AMMAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Jordanian delegation of engineers was denied by Egypt to enter Gaza, local daily The Jordan Times reported Thursday.
The delegation was on a humanitarian mission to assess the situation on the ground and find ways to assist reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, following the 22-day Israeli attacks, according to Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) President Wael Saqqa.
"I do not understand the refusal, particularly since we received written approval from Egyptian authorities through the Jordanian Foreign Ministry," Saqqa said.
According to Saqqa, Egyptian authorities told activists they were allowed to enter Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Karm Abu Salem crossing, but not via Rafah.
"We refuse to deal with Israel. If we wanted to go to Gaza through Israel, we would have done so from Jordan," he stressed.
The delegation was scheduled to meet with members of the Palestinian Engineers Association, in order to return to Jordan with an understanding of Gaza's rebuilding needs, according to the organization.
Earlier this month, the JEA donated two ambulances valued at 300,000 Jordanian dinars (423,729 U.S. dollars) to Gaza, where a three-week fight between Israel and Hamas has claimed over 1,300 lives and left thousands injured.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/29/content_10733673.htm
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