Thursday, February 2, 2012
Palestinians throw shoes, stones at UN Ban Ki-moon convoy
A shoe thrown by Palestinian protesters flies towards a vehicle in the convoy of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as it arrives at the Erez checkpoint in the northern Gaza Strip today.
Dozens of Palestinians threw shoes, sticks and stones at UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's convoy as it crossed into the Gaza Strip today, protesting against what they saw as a slight against Palestinians jailed in Israel.
No one was injured during the hostile welcome and the vehicles, which crossed into the Hamas-ruled territory from southern Israel, pushed through the crowd and sped away.
Ban is visiting the region to try to restart long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Many of those who protested as the UN convoy passed were family members of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. They hit the vehicles with signs bearing slogans accusing Ban of bias towards Israel and of refusing to meet the relatives of Palestinian prisoners.
About 5,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails and securing their release is a highly emotive issue in Palestinian society.
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