Egypt police clash with Gaza aid convoy activists
More than 50 people have been hurt in clashes between Egyptian police and pro-Palestinian activists seeking to take a convoy of supplies to Gaza.
Protests reportedly broke out when Egyptian authorities at the port city of Al Arish ordered some lorries to go via an Israeli-controlled checkpoint.
Outrageous the way Egypt is behaving. Israel's enforcers.
Viva Palestina Press Releases
Archive of Recent Viva Palestina Press Releases
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 8:04 PM
Crisis Point in El-Arish
To all friends of Palestine
Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish.
This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza.
Note: Viva Palestina is and always was a totally separate effort from the Gaza Freedom March. But its progress -- especially these events -- are of interest to all who have tried to break the siege and further expose Egypt's determination to enforce it despite claims that it allows through humanitarian aid.
Gaza's suffering is Israel's shame
ANTONY LOEWENSTEIN
January 6, 2010 - 6:57AMMembers of the Gaza Freedom March held to protest against Israel's attack on Gaza.
The 85-year-old Jewish, anti-Zionist, Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein is a sturdy looking woman. Her slightly hunched frame hides the determination to continue a life-long dedication to social justice.
This week in Cairo she joined close to 1400 international delegates on the Gaza Freedom March (GFM), a project aimed at ending the suffocating blockade on Gaza. Epstein launched a hunger strike alongside about 50 others to highlight the human rights abuses in Palestine and Israeli and Egyptian collusion in the humanitarian crisis for the Strip's 1.5 million population.
It was great to see Antony Loewenstein in Cairo and great to see this piece. Next time in a free Gaza and free Palestine!
Why I back Israel sanctions
BDS movement's actions aimed at attaining goals of justice, peace and equality
Udi Aloni
I find it appropriate that the Israeli public be notified of the emerging movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS), which has been growing at a breathtaking pace.
Published: 01.05.10, 11:56 / Israel Opinion
This article appears in the most-read Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot in Hebrew and English. It's an important sign that boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) is beginning to penetrate Israeli public consciousness.
Unbreakable in Cairo
Dana Elborno writing from Cairo, Live from Palestine, 4 January 2010
International activists hold a Palestinian flag at the pyramids in Cairo. (Dana Elborno)
Though I have lived most of my life in and around Chicago, it has never been my complete home. My sisters and I were born as first-generation Palestinian-Americans coming from Kuwait and for this reason our lives in Chicago always felt temporary -- we were only supposed to stay until the Gulf War was over, we finished school, the occupation ended, the siege was broken, etc. The only accepted rhetoric about our presence in America was and continues to be, "This is not our home, we are from Gaza." The semantics of a Gazan home are lovely, but the only sense of Gaza I have is as fleeting as gusts of dust that blow off of old pictures. These faded images of a time and place that no longer exist leave us with nostalgia for memories we never even lived. It is the most porous of identities and I feel the gaps palpably.
Now the waiting begins. As most of the #GFM goes home, a small group of us are still trying to get into #Gaza. Care to start a betting pool?
— Pam Bailey (@PamInProgress) January 4, 2010
I received this information today about ongoing Gaza-related activities in Cairo and have been told I can publish it:
*Tonight at 7 pm screening of "Gaza on Air" by Samir Abdullah at al Markaz el Saqafa el cinemaeya at 37 Cherif Street, near Talat Harb Sq. Presented by Arab Lofty.*Tomorrow at 9 am people will go in support of a legal action by Ibrahim Yousri at the Megles al Dawla (a high court refered to as the Council of State). Going to this is unlikely to be contencious, it is just in support of a legal action. Yousri has asked for some internationals and Palestinians to sign on to the lawsuit. This would involved giving your name and passport number, though he assures us it is a totally seperate system than the security system we have been dealing with. The court is near the Russian embassy, on Giza street, the same street as the French embassy. The court is between Tahrir Sq and the French embassy.
*At 11:00, the April 6th movement has called for a protest in support of the lawsuit and opposed to the wall between Gaza and Egypt to block the tunnels. It will be at Ramis St and 26 July St. It is beside Nasser station metro, at 2 min walk. Egyptians will be protesting and are asking us to be there.Egypt opens Gaza border crossing
Egyptian authorities have temporarily opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, allowing those with permits to cross. I like that Aljazeera linked to the text of the Cairo Declaration from this blog. We knew all along Egypt would open the border today, but for Gazans only. I heard of at least one person who came for GFM who attempted to make it to the border and was sent back. Others may try and we'll monitor their progress.
Dichiarazione dal Cairo
1 Gennaio, 2010
Noi, delegati internazionali riuniti al Cairo durante la Gaza Freedom March 2009, come risposta collettiva ad un’iniziativa della delegazione Sud Africana, dichiariamo:
In considerazione di quanto segue:
