Four
members of Neturei Karta were among a group of some 200 supporters of the Palestinian cause who made
their way to Gaza in the Viva Palestina USA aid convoy led by a British Member of Parliament, George Galloway and New York Councilman, Charles Barron, avoiding travel restrictions imposed on the territory by the Israeli authorities
by entering via Egypt. Neturei Karta contributed over $40 thousand dollars to the convoy.
The group received a warm welcome from the Palestinian Prime Minister and leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, who reiterated that his organization's opposition to
Israel was not based on a dislike of Jews as a people, but rather was motivated by opposition to the Zionist
movement which had shaped the policies of the the current state of Israel since it effectively came into being
in 1948.
Allowed only 24 hours in Gaza under threat of not being allowed to return to Egypt, the Viva Palestina
convoy was a whirlwind of activity after crossing the border at Rafah.
Organizers attempted to compress 3 days of planned activities into a single day.
News outlets around the world covered the Viva Palestina Convoy story:
Neturei Karta's Rabbi Weiss spoke at the late night press conference held when the convoy crossed into Palestine from Egypt at Rafah.
Click the start control to listen to audio clip of Rabbi Weiss of Neturei Karta speaking at late night press conference held at the Rafah Crossing into Gaza
News Videos of the convoy members crossing the Rafah border into Palestine.
