Booth: Gaza at 'tipping point'

The following is an exclusive Press TV interview with Lauren Booth, a British journalist who is among a number of foreign nationals being prevented from leaving the Gaza Strip following their humanitarian mission to break the Israel siege.

Q: so far as the Israelis are concerned you entered the Gaza Strip illegally so you can't leave like any other British citizen what is the British government doing about your case?

A:First of all we should talk about the word "illegal" because an official statement by the Israeli defense ministry on August 25 stated that the action in approaching Gaza by the sea was no security threat and was obviously a mission of goodwill. So broadly speaking the Israeli authorities accepted our mission was human rights and was not therefore illegal. However they have now taken the stance that because we have not entered through Erez we will not be able to pass through that crossing. However, that doesn't apply to everyone, because just 5 days ago one of my colleagues Jeff Halper passed through Erez.

Q: We know how the Israeli government treats other nationals. Rachel Corrie, a US national, bulldozed to death. Tom Harndel the British cameraman. What do you think the British government will try to do because foreign governments haven't usually been very successful when it comes to people in Gaza who aren't Palestinian - let alone if you are Palestinian? More

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