January 3, 2011 - (AIC)

The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan, which set off from New Delhi on 2 December, finally passed into Gaza overland through the Rafa crossing on Monday (3 January).

The caravan began in India and passed through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and finally Egypt. In Syria, materials were loaded onto the boat "Salam" (peace in Arabic) and waited at the port of Latakia for final permission to enter the Egyptian port of Al-Arish. According to organizers, the boat carried $1 million worth of medicine, foodstuffs and toys, as well as four buses and 10 power generators for hospitals.

The convoy included activists from more than 15 countries, including, Iran, India, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Kuwait. The Egyptian government gave permits to 120 activists to pass through into Gaza with the goods, but denied entry to participants from Jordan and Iran.

The captain of the 43-year-old boat, Abdul Nasser Heneidh, told Britian’s The Telegraph before starting out from Latakia: "We can’t sail in Israeli waters. So, we will take a longer route by sailing 50 nautical miles west towards Cyprus before turning south."

During the latter part of the sea voyage, five Israeli naval vessels followed the ship as it sailed from Syria to Egypt, reported members of the crew.

Shaheen Moidunny, who was aboard the ship Salam, told India’s The Hindu newpaper that Israeli ships tracked the movements of their vessel for more than six hours. Radio contact was established with the Israeli navy and the he clarified that there were no plans to take the ship to Gaza. "All the humanitarian supplies would be taken overland from Al-Arish to the Rafa crossing on the Egyptian Gaza border," he said.

The group originally intended to arrive in Gaza at the end of December, commemorating the second year since Israel’s deadly invasion of Gaza during the December 2008-January 2009 Operation Cast Lead.