"We welcome the humanitarian assistance from the Indonesian people to the Palestinian people, and this is the first foreign assistance for Palestine in 2011," said Chairman of Egypt`s North Sinai Red Crescent Gen. (retired) Osama Serghani in Rafah, Egyptian Gaza border gate, Sunday (Jan 2).
Serghani said the second humanitarian aid to Palestine from abroad, second only to Indonesia, was from the Asia To Gaza Solidarity Caravan-1 ship that docked in the port of Rafah on Sunday evening, several hours after the delivery of relief from Indonesia.
The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan-1 ship transported 170 tons of humanitarian aid for Palestinian people and boarded NGO activists from various Asian countries, including 12 from Indonesia.
Indonesian humanitarian assistance in the form of various medical equipment weighing over one ton was presented by Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt AM Fachir, who was accompanied by the Indonesian embassy`s Political Function Chief Burhanuddin Badruzzaman in Rafah.
The medical devices from Indonesia were received by Director of The Gaza Strip Palestinian Red Crescent Khalil Al-Foul, who was facilitated by Head of the North Sinai Red Crescent Osama Serghani.
Ambassador Fachir, who is fluent in Arabic, explained that the Indonesian embassy in Cairo had collected assistance from various circles, both organizations and individuals sympathizing with the suffering of the Palestinians due to Israeli atrocities.
"The value is not much, but this is the solidarity of the people of Indonesia for their brothers and sisters in Palestine, especially Gaza," Fachir said.
In January 2009, Indonesia has also delivered assistance to Gaza following Israeli aggression in Gaza. The aid included an ambulance from the Indonesian health ministry.
Burhanuddian Badruzzaman explained that the just delivered assistance was worth US 88,000 dollars (Rp790 million).
He explained that the cash comprised 50,000 dollars from KISPA (Indonesian Committee for Solidarity with Palestine), 26,000 dollars from the health ministry`s remaining aid to the Palestinians in 2009, 10,000 dollars from the people of Amuntai, South Kalimantan, and 2,000 dollars from the Indonesian community in Egypt.
On the sidelines of the event, General (retired) Serghani told ANTARA`s correspondent Munawar Saman Makyanie in Rafah that all foreign assistance must be presented through the Egyptian Red Crescent, which would later pass on the aid to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
After the presentation of the assistance, Ambassador Fachir and the entourage were invited by North Sinai Governor Murad Muafik to have a lunch in the governor`s office.
On the occasion, Fachir gave Governor Murad Muafik a book entitled "Jauh di Mata Dekat Dihati: Potret Hubungan Indonesia-Mesir" ("Out of Sight, but Close to the Hearth: A Portrait of Indonesia-Egypt Relations").
The book carries among other thing a picture of Indonesia`s first President Soekarno who gave a hug to the then Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
"Oo, this picture is still fresh in my memory. At that time I was still young and noticed how close President Ahmad Soekarno and President Nasser were. At that time, the friendship between Egypt and Indonesia was strong," the governor said when looking at the picture.
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Editor: Bambang
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
