What's Going on in Cairo Tomorrow

Right NOW: "As we are writing this hundreds of French delegates are camped outside the French Embassy, pitching tents and sleeping bags on the sidewalk, chanting "Palestine Freedom!" The French Ambassador and his wife are outside negotiating with the delegates and the police and Egyptian authorities. It is a powerful action and the French invite solidarity and support - come wherever you can! This is a critical situation and the police are surrounding the group. Check it out if you can. We will send out an update when possible"

11 am - Press Conference

12 pm - Action @ UN / Beginning of Gaza Freedom March hunger strike

3 pm - Women's Contingency Delivers Letter to H.E. Suzanne Mubarak

A group of individuals from Anarchists Against the Wall were arrested for demonstrating the Occupation at the Erez border. They have since been released.

:::

Police detain 16 leftists on Gaza border

http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3825757,00.html

Activists marking one year since launch of IDF offensive protest Israeli blockade, prevented from entering Strip. Israel continues to perpetuate destruction, suffering,' one of them says
Anat Shalev

Police detained 16 left-wing activists as they were trying to cross into Gaza on Sunday to mark the one year anniversary of Operation Cast Lead.

Chief Superintendent Shimon Nahmani, commander of the Sderot police station, said the leftists held a rally without prior authorization.

United Nations

Ban: Year after war, sense of hopelessness in Gaza / Yitzhak Benhorin On one year anniversary of Operation Cast Lead, UN chief issues statement calling for end to 'unacceptable' Israeli blockade, says residents of coastal enclave denied basic human rights Full Story

"We detained them and had to employ a reasonable amount of force, but we didn’t beat anyone," he said. "They are currently being interrogated at the station, and may be charged with entering a closed military zone without a permit and holding an illegal demonstration."

Several dozen left-wing activists took part in the protest against the Israeli blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory, claiming it was hindering Gaza's rehabilitation.

Adar Grievsky of the "Anarchist against the Wall" group said, "We began walking southward on the beach towards Gaza, but near Zikim large police and IDF forces prevented us from crossing (into Gaza).

"A year after Israel killed 1,400 people during the Cast Lead war, Israel continues to perpetuate destruction and suffering by preventing rehabilitation and denying the transfer of construction materials to Gaza," said the activist.

According to Grievsky, the purpose of the march was to "convey the message that as citizens living in this country, we find the situation intolerable and we must resist it."

One of the protestors claimed that one of the leftists was beaten by police.

القاهرة - Day 4! - Beeramids!!

So today after the super fun Christmas party we went to the one and only Pyramids in Giza! Rana, Amira, and I all left early in afternoon/late morning and we drove to Giza and it was seriously sooo much fun. Although very very touristy, I had such a blast. We had a really great tour guide named Ahmed (of course - like almost every other man in Egypt) and he was really nice took loads of fun pictures of us and told us neats things along the way.

I'm uploading the pictures to facebook as we speak (or as I type) so if we're not friends add me and you can see pictures not just from today's adventures at the Pyramids but also pictures from the past few days :)

We saw all 9 of the pyramids - 3 big ones and 6 little ones. We also saw the tombs for the workers who helped build the pyramids, too. It was so much fun though because we rode on horses and camels the whole way. On the way through everything I rode the camel whose name, very non-coincidentally was Ali Baaba lol (and apparently he loves the ladies), and Amira and Rana rode horses. On the way back, Rana and I switched and I rode a horse back and her name was Mish-Mish (aka the cutest thing ever). Amira's horse's name was Ghazelle and she was hilarious because she just did whatever the heck she felt like doing. I don't know if I liked the horse or the camel better, maybe the horse a little bit more since it didn't hurt as much haha, but they were both a ton of fun and soo adorable. We also got to see the Sphinx, a place that sold "original" Papyrus haha, and a lotus flower perfume place. The best part of our way back though had to have been the store that was called "Ankel Sam Store for Berfoume" hahaha :P

After the Pyramids, we were starving so we drove back and tried to go eat at this restaurant on the Nile but that didn't work because it was a military place and I was American and no foreigners were allowed so we ended up eating at Fridays on the Nile and it was really gorgeous. We got there around Maghrib so the sun was setting and it was just beautiful to be so close to the water, watching the sunset, and eating tons of food because Rana and I were literally starving since that was the first time we had eaten all day.

Afterwards we came home, I took a quick nap, and then Efo and Ranya picked me up and we were originally going to go to Khan el-Khalili but it ended up being later than we thought and it was going to close soon so we went to this rooftop place to just hangout and even though it had the shadiest elevator probably in the world (it had no door at all ahaha) it was really a great view of the Nile and the Cairo skyline.

Well tomorrow is actually my birthday :) and I'm both excited to celebrate it in Cairo and also slightly homesick and missing all my loves back in the States. If any of you are reading this - I am sending lots of love your way and hope you're doing the same :) At the same time, on a much sadder note, the 27th of December also commemorates the day that Israel began attacking Gaza last year and its been a really difficult year for the people of Gaza and there are no signs of anything improving at all right now either.

I know there are going to be several solidarity actions around Cairo tomorrow (I posted a press release of one earlier tonight) where 1400 candles will be lit and placed on the Nile to remember each one of the people that were killed during the invasion. We recently received some (cross your fingers) good news that Egypt *MIGHT* be opening the borders, of course nothing is confirmed and this just might be a rumor, but that means that we are going to try and bus over to al-Arish on Monday morning, the 28th, to see if we can get in.

These past few days in Cairo have been downright amazing, and I've got to make some amazing friends and see really beautiful things ranging from everything to funny signs in English to the grandeur of the pyramids - Cairo really has a unique essence and I doubt any other city could imitate it. It really is beautiful. With that said though, I'm really anxious to see Gaza and really do what I came here to do. I know that it might not be possible and I might have to stay in Cairo, which is perfectly fine because the people, the culture, and the city are absolutely great but this trip would really feel incomplete without setting foot in Gaza, without raising my voice, without taking a stand, and without showing the world that one year later we remember, and we still stand with the Palestinian people.

Please send all of your positive energy, prayers, thoughts, love, and wishes our way the next few days. We really need them, and the people of Gaza and Palestine really need them.

Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah Inshallah I will be in Gaza in 2 days. Now that, would be the best birthday present. ever.

In struggle,

Sana

Cairo - Day 2 & 3 :D / HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE! :)

So yesterday was my second day in Cairo! :)

I started off the day by meeting up with a friend of Rana's, Sarah, who is from the states but is now living in Egypt. She had some family visiting and so I tagged along with them and we went to see the Citadel.

On the way there, the cab driver was really nice and he said that I had an Egyptian face haha :D Once I got there, I was there a bit earlier than Sarah and her family so I was waiting for them for a few minutes. A lot of schools take field trips to the Citadel so while I was sitting there tons of kids and their teachers walked by. One group walked by and there was a young girl at the end of the group probably like 4 or 5 years old and I waved to her and then she came back and said "Amreeka!!? Amreeka?!!!" hahaa She was beyond excited that I was from the states and she came and shook my hand and said "Hello! Goodbye!" It was super cute and then an older guy came to get her and he also had the same "Amreeka!?" expression and then said "Welcome" :) Seriously, everyone here is super nice. I love it.

Once we got to the Citadel there were two mosques that we saw. First was the Qalum mosque, which was older and had been stripped of the marble in the ceiling and according to the story, returned to Turkey. It was still beautiful though and the glass lamps that went all around the mosque were still intact and gorgeous as ever. We even found a sun dial that had been carved into one of the pillars on the courtyard inside the mosque and that was a really cool find. I wish we had gone into the minaret but I didn't realize there was even one until we were already outside.

After that we went to the Egyptian Military Museum, which in all honesty was really boring haha. I don't really care for the history of artillery and how it was used. There were a few cool things in there but it was unnerving to see war glorified in any country, but nonetheless a nice stop :) The funniest/best part of the whole thing though has to be how while we were walking through the museum there were a lot of teenagers there and in one of the halls, they all stopped us and asked for pictures with us! hahaha It was HILARIOUS. We probably took pictures with like 10 or 15 kids because they were so excited we were from the U.S. lol

Next we went to the Muhammad Ali mosque which was soooo beautiful. Oh. my. goodness. I cannot express how much I loved this mosque. Of course it was swarming with tourists but seriously it was amazing. There was an outdoor courtyard in addition to the musallah (the room where people actually pray) and that was stunning. Then once you come inside there were hundreds of these glass lamps that circled the entire room in layers and everything was done in such an ornate and intricate fashion that I wonder how people could even concentrate on their prayers when they're surrounded by something so beautiful. It was great :) Outside of the mosque, you got a gorgeous view of Cairo and although it was a bit hazy it was still great view.

As we were leaving the Sultan Hassan mosque, it was around Maghrib, and one of the guards escorting us out asked us if we wanted to see this prison that one existed there and of course we went. It was honestly really freaky because the cells were so small and some of them I guess to pay homage to prisoners of times past, had statues of humans in there in prison and if you didn't expect to see one there it was weird to see a face staring back at you haha

Since we spent a lot of time at the cafe during lunch and made a pit stop at the military museum, we didn't get a chance to see the Ibn Tulun mosque or the Sultan Hassan mosque that day, but inshallah I'm going to try and go there Sunday on the 27th. It will be something fun to do for my birthday :)

After we left the Sultan Hassan mosque, we went to a small cafe that was a part of one of the many hotels on the Nile River and that was absolutely beautiful. It wasn't too cool at all as a I expected since we were so close to the water but it was just breathtaking how serene the entire moment there was and with a warm cup of coffee it was fabulous :)

After the cafe, I went home for a bit and then with Sherif we met up with a few other people and hung out a cute little sushi place. We then went and got some shrimp sandwhiches which were pretty good and went to a hangout place called After Eight. Since it was Christmas Eve, they specially brought in a belly dancer who I even danced with a little bit haha so that was loads of fun :)

Since we were out so late last night today I mostly slept :( lol Once I was up though, I helped Rana and Leila decorate for the Christmas party that Rana was throwing at her place. People brought tons of food, we did Secret Santa as well and there was lots of fun dancing to old 90s songs. It was a great night and it was a nice break from all the tourist-y things I had been doing so far. It was also fab to meet more of Rana and Hana's friends who I have heard so so much about. They are all such sweet people, just like almost everyone else in Egypt :D

Tomorrow, we're heading to the Pyramids (!!!) and Khan el-Khalili as well so its going to be great and I'll try to get pictures up by the weekend!! Please also pray that we can get into Gaza. THANKS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!!! :)

Much love, always.

-Sana

Cairo - Day 1 :)

So today was my first official day in Cairo, and it was absolutely amazing. I can feel myself falling in love with this city so much where Islamic elements meet antique memories of colonization and the people are incredibly sincere and welcoming. I can't wait for the next few days because its only going to get better, insha'Allah :)

This morning I headed over to the Egyptian Museum, which was literally jam packed with artifacts and relics from thousands of years ago. There had to have been several millions of things packed in this room. I honestly think I only covered about 40% of it with the 4 hours I was there. It was an absolute information overload and I wish they allowed us to take pictures because everything in there was mind-blowing but I guess this means you'll just have to come see it for yourself ;) At one point I was walking past this slab of some ancient hieroglyphic etchings and I just touched them lightly and I got the chills all over thinking about how old something like this was and the fact that here it was in front of me when all else from the era has completely vanished. Not to over romanticize museums or anything, but you can truly feel the history and their age emitting from some of these pieces. It is really beautiful.

Funny story: This guy who worked at the Museum, who I thought was just being friendly, comes up to me and says like hi/hello/how are you etc, and then he asks me: "Why don't you have a wife"? hahaha. I figured he meant husband but it was just so funny because he asked me that several times, and then I told him I was Muslim he kissed my hand and asked me to recite verses from the Qur'an - it was the weirdest/funniest thing ever. He tried to teach me Arabic too but that didn't work well because of his accent and I didn't realize until much later that "moh-zzer" actually meant "mother" and same thing with "fah-zzer" lol! This dude Ahmed was too funny.

I also was fortunate enough to see the exhibit with the ancient mummies and in all honesty that was horrifying for me. Here you had these dead bodies with their faces revealed in all their terror and morbidness on display. I just felt squeamish and scared the whole time, especially because some of the faces looked like they were in pain or that something still sort of lingered on their lips, like their spirit left them in mid-sentence. It was really freaky. :/

The King Tutankhamen exhibit was beyond words beautiful. I know we've almost all heard of him and how he was King and what not but the detail and the intricacy that went into his tomb and burial are absolutely phenomenal. So much gold was layered onto the encasing of him tomb and then so much more detail and decoration went into the mask that was placed on his body and the actual coffin his body went into. Its just unbelievable when you see it up close and in person. Again, I really wish I could have taken pictures because it was breathtaking.

Interestingly enough, a guy that I walked past at the museum saw my shirt which said "Gaza 'Ala Bali"/"Gaza on my mind" and we started talking just about the Gaza Freedom March and everything going on in Palestine right now because he was from Gaza City and he still had family there. We talked for a while and then agreed to meet up once we both were done going through everything at the museum. So after we both got out, we then went out to eat koshary, which was absolutely delicious - just as everyone had predicted it would. I walked around with him for the next few hours and we went to Old Cairo and walked around and explored a lot. We saw tons of book stores, the Wall Street of Cairo, and stopped at a place for some mango juice which was sooo amazing. It was so rich and had thick pieces of mango in it and it was just divine. It was one of the best parts of the day :) After that, I left my friend Mohammed and then met up with Hana and Rana's friend, Sherif and went to eat at Abu Sid, which was yet another experience with delicious Egyptian food. We had tahini, grape leaves, Molakahely - which if I typed that correctly is the Egyptian National Dish. I've eaten so much today, I fear for how much weight I am going to gain by the time I leave to go to Gaza. :P

After that, we went to a small cafe by the AUC dorms and I got to meet all of Hana's friends who she talks about alllll the time and they were all so nice and funny. I think the one thing that is going to leave a seriously everlasting impression on me from Egypt is going to be the incredible warmth, kindness, and hospitality of the people here. Everyone goes out of their way to be nice to you and it is just the sweetest thing.

Okay - so I am beyond exhausted and my jet lag has caught up to me at last so it is time to crash.

Please if you haven't already send a message to the Egyptian government pressuring them to allow the Gaza Freedom March into Gaza so that we can demonstrate in solidarity with the people of Palestine. As much as I love Cairo, there is no way I came all this way just to sight see. We're too close now to back down, Egypt.

Here is the link in case you missed it earlier:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/424/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1946

Love and solidarity,

Sana J.

Finally Arrived in Cairo - Alhumdulilah!

Alhumdulilah (Thank God), I have finally arrived in Cairo! :D

I left D.C. Monday around 10:30 and have arrived in Cairo around Tuesday at 9 p.m. and needless to say that was the longest bit of travelling I have ever done. I took a bus to New York, then the shuttle to JFK, then a flight to Amman, Jordan, and then another flight to Cairo. Alhumdulilah nothing was delayed because of the massive snow storm on the U.S. east coast but it was still madness getting here. I am just grateful to have made it.

And many many many thanks to Hana and her sister Rana for opening their home and all of their hospitality. I have only been here a few hours and Rana is such a sweetheart. I am really lucky to have such caring people in my life.

I honestly still can't believe I am here. When we were driving to Rana's house it was just surreal seeing the Nile and the beautiful mosques just on a way here. I think the one thing that I automatically has made me fall in love with Cairo is the Muslim-ness of it all. When we got on EgyptAir we were greeted with "Salaam Alaikum" and before the plane took off they said the prayer for safe travelling and there was this beautiful sense of comfort in small things like that. Coming from the States where Islam is foreign and often feared, it is so nice, and such a relief, to not have to explain or defend anything and just enjoy the fact that you can say "salaam", or peace, to any and everyone on the street. Even seeing huge mosques in the middle of city is such a beautiful sight. I'm not going to lie, it makes me all really happy :)

I am excited to wake up early tomorrow and start exploring Cairo. I think I first might go to the Egyptian Museum with all the history (and mummies!). Rana said that to take it all in you might need all day so we'll see how that goes :-)

I'm also super excited, to practice the little Arabic I know while I'm here. Hopefully I won't make a big fool of myself, but if I do I think thats still part of the fun. Either way, I'll learn a lot, see beautiful things, eat loads, and of course, end the occupation.

Also to anyone reading this: please take a moment and call the Egyptian embassy and urge them to let the Gaza Freedom March into Gaza. Here is how you can help us :

Please call the Egyptian Embassy (in the US 202-895-5400) and tell them to let us into Gaza.

Contact your local consulate here:
http://www.mfa.gov.eg/MFA_Portal/en-GB/mfa_websits/

Contact the Palestine Division in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo

Ahmed Azzam, tel +202-25749682 Email: ahmed.azzam@mfa.gov.eg

In the U.S., contact the Egyptian Embassy, 202-895-5400 and ask for Omar Youssef or email omaryoussef@hotmail.com

Possible text for emails:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my full support for the December 31, 2009 Gaza Freedom March, and am in touch with my Member of the Congress on this issue.

I respectfully urge the Egyptian government to allow the 1,360 international delegates to enter the Gaza Strip through Egypt.

The aim of the march is to call on Israel to lift the siege. It is also humanitarian: the delegates will also take in badly needed medical aid, as well as school supplies and winter jackets for the children of Gaza.

Please let this historic March proceed. Doing so will do much to endear Egypt to both the marchers and their many friends and supporters.

Thank you

Okay so I'm exhausted and I don't want to sleep the day away!!

Ma'salaama and lots of love from Cairo,
Sana