Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams urged Israelis and Palestinians to hold direct talks as he visited Gaza on Wednesday.
Israeli officials are unhappy about Mr Adams' visit as he has not ruled out meeting officials from Hamas.
Hamas, which rules Gaza, is listed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and EU.
Mr Adams toured parts of northern Gaza devastated by war that Israel waged in the Palestinian territory this year.
He said: "The obligation is that what happened here doesn't happen again," "And that means there needs to be negotiations and that means that the leadership in Israel and the leadership in the Palestinian territories need to be involved in a direct dialogue.
"The international community, particularly the US, need to be actively encouraging that."
Mr Adams met John Ging, director of operations in Gaza for the UN Refugee and Works Agency, which supports Palestinian refugees.
He also visited an ice cream factory which was destroyed during the war and spoke with its owner.
Before Mr Adams set off for the Middle East Israeli officials said they would not meet him because he would not rule out meeting Palestinian militants.
They had threatened not to allow him to enter Gaza.
The Sinn Féin leader, who last visited the Middle East in 2006, said he regretted the Israeli government's refusal to meet him.
"As the leader of a party which was censored and demonised and whose members were killed, I see dialogue between all sides as key to building a successful peace process," he said.
"So I will meet with all sides and urge all sides to end all armed actions and to engage in meaningful dialogue.
"I believe there should be a complete cessation of all hostilities and freedom of movement for everyone."
Mr Adams said there were "similarities" between the Northern Ireland peace process and the Middle East, but "there are also significant differences".
"But it is clear that finding solutions will require leadership on both sides, and a willingness to take risks, initiatives, and compromise," he said.
Ireland to Gaza, Here We Come!And a Remberance to the Native American Indians as well
Today I am proud of Ireland, and, dare I say England as well *grin* I just saw the latest report on the Television from our local news station covering the Tyrone lad who is on the convoy to Gaza. John Hurson and Barry McGuinness a couple of local lads from Dungannon organised people to donate, they even got someone to donate a lorry.
John left the North of Ireland on 13/02/09 headed to England to join up with the Viva Palestine convoy there. Today they are beginning to travel the length of Africa, before arriving in Egypt in about 2 weeks time. I have to say the news video I just saw, showing the massive response from people lining the streets in every country all along the way was breath taking! It will most likely take them extra time to arrive owing to the streets being lined with people all along the route cheering them on and slowing down the convoy. Truly amazing to see.Another thing that impressed me was the person who flew to London from New Orleans in the USA, upon arrival in London they will buy a truck, fill it with supplies for Gaza, and then join the convoy. This person knows what devastation is, they lived through Hurricane Katrina, now they are paying it forward with help to Gaza. God Bless them all!
I sincerely hope that Israel is seeing this display of support for Gaza, not from the convoy but the crowds lining the streets in each town the convoy passes through. Perhaps Israel will begin to see that they have no support what so ever, they have become nothing more than an evil aggressive rogue state.
Here’s the latest on John’s journey from the local Tyrone paper:
AN EDENDORK man's great Gaza humanitarian adventure set off on Friday bound for the Middle East with a lorry load of aid donated by the people of Tyrone and beyond. In fact the generous response was such that organisers John Hurson and Barry McGuinness had to stop accepting gifts because they could fit no more items into the lorry!
“The generosity has bowled me over and I know this, when I leave on Friday with everybody waving, I will bawl my eyes out!
“The magnitude of the journey hasn’t really hit me yet because there has been so much aid coming in. I just kept saying to people, ‘if only you could spend half an hour and see the heart that is in people’.
“They didn’t need to know what the politics are. They came with a heart to send something to the homeless people of Gaza And what generosity - a lorry donated to us by Rocwell, Strabane sending down 600 jerseys for kids, the Sligo County Board, Dungannon Swifts, Dungannon rugby - the list goes on.
“Over a thousand jerseys have been sent in. A couple of football clubs are meeting me in London to make a donation. Strabane gave me 600 full kits for kids. Gaza is going to look like Clones on a Saturday night!”
And just what inspired John to do this? The Native American Indians who sent aid to the Irish during the famine. Ok, now I’m bawling my eyes out as well John :)
“I am really motivated by a great story that took place during the famine. An Indian tribe heard about the famine and the whole nation walked hundreds of miles in order to send $710, a massive amount in those days, to help the needy in Ireland” http://www.tyronetimes.co.uk/2617/Next-stop-Gaza.4982486.jp
Below is a snippet from John’s blog:
From Tyrone To Gaza: 'We Will Not Look Away' On Friday 13th February, myself and my cousin will head off to Gaza with a lorry full of aid for some of the 60,000 people left homeless after the recent attacks by Israel.
We will be joining up with a convoy of 90 other vehicles in London, where we will leave from the embankment opposite the Houses Of Parliment, and then make our way to the ferry and hopefully 17 days later we will arrive at the border in Rafa. http://www.indymedia.ie/article/91006
This convoy is being led by George Galloway MP http://www.georgegalloway.com/ of the RESPECT http://www.respectrenewal.org/ and is organised by Viva Palestina. AT http://www.vivapalestina.org/ Hear what George says about the convoy below:
Additionally, acclaimed director Ken Loach, who directed “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” one of my favourite movies, will make a documentary on the Aid Convoy to help the estimated 60,000 people made homeless after the recent conflict in Gaza
Alright you wee muckers from up da North, If you would like to make a donation or sponsor a blanket for the next trip the lads make, please contact Barry McGuinness on 028 8772 9119 go on, you know you want to:)
Bloody Sunday March for Gaza, Derry, N Ireland 2009-02-02
History: Back in 1972 people here had a peaceful march for civil rights. The British soldiers shot and killed 14 unarmed civilians, mostly children. That day is called Bloody Sunday. Since then each year we hold a march to remember them. This year the Families of those killed and the march organisers, decided to show support for Palestine this year. We sold 1400 Palestinian flags, one for each person killed by Israel in this murderous attack on Gaza. The proceeds from the flags will go to medical aid for Palestine.
The march has never done this before, this is amazing. So many people came out for the march, about 4 thousand or so. The march itself stretched for about one mile, it was a sea of Palestinian flags .
Many high ranking politicians from Sinn Fein were there and carried banners for Palestine. Gerry Adams MP MLA Sinn Fein President, Martin McGuinness MP MLA Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister, Raymond McCartney MLA Sinn Fein former hunger striker, Maeve McLaughlin Sinn Fein councillor Derry, Martina Anderson MLA Sinn Fein Derry, and Gerry MacLochlainn Councillor Sinn Fein Derry.
IRISH SHIP TO GAZA WAS SABOTAGED BY ISRAEL. OUR SHIP WILL SAIL AFTER REPAIRS IN THE AUTUMN. WE SAIL UNTIL GAZA IS FREE!! PLEASE DONATE TO HELP US PAY FOR REPAIRS
