Poor, poor Lauren Booth, Tony Blair’s sister-in-law. She can’t get out of Gaza.
She’s one of the tools that led the “protest” against the IDF shutdown of Gaza by sending two boats in the other day. And now, neither Egypt nor Israel will let her into their territory.
Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair’s sister-in-law, who arrived in Gaza with a boatload of activists protesting an Israeli blockade, said on Tuesday she was stuck there because both Israel and Egypt had denied her entry.
Lauren Booth, sister of the former British prime minister’s wife Cherie, revealed her predicament as Blair visited the region to further Western-backed efforts to achieve a limited Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
Booth was one of 44 foreign “Free Gaza” activists who set sail from Cyprus, docking in Gaza last month, and was one of 10 who remained when the others sailed back to Cyprus on Friday.
[…] Booth said she has tried unsuccessfully in the past few days to leave through Gaza’s land crossings with Israel and Egypt. “I tried through the proper channels, through the United Kingdom’s embassy, but I was told I was not allowed to come through,” she said after trying in vain to enter Israel.
An Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman, Peter Lerner, confirmed Israel had denied Booth entry, saying there was a policy of refusing entry to anyone from Gaza who did not get there via Israel.
“There is no possibility to let in those people who entered by the sea. They cannot enter Israel,” Lerner said.
I have a suggestion. Swim.
Just watch. There will be behind the scenes pressure exerted upon Israel by Blair and the United States. They’ll eventually find an excuse to let her travel via Israel.
Personally, I’d prefer to see her rot in Gaza.
Off Topic:
Meryl, have you seen this column about Palin in Politico?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13098.html
Since I’m not an American, I don’t know whether Ben Smith is a Democrat, in which case, I’d take his comments with a grain of salt. I’ve read that Wexler’s opinion may leave something to be desired.
Well, you beat me to the swim snark, so I’ll suggest here that she make her peace with her choice and enjoy her new home. After all, she is not helping Gaza’s “cause” by implying it’s not a fit place to spend the rest of her life.
Hugh,
My guess is that if there’s suspicion that Jews have of Palin, it has to do with her church and the fear many liberal Jews have of “fundamentalists.”
Here are a couple of items to consider. I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on “is she good for the Jews?” because she’s governor of Alaska, how many Jews are there in Alaska?
Thanks, Soccer Dad. Interesting reading.
I get the urge to tell the Jews for Jesus types to eff off, when they approach me, even though I’m not religious. However, I’m polite, and I simply tell them that when I become religious, I’ll practise Judaism.