oct 2013 #9

Zionists ? King_David Oct 2013 #10

What "Islam nation"? delrem Oct 2013 #11

For an region that some declare is not under sige R. Daneel Olivaw Oct 2013 #13

Sh!t like this helps Hamas while hutting the intended recipeints: the Palestinian people. R. Daneel Olivaw Oct 2013 #12

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

1. Tsk. nt

Reply to azurnoir (Original post)

Fri Oct 25, 2013, 01:44 PM

Oct 2013

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)

2. Hamas' rule is as strong as it's going to get, already...

Reply to azurnoir (Original post)

Fri Oct 25, 2013, 02:30 PM

Oct 2013

Thanks entirely to Israeli policy towards Gaza.

Isolating Iraq did not weaken Saddam. Isolating North Korea is not weakening hte Kim dynasty. Isolating cuba didn't topple Castro. In all these instances, all the isolation did was secure these guys' dominance. Doing it to Gaza isn't magically going ot have the opposite effect, just becuase that's what Israel wants to happen.

shira

(30,109 posts)

3. Isolating Hamas is wrong? Okay, so what's the alternative?

Reply to Scootaloo (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 25, 2013, 03:28 PM

Oct 2013

Allowing them everything they want will very likely result in:

a) Stengthening Hamas' hold on power. It legitimizes them.

b) Escalating the conflict. More weapons to Hamas means more war and conflict, more lives lost....and usually that translates to many more Palestinian deaths than Israeli.

How is that preferable?

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)

4. "Okay, so what's the alternative?"

Reply to shira (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 26, 2013, 12:40 AM

Oct 2013

How about another Nakba: seeing how the first one worked out so well in the name of colonialism?

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)

5. so explain please how is allowing EU diplomats to visit Christian churchs in Gaza

Reply to shira (Reply #3)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 04:24 PM

Oct 2013

strengthening Hamas?

shira

(30,109 posts)

6. I know you want Hamas/Gaza to have normal relations with the world....

Reply to azurnoir (Reply #5)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 07:39 PM

Oct 2013

....but that does absolutely nothing to bring the region closer to peace. Treating Gaza as a normal country empowers Hamas' grip on the Palestinians.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)

7. again shira how does allowing EU diplomats to tour Gaza empower Hamas?

Reply to shira (Reply #6)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 07:42 PM

Oct 2013

after all several Democratic US congress members have been there

shira

(30,109 posts)

8. Allowing official state visits leads to normalizing relations. Hamas doesn't deserve that. n/t

Reply to azurnoir (Reply #7)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 07:49 PM

Oct 2013

delrem

(9,688 posts)

9. And it's a damn good thing that your opinion coincides with the Zionist status-quo!

Reply to shira (Reply #8)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 08:21 PM

Oct 2013

How dare those European diplomats try to get a first-hand view, when Zionists can give them the only truth!

King_David

(14,851 posts)

10. Zionists ?

Reply to delrem (Reply #9)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 08:45 PM

Oct 2013

What do you mean by that>??

Jewish nation ?

Imagine someone saying that about the Islam nation....

delrem

(9,688 posts)

11. What "Islam nation"?

Reply to King_David (Reply #10)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 09:36 PM

Oct 2013

shee, Dave, you ought to stop dancing the macarena.

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)

13. For an region that some declare is not under sige

Reply to shira (Reply #8)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 12:28 AM

Oct 2013

it seems that it is pretty much under siege.

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)

12. Sh!t like this helps Hamas while hutting the intended recipeints: the Palestinian people.

Reply to azurnoir (Original post)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 10:02 PM

Oct 2013

If anything this just puts Hamas front and center when if the Israelis just let the delegation in then it probably would have been a non-event while some people could have been helped.

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