New relief aid convoy heads for Gaza Strip

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

AMMAN - Jordan continued on Saturday relief aid shipments to Gaza, sending a new relief convoy to the besieged strip.

The cargo consisted of 14,000 cans of children’s milk in addition to medical supplies and foodstuff.

"This convoy is part of the Kingdom's continuous support to the Palestinians in Gaza," HRH Prince Rashid said yesterday as he saw the convoy off.

His Majesty King Abdullah has issued directives to the government and the army to provide the Palestinians in Gaza with all means of support, through the Jordanian Military Field Hospital and to send medical supplies and food parcels, according to Prince Rashid.

The six-truck humanitarian shipment, which left Amman Saturday morning, carried medical supplies to the army-run hospital in Gaza, the Prince announced.

"The Gaza-8 field hospital is a small-sized copy of the King Hussein Medical City," he said, referring to the largest military-run medical complex in the Kingdom, which has a track record of groundbreaking achievements in the country’s medical care history.

Prince Rashid noted that the makeshift hospital has performed minor and major operations in addition to training the medical staff in Gaza since it was established following the Israeli aggression on the coastal enclave late 2008.

The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) sent yesterday’s convoy in cooperation with the Royal Medical Services (RMS), according to JHCO Secretary General Ahmad Amyan.

“This is convoy number 16 that carries medical supplies and foodstuff, valued at more than JD500,000 to Gaza since the establishment of the Jordanian field hospital,” he added.

RMS Director Major General Abdul Latif Wreikat revealed that the medical service has treated activists injured in the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla last week. He did not elaborate on the number of Gaza-bound sea convoy who came to Jordan for treatment. Jordan facilitated the return of more than 120 activists, including around 30 Jordanians, after they were detained by the Israeli occupation forces.

Israel attacked the peaceful vessels last week while in international waters, killing at least nine, eight Turks and one US citizen of Turkish origin, and wounding scores.

The field hospital has already performed more than 14,000 operations, since its establishment in January, 2009, according to official figures.

Yesterday’s convoy is expected to arrive in the Palestinian territories this morning, according to Wreikat.

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=27219

[mawilson 2,133]

Good.

A bit of a red herring though, since it's not a naval convoy. If the cargo doesn't contain anything illegal, I'm sure that Israel will let it through.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Jordan has a little more push than Turkey, given that they share a common border, and could easily flood Israel with more refugees, or vice versa. Jordan and Egypt are the two players in the game that Israel does not want to resume hostilities with. Jordan also has close ties with the US, and the Royal Family is very popular here.

Edited June 8, 2010 by ##########