The French Foreign Ministers motorcade was attacked and pelted with among other things, eggs and shoes today on her journey from the EREZ crossing to the UN offices in Gaza. Protestors lay on the road in an effort to block the motorcade, some were holding signs telling the Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie to leave Gaza.
It seems that what caused the protest was an Israeli radio statement which apparently miss-quoted Alliot-Marie, regarding the subject of Gilad Schalit, the Israeli soldier being held in Gaza. The statement was that Alliot-Marie suggested efforts should be made to free Schalit, as holding the Israeli Soldier was a war crime and the Red Cross should be allowed access.
The protesters many of whom have members of their family (Adults and Children as young as 10 years) interned in Israeli prisons without charge, became outraged by the comments on Israeli radio.
The Hamas Police broke up the initial affray at the EREZ crossing, however the protesters followed the motorcade to the UN offices in Gaza and continued to protest what they believed to be the French Foreign Ministers comments.
Perhaps, this incident also shows the total frustration of the people in Gaza, after all almost on a daily basis some foreign minister or committee or group turns up in Gaza, taking their individual turn to condemn the conditions, and then leave. Yet for over two years now and countless visits by so called Ministers, nothing has changed for the people of Gaza .
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