CAIRO: Egyptian security forces at the Rafah border crossing detained a Jordanian medic Thursday after he handed medicine to a Palestinian patient returning to the Gaza Strip.
Salman Mesaid was taken from in front of the Egyptian gate of the crossing at noon in a car and taken beyond the gate where he remained detained until press time.
Mesaid is part of a five-strong Jordanian contingent representing the Arab Nurses Union which has been trying to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing since Monday.
Security forces did not give an explanation for taking Mesaid, but it was believed to be due to him handing a Palestinian patient who had been treated in Egypt a bag containing medicine as he was returning to Gaza.
In a phone interview Secretary General of the Arab Nurses Union Mohammed Hatamla told Daily News Egypt from in front of the crossing that they had contacted the Jordanian embassy to help secure Mesaid s release.
We are staying here until they release him, we will not leave, he said.
Representatives of Egyptian political opposition groups also stayed at the gate in solidarity with Mesaid and vowed not to leave until he was released.
Also present was Al Jazeera correspondent Ahmed Mansour, who for the fifth consecutive day was denied entry into Gaza. Mansour, along with colleague Ghassan Ben Jiddu and six of their crew have not been permitted entry into the Gaza Strip.
They did not give us a reason for not allowing us through, Mansour told Daily News Egypt. I cannot give a reason why we aren t being allowed in; they should tell us. Our papers are in order but everyday they tell us we are denied entry while many other journalists pass through. We are waiting for any official body to explain to us why we specifically are not being allowed into Gaza.
Al Jazeera had raised the ire of the Egyptian regime for what it feels was unbalanced coverage of the Egyptian position vis-à-vis the 22-day Israeli offensive on Gaza which began Dec. 22.
This was summed up by comments Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit gave in an interview last week in which he mentioned Al Jazeera specifically, saying, Some people imagined that a satellite channel could bring down the Egyptian state, without realizing that Egypt is much stronger than that. Egypt is very big and has extensive influence despite [attacks against it] on Al Jazeera channel or on other channels.
Egypt closed the Rafah crossing Thursday as had been previously reported but will allow Palestinians who were wounded in the offensive and seeking treatment in Egypt to return to Gaza through it.
Any humanitarian and aid convoys intended for Gaza will now enter through the Israeli-controlled Al-Oja and Kerem Shalom crossings along the Egyptian border with Israel.
An official at the crossing told AFP Thursday, The border is closed as of this morning. No humanitarian, media or medical delegations will be allowed through, nor will medical aid deliveries be permitted.
The official did state that foreign delegations which were already in Gaza having gone through the Rafah crossing would be allowed to return the same way. Additionally, some wounded Gazans would also be allowed to enter Egypt for treatment.
