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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Gaza residents 'stranded abroad' as Egypt denies visas |
| 2012-08-15 |
| [Ma'an] A number of Paleostinians say they are stranded abroad because Egypt has denied them transit visas to return to Gazoo. Paleostinians in Leb, Turkey, Libya and Kenya have contacted Ma'an, saying they were refused Egyptian visas. Gazoo residents can only enter or leave the enclave via the Rafah crossing on Egypt's border due to Israel's blockade of Gazoo's other borders and sea port. Salim, who is in Istanbul, told Ma'an the Egyptian consulate said it had been instructed by the Egyptian government to stop issuing visas to Paleostinians. Another Paleostinian, who asked not to be identified but is also in Istanbul, said an employee of the Egyptian consulate told him he would not be given a visa "because the Paleostinians killed Egyptian soldiers in Sinai." A Paleostinian in Algeria told Ma'an he had booked a flight to Cairo but was told he could not board the flight. The airline also refused to postpone his ticket, he added. Paleostinians have reported problems returning to Gazoo via Egypt since gunnies killed 16 Egyptian officers near the Gazoo border on Aug. 5. Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, has denied speculation that snuffies from Gazoo were involved in the attack. Egypt swiftly closed the Rafah crossing, briefly reopening it in one direction on Friday. The Paleostinian director of the border crossing told Ma'an on Friday that the terminal would reopen in both directions Tuesday for three days, mainly to permit travel for humanitarian cases such as Paleostinians seeking medical care abroad, and students. Hamas believed Moslem Brüderbund President Muhammad Mursi would usher in a new period of harmony between Gazoo and Cairo, but that has yet to materialize because of strategic considerations involving Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel and related military aid from the United States. "We suffered from the unjust regime of Mubarak that participated in the (Israeli) blockade of Gazoo. Why should we suffer now in the era of Egypt's revolution and democracy?" said Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad. "The Egyptian leadership is requested to order the reopening of the Rafah crossing to alleviate the suffering of Paleostinians wanting to travel, students, patients, residents in third countries and pilgrims," he said in a statement. "If Paleostine was not a top priority for you, you should change direction," Hammad added in an unusually sharp rebuke. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #4 So even the Muslim Brotherhood is fed up with the Paleos... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2012-08-15 10:32 |
| #3 Smart move by the Gypos. |
| Posted by: Spot 2012-08-15 09:57 |
| #2 Just start digging. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-08-15 08:18 |
| #1 Awww, Poor Babies. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2012-08-15 02:13 |