Earlier today we got the following press release from the Gaza Freedom March Steering Committee. At the bottom I have added numbers that our friends can call to pressure the Egyptian government to let our people in.
Gaza Freedom March is determined to break the siege
1,360 International Delegates appeal to Egypt to let the March proceed
Citing escalating tensions on the Gaza-Egypt border, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry informed us on December 20 that the Rafah border will be closed over the coming weeks, into January. We responded that there is always tension at the border because of the siege and that if there are any risks, they are risks we are willing to take. We also said that it was too late for over 1,360 delegates coming from over 42 countries to change their plans now.
Although we consider this as a setback, it is something we’ve encountered—and overcome–before. No delegation, large or small, that has entered Gaza over the past 12 months has received a final OK before arriving at the Rafah border. Most delegations were discouraged from even heading out of Cairo to Rafah. Some had their buses stopped on the way. Some have been told outright that they could not go into Gaza. But after public and political pressure, the Egyptian government changed its position and let them pass.
Our efforts and plans will not be altered at this point. We have set out to break the siege of Gaza and to march in Gaza on December 31 against the international blockade. We are continuing the journey.
Egyptian embassies and missions all over the world will be hearing by phone, fax and email from delegates and the supporters of the Gaza Freedom March over the coming crucial days, with the clear message: Let the international delegation enter Gaza and let the Gaza Freedom March proceed.
Many delegates are already in Cairo and more are arriving daily. Delegates cancelled holiday plans months ago to come on the Gaza Freedom march and air tickets were purchased. We anticipate that virtually all of the 1,360 delegates will come to Cairo.
Because of the incredible humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the Israeli attack on Gaza a year ago and by the international siege on Gaza, we feel morally obligated to continue our mission to bring more international attention to the plight of the 1.5 million people imprisoned in Gaza.
The Gaza Freedom March Steering Committee
For more information, contact Ann Wright
019 508 1493 (cairo), microann@yahoo.com
Contact your local consulate here:
Contact the Palestine Division in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo
I was afraid of this. The iron wall, the Hamasniks sniping at it.
Done–I emailed the Egyptian Embassy.
I called the consulate in Chicago and was told that the official I should speak with should (in theory) be available tomorrow morning. So if that’s relatively close to you, calling them then too wouldn’t go amiss.
hey guys can you tell me how to say this? i will call them tommorow here in paris and send letters, just give me ideas how to tell them this. Thanks
If you want my advice, and the gist of what I’m saying when I call, is that as an American citizen (in your case, French obviously :) ) I request that the Egyptian government allow the Gaza Freedom March through the Rafah checkpoint. I also emphasize that it won’t look good for Egypt if it looks like their government is responsible for restricting a peaceful demonstration.
That’s a good point, Chaos.
Aparisian, you could model some of your content from Phil’s Article regarding
why the peaceful demonstration is so important.
Just emailed them. Tried to call, but apparently they are closed. I got through to a guy named Hussein; he said Omar will be there tomorrow.
This is ridiculous how, time and time again, Eygpt is entirely complicit in Israeli Oppression. I suppose that soccer match where they lost to the Algerians was well deserved now. Too bad they bad such a big deal about it and tried to act like it was a matter of national honor – probably because they have lost most of it with their actions towards the Palestinians, and are trying to salvage whatever is left.
Is there anyway to inform AlJazeera? I m sure Egyptians would protest against their gov if they ever learn about this. And the best way to reach them is through channels like AlJazeera.
AM: Don’t forget that Egyptians live under dictatorship like regime, they cant punish their gov, and their regime is the US and Israel doggie
Oh I very much know that. the Egyptian Goverment and the Egyptian people are on totally different pages entirely. Actually, we could say that for ALL Governments in the Middle East. You know, Sadat knew how to play the politics game very well – he knew when you had to regroup, rebuild, and play the PR game. I doubt he was interested in destroying Israel; I’m sure he was like Nasser, who desperately just wanted a peace treaty for several years as the Israelis kept blowing him off.
Mubarek just seems to be enriching himself day in and day out. Unless its a game being played on the scale of 3+ decades, I’m totally missing out on how to interpret the government’s actions as anything but looking to keep itself in power, EVERYTHING ELSE be damned. Oh – and get his son in power. He is going to lead the way with ‘new ideas and change’…just like Obama, right?
Hosni Mubarak is an American puppet. He would do everything to please Washington’s masters in Tel Aviv – in order to keep the annual bribe of US$1.5 billion coming. Zionist entity build above ground wall around the Gazzah Ghetto while the Egyptian government is in the process of building an underground wall to save the Zionist thugs from Palestinian resistance fighters.
link to rehmat1.wordpress.com
Hamas being walled-in
just don’t forget that Egyptians who are rarely protesters, the protest massively for Pals.
One has to hope, for the sake of the Egyptians as well as the Palestinians, that Mubarak’s days as President are numbered. Not very likely while the US is bankrolling one of the most pervasive secret police forces in the world, but still.
Egypt is another victim of the US and Zionist congress ME policy. if Americans knew, they would understand better the reasons behind terrorism, and the 9/11 bombings maybe.
We need to remember that if Mubarak goes, someone else just as *ehem* moderate, will take his place. Probably his son. Or it could be another one of his leiutanents who will magically win 90% of the vote in “free elections” just as the opposition leadrship is coincedentally arrested for something obviously nothing to do with politics.
I wasn’t exactly talking about Mubarak dying. If the Egyptian regime has a natural life cycle, then yeah, nothing will change. It’s not Mubarak alone that is the problem, it’s the corrupt government as a whole. Mubarak is just the tip of the iceberg.
Aren’t the tunnels for humanitarian goods only? Rehmat, you are the first person on this blog to mention anything about the tunnels being used for something nefarious.
Can you craft even one sentence without telling a bald-faced lie, yonira? Oh wait — I forgot. Zionist.
Chaos, please, what was the lie? Do you admit the tunnels are used for resistance fighters and nefarious actions?
Do you admit they are also the only way to get food, medicine and other essentials past the total siege?
Better still, quote me even one person on this blog who has ever said that the only thing going through those smuggling tunnels were humanitarian goods.
Its ridiculous to say NO aid is transferred but through the tunnels. Is it enough aid, no, but is there aid being transferred, of course.
That you for admitting that you know there is more than just ‘aid’ transferring through the tunnels.
Right, because it was a big goddamn secret that ANYTHING that enters Gaza pretty much has to come through those tunnels, except for the few scraps of aid coming through Israel that aren’t pillaged by the Israelis before being allowed through. When Israel feels like letting anything going in to what the UN describes as one of the most urgent humanitarian crisis zones on the face of the Earth.
God. You really are totally stupid, aren’t you? Like, tongue stuck to frozen door knobs stupid?
don’t back pedal to fast Chaos, you may fall down.
Calling me stupid isn’t going to change the fact that most of the stuff you say on here is a lie, not necessarily intentional because I know how passionate you are, but its still a falsehood.
Whats good for the goose……
Dear yonira,
I think Pals have the right to have tunnels, why the hell they have to respect the treaties while the Nazisrael don’t? huh answer this question Zionist Yonira please.
The recent UN resolution on Gaza called Israel to end the blockade, and it didn’t, it continues to endure its Nazi policy to one of the most closed regions in the world.
Last week French journalists got into Gaza, and they were surprised that most of the food come from Egypt through the tunnels.
On the other hand, Israel allows selling only the rest of the Zionists rotten fruit and vegetables. Very limited quantities and very expensive. for Ex: You can buy 1 kilo of rotten tomatoes at 10 ILS = 2 euros.
A Gazan also explained that every month the Nazisralis deprive them of some necessary products, ex: Oil, cheese, Milk etc.. The reason is collective punishment and humiliation.
Wake up blinded Zionist for god sake.
I have sent the following to the contact given by Phil:
Which is fairly goddam weak, but I do believe personal appeals just may have some effect.
Mubarrak, the Great Ox, has been in power now for 28 years while he’s settled down in bed with the US and Israel, and is being aggressively sodomised by both in turn.
Yeah, probably for the best to leave the sodomy reference out of the official correspondence :) Anyway, a polite tone makes it more likely to be read, and what matters is volume — what’s going to get attention is how many responses they get in a short period of time.
OhioJoes might get you in trouble Richard LOL so take care!