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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 14 November 2008

Lauren Booth

Protester: Israelis threatened to shoot us

THE sister-in-law of former Prime Minister Tony Blair will describe how she feared for her life in beleaguered Palestine when she speaks at a meeting at Islington Town Hall on Wednesday.
Human rights protester Lauren Booth claims she was refused permission to leave Gaza for almost a month in September when on a visit with an international freedom group.
The group pressed Israeli authorities to allow a wheelchair-user with a tumour on her spine to cross into Israel for life-saving medical treatment.
“We walked with the woman to the checkpoint,” Ms Booth said. “But every 50 metres our liaison man would get a phone call from the Israelis saying we were about to get fired on.
“There were 10 of us and we were pushing an old lady in a wheelchair. I held my passport up. And six times we were threatened with being shot.
“We asked her what she wanted to do. She said she just wanted to get close to them and ask them why they wouldn’t let her cross over. So we walked with her to the wall until we could go no further.” They were then warned that if they did not leave the crossing would be shut to everyone for the weekend.
Ms Booth said: “We decided we had to leave and the woman agreed. We didn’t want everyone to receive collective punishment.”
Ms Booth said that despite her experiences she is determined to return to Gaza in the New Year when she plans to launch a “free Gaza” boat.
“There’s been no ferry service between Cyprus and Gaza for 41 years,” she added. “We are going to start it up again. MP Clare Short and a number of MEPs have expressed an interest in a trip.”
She doubts whether
the US President-elect Barack Obama will have an impact on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
“His vice-president, Joe Biden, has described himself as a non-Jewish Zionist. That doesn’t help,” she said.
As for her brother-in-law Mr Blair, a Middle East envoy, she said: “You just wonder what a Middle East envoy is for?
“An aid agency report has been highly critical of him, saying that since Mr Blair took over things have actually got worse.
“He’s not only not represented Palestine, he‘s neglected it. But in Gaza they still quite like him. They are still appreciative of any efforts he makes and still want him to come.
“I’m saying: why? They say they believe he’s trying. The Palestinians are amazing and very forgiving people.”
The 7pm meeting is organised by Islington Friends of Yibna and Islington branch of trade union Unison.

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