By IRWIN BLOCK, The Gazette, November 18, 2010
Former British MP George Galloway lived up to his “controversial” reputation last night with a blistering attack on the Canadian government, its failed attempt to “muzzle” him, and its policies on Israel and Afghanistan.
Galloway kicked off his extemporaneous speech to 400 people at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal by thanking Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney for the “ridiculous ban” Canada imposed on him last year, based on Galloway’s alleged support for terrorism.
That ruling, overturned by a Federal Court judge, has turned Galloway’s books into bestsellers, Galloway boasted. It also extended his fame so his current tour of Canada includes 10 speeches and scores of media interviews.
That ban was based on Galloway’s role in shipping five convoys of humanitarian aid to the Health Ministry in the Hamas ruled Gaza Strip.
“I am not now nor have I ever been a supporter of Hamas,” Galloway said, adding that he had always opposed terrorism.
But since Hamas is the democratically elected government of 1.6 million Palestinians in Gaza, Galloway said he had no choice but to deal with it to channel that aid.
He described the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as “the centre of the confrontation between the Muslim and non-Muslim world.”
Continues >>
Galloway kicked off his extemporaneous speech to 400 people at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal by thanking Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney for the “ridiculous ban” Canada imposed on him last year, based on Galloway’s alleged support for terrorism.
That ruling, overturned by a Federal Court judge, has turned Galloway’s books into bestsellers, Galloway boasted. It also extended his fame so his current tour of Canada includes 10 speeches and scores of media interviews.
That ban was based on Galloway’s role in shipping five convoys of humanitarian aid to the Health Ministry in the Hamas ruled Gaza Strip.
“I am not now nor have I ever been a supporter of Hamas,” Galloway said, adding that he had always opposed terrorism.
But since Hamas is the democratically elected government of 1.6 million Palestinians in Gaza, Galloway said he had no choice but to deal with it to channel that aid.
He described the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as “the centre of the confrontation between the Muslim and non-Muslim world.”
Continues >>
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