• Published 13:37 08.01.10
  • Latest update 13:39 08.01.10

Egypt declares U.K. politician Galloway persona non grata

Galloway criticized Cairo over delaying the entry of an aid convoy into Gaza, has been banned from Egypt.

By News Agencies Tags: Egypt Gaza aid Israel news

Egypt has declared renegade British politician George Galloway persona non grata, accusing him of incitement after his harsh criticism of Cairo over delays in an aid convoy's entry into Gaza.

A Foreign Ministry statement on Friday said Galloway will not be allowed to enter Egypt again. The activist left Egypt that morning from Cairo airport.

Galloway led more than 500 activists as part of an international aid convoy to Gaza. They entered late Wednesday from Egypt after a month on the road.

On Tuesday clashes erupted between members of the convoy and Egyptian riot police in the Mediterranean port city of El-Arish, and dozens of protesters and police were injured.

The convoy was organized by the Britain-based group Viva Palestina, which planned to deliver hundreds of tons of aid.

"We chose not to send these automobiles via Israel," said Viva Palestina spokesman Zaher Berawi to Cairo's al-Masry al-Youm Thursday.

"From our previous experience, and from the experiences of others, we know that aid bound for Gaza through these crossings usually ends up missing or confiscated in Israel," he added.

Activists had hoped the vehicles could be used as ambulances in the Gaza Strip. Instead, they planned to send them to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria, they said.

Egypt's border crossing on Thursday remained open for the fifth consecutive day to allow Palestinian medical patients and students stranded on either side of the border to cross.

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  • 29. 0 0
    Goldfinger!
    • John Spear
    • 09.01.10
    • 08:48

    Mr Galloway is a honest person. He is not your run of the mill corrupt politician like Blair etc. That you Mr Blofeld don't like him does not change facts.

  • 28. 0 0
    I must side with Egypt
    • Mark Lincoln
    • 09.01.10
    • 06:10

    Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel and thus assumed the thankless task of enforcing Israel's blockade of Gaza. Galloway chose to make trouble for Egypt when the actual goal was making trouble for Israel. No matter how 'just' the cause of reducing the suffering in Gaza might be, Galloway went after the wrong party. Egypt should be treated well for it's fidelity to it's treaty responsibilities, not disparaged for it.

  • 27. 0 0
    #8
    • shimon
    • 09.01.10
    • 03:37

    do you really believe what you are saying?

  • 26. 0 0
    Why did they let this murderer go if he was directly involved in
    • Meo
    • 09.01.10
    • 02:55

    murder of an egyptian citizen? This failed clone of human being must be removed from our streets before he strikes again.Or someone wants to argue that the murder was justified? Huh lefty? After Canada,Galloway declared persona non grata again,this time in Egypt, leaving country with blood on his hands and destroyed family behind.

  • 25. 0 0
    Bravo Egypt!
    • Mongo
    • 09.01.10
    • 02:21

    Egyptians have enough radical rabble rousers at home. They can smell a rat like Galloway. Now Israel can also ban him. Galloway can always seek comfort in Syria, Iran, and of course, Eurabia.

  • 24. 0 0
    Chilem, #7
    • David R.
    • 09.01.10
    • 00:34

    Yes, Hamas is very democratic, what with threatening violence and death to anyone in the Gaza Strip who speaks out against them. They are also democratic in the way that they shoot people for celebrating at a wedding. All democracies do that.

  • 23. 0 0
  • 22. 0 0
    Galloway
    • gorm
    • 08.01.10
    • 23:34

    George Galloway brings aid to people that suffer, repeatedly. At least, he`s doing more than the laptop strategists here on talkback. He is trying to HELP, actively. Disappointing to see him being bashed here, even by people in Britain. THIS is a guy I`d like to see as British PM. I have 100 times more respect for him than for the liars, mass murdrerers and war mongers there were so far. He may not be perfect, like all of us, but he could not be worse than Blair. He tried to prevent Britain getting into the war in Iraq, where so many people, many of which being children, were killed or injured. All that, based on Bush`s & Blair`s lies. Did you forget that ? Or didn`t you mind in the first place ?

  • 21. 0 0
    How about protesting this?
    • Daniel
    • 08.01.10
    • 22:23

    By VIJAY JOSHI, Associated Press Writer Vijay Joshi, Associated Press Writer ? 31 mins ago KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia ? Religious tensions in Muslim-majority Malaysia turned violent Friday with firebomb attacks on three churches following a court decision that allows Christians to translate God as Allah. "Allah is only for us," said a poster waved at one of at least two protests outside mosques in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, the Muslim holy day.

  • 20. 0 0
    #10 Sammy From Jordan; I assume you consider Jordans Royalty
    • Israeli Kitty
    • 08.01.10
    • 22:15

    a democratically elected heads of state. Is there any Moslem state democratic?

  • 19. 0 0
    arab politics is not our concern
    • jo
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:27

    whatever you think of the leaders in arab countries- they are the choice of their own people. Mubarak is Egypt's problem and nothing to do with Israel. Israel has enough problems of it's own. As to Galloway- ask his hometown, he is radical who uses the public and does not have respect in the UK. He will loose his seat in the next elections. What Egypt wants to do is their choice.

  • 18. 0 0
    We may not support Mubarak
    • Ahmed
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:26

    on economic and political reform. But, the majority of Egyptians support his foreign policy and the majority of Egyptians want their borders and sovereignty respected.

  • 17. 0 0
    George Galloway
    • Rob
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:22

    There a few players in this conflict more loathesome and repugnant than Mr. Galloway. In fact, he so well personifies the rabid, mindless, hate-mongering, fraudulent,, terrorist-sympathizing, left-leaning idiot who has made a career out of incitement, manipulation and deception of the media as well as his own constituents, while all the while making sure to fill his pockets during each of his "self-less, principled" charades. He has now succeeded in making himself so unwelcome in so may places that it would serve us all very well if he were kept in a cage.

  • 16. 0 0
    H
    • jake 1948
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:19

    'Galloway? I met him once. Great tan. I salute his indefatigability and wish him well in Somalia, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Burma,Sudan, Afghanistan,East Timor, Pakistan and Indonesia, should his conscience guide him there' What would you be doing there I wonder, probably defending these regimes as well.

  • 15. 0 0
    chilem
    • dave
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:06

    i also love how israel is always criticised for not achieving peace with her neighbours. then when they do sign a peace deal, Israel still gets criticised.

  • 14. 0 0
    chilem
    • dave
    • 08.01.10
    • 21:01

    err. there are no democratic countries in the middle east other than israel.

  • 13. 0 0
    #8 hahahahaha
    • Gili
    • 08.01.10
    • 20:47

    What Middle-Eastern Democracy? Please, name me a single Middle-Eastern country outside of Israel that is a Democracy. Your post is hilarious :)

  • 12. 0 0
    Right decision Egypt!
    • John
    • 08.01.10
    • 20:38

    Now hopefully many more countries will follow. Galloway is a joke who needs help to be restrained from embarrassing himself

  • 11. 0 0
    #8, There are no
    • Chappaqua neighbor
    • 08.01.10
    • 20:21

    There are no real democracies in the ME,with one exception, Israel.

  • 10. 0 0
    Husni Mubarak is persona non grata in Egypt
    • Sammy from Jordan
    • 08.01.10
    • 17:03

    What a petty. Egypt has no democracy or freedom of speech. Otherwise, Mubarak will be deported or jailed by the Egyptian people. Actualy all the Arab leaders are persona non grata.

  • 9. 0 0
    Dear George, how sad
    • Henry Blofeld
    • 08.01.10
    • 16:56

    Dear George how sad it is that you are not being allowed to top-up your tan. How sad it is that you are still being paid a generous salary as an M.P. of £64,000 while spending time other than looking after your constituents in Bethnal Green & Bow, but then George you have already decided NOT to stand again for the same Constituency at this year's coming election but are picking up your 'carpetbag' and moving on elsewhere. No doubt any publicity in your mind will help secure you another sinecure for 5 years at the taxpayers expense while you trot off abroad giving aid and comfort to terrorists while topping up your tan.

  • 8. 0 0
    I cant believe israel is supporting a dictatorship in egypt
    • chilem
    • 08.01.10
    • 16:41

    i can't believe that israel is supporting a govt. thats a known dictatorship. everyone in the world knows that egypt is not a democracy and that hamas supports democracy more than the egyptian govt. all of israel's allies in the middle east are dictatorships, (egypt,jordan,saudi arabia) all dictatorships. it just shows that israel has no morals and will side with whoever can aid them in the occupation. name me one democratic govt. in the m.e. that supports israel

  • 7. 0 0
    Bravo Egypt for your action :-))
    • maurice
    • 08.01.10
    • 16:39

  • 6. 0 0
    Galloway and his protestors
    • Lynn
    • 08.01.10
    • 16:37

    made a really good impression on the host government of Egypt.

  • 5. 0 0
    Praise Egypt !!
    • Abuya
    • 08.01.10
    • 16:36

    Over the years Egypt learned what Hamas is about and what their friends are up to. Very good decision.

  • 4. 0 0
    Second day in the row tha I have to give my compliment
    • Dani
    • 08.01.10
    • 14:29

    to the Egyptians, they need to learn a lesson; respect of the country where they travel, but probably Mr. Galloway have an old colonialist view and in his eyes Egypt is still land of conquer. I hope in peace and Egypt now is one of the best friend we have in the area.

  • 3. 0 0
    this poor lost soul....
    • paul
    • 08.01.10
    • 14:23

    ....should be barred from returning to the UK too, and condemned to live his misearble life in the limbo. A very good outcome to his oportunistic and manipulative use of the democratic values of our Country having been elected MP to represent a minority borough ousting in the way a very good MP who truly represented the values and interests of her community.

  • 2. 0 0
    Vehicles used as Ambulances?
    • H
    • 08.01.10
    • 14:07

    Now there's a novel idea. Ironic, of course since Ambulances were the customary mode of transport for fighters. Galloway? I met him once. Great tan. I salute his indefatigability and wish him well in Somalia, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Burma,Sudan, Afghanistan,East Timor, Pakistan and Indonesia, should his conscience guide him there.

  • 1. 0 0
    Egypt's wrong decision
    • james hazan
    • 08.01.10
    • 13:58

    Egypt should have refused entry and leave him amongst his friends in Gaza.