Don't Tell Me You Thought This Was Over -

Gaza Freedom March URGENT UPDATE

December 29, 2009

9:30 am - 12 noon: Embassy visits

11 am: Press Briefing including hunger striker Hedy Epstein

2 pm: Hunger Strikers Hold Candle Light Vigil


6 pm: Protest of Netanyahu's visit with Egyptian groups

This will be a demonstration against Netanyahu's visit to Cairo and Egypt's role in the siege on Gaza. Egyptian activists are calling for international solidarity, which is vital in showing those in power that we will not be deterred by their attempts to divide us and that we, Egyptians and internationals side by side with Palestinians, will stand fast in our opposition to the crippling Israeli siege on Gaza and Egypt's complicity in it.

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Here is a message of solidarity from Roger Waters of Pink Floyd:

A message of solidarity with THE GAZA FREEDOM MARCH

27 December 2009

My name is Roger Waters. I am an English musician living in the USA. I am
writing to express my great admiration for and solidarity with the 1360 men
and women from 42 different countries around the World who are gathering
in Egypt, preparing for The Gaza Freedom March. We all watched, aghast,
the vicious attack made a year ago on the people of Gaza by Israeli armed
forces and the ongoing illegal siege. The suffering wrought on the
population of Gaza by both the invasion and the siege is unimaginable to us
outside the walls. The aim of The Freedom March is to focus world attention
on the plight of the Palestinian people in Gaza in the hope that the scales will
fall from the eyes of all, ordinary, decent people round the world, that they
may see the enormity of the crimes that have been committed, and demand
that their governments bring all possible pressure to bear on Israel to lift the
siege.

I use the word 'crimes' advisedly, as both the siege and the invasion have
been declared unlawful by United Nations bodies and leading human rights
organizations. If we do not all observe international law, if some
governments think themselves above it, it is but a few short, dark, steps to
barbarism and anarchy.

The Gaza Freedom March is a beacon to all those of us who believe that
under the skin, we are all brothers and sisters, who must stand shoulder to
shoulder, if we are to make a future where all have recourse to law and
universal human rights. Where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is
not just the preserve of the few. All the oil in The Middle East is not worth
one child's life. So to those of you who march, I tip my hat. It is a brave and
noble thing you do, and when you reach your goal please tell our Palestinian
brothers and sisters, that out here, beyond the Walls of their Prison, stand
hundreds of thousands of us in solidarity with them. Today, hundreds of
thousands, tomorrow, millions, soon, hundreds of millions. We Shall
Overcome.

Roger Waters

Viva Palestina Convoy Update

Peace everyone,

In case you don't know already, Viva Palestina is another delegation that is currently trying to get into Gaza, like the Gaza Freedom March, to deliver humanitarian aid and to shed light on what an occupation really entails and unfortunately they are also being given the run around by the Egyptian government.

Since they are travelling by boat, their situation is a little different but the message from Egypt is the same - that it will not cooperate whatsoever.

Here is the update.

-Sana

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Viva Palestina has traveled throughout Europe, Turkey, Syria and Jordan and have been welcomed with open arms. However, having arrived to Aqaba to sail into Nouba, a nearby Egyptian port, they have been denied access by the Egyptian Authority, who claim that the Rafah border is open to the convoy. But the reality is far fetched from this, being prohibited to sail into Nouba, entering Palestine would be an impossibility.


Egypt asserts that it has not hindered the convoy in any sense and that it has offered access to the convoy via El-Arish, but this would mean driving hundreds of miles back into the countries they have formerly crossed. Furthermore, Egypt has ordered the convoy to comply to its set of guidlines, which include coordinating with UNRWA, and thus surrendering all humanitarian aid carried. Adding fuel to the fire, the Egyptian authorities have outlined that the convoy leaders must negotiate with Israel to get into Gaza, despite it being a region universally accepted as Palestinian land.


The convoy members aim to go on a hunger strike as of 27th December 2009 in an attempt to appeal to the president of Egypt and show solidarity with the Palestinians as they mark the anniversary of the assault on Gaza at the Israeli hand. The duration of the hunger strike has not been revealed but it is clear that the convoy will not yield to the barriers before them.

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Spread this aforementioned news. Forward this to all of your friends! Create awareness, and help us make a change!

Try And Stop Us.

So I'm on my way to New York to catch my flight to Cairo and news comes, unsurprisingly, of the Egyptian government's refusal to allow the March to occur and how those who break the law will be dealt with. If anyone is familiar with this conflict already, I think it is needless to say that I don't really care or respect the Egyptian governments views very much, because of their inhumane and heartless treatment of the Palestinian people.

The Egyptians have often denied access to Palestinians fleeing the Gaza Strip from outright bombings and starvation, to the point of even shooting innocent people and killing them. So given that, and the fact that Egypt just released news that they are building a steel wall on the Gaza border, I am not really surprised by this "news" coming from Egypt.

What I think is more important though than Egypt's lack of sympathy and humanity for Palestinians and those who are taking a stand on their behalf, is the press release from the Gaza Freedom March and how we are responding (read: disregarding) this denial from Egypt.

It says the following:

December 21, 2009

We are determined to break the siege

We all will continue to do whatever we can to make it happen

Using the pretext of escalating tensions on the Gaza-Egypt border, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry informed us yesterday 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, that we do not feel threatened, 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 1,300 delegates coming from over 42 countries to change their plans now. We both agreed to continue our exchanges.

Although we consider this as a setback, it is something we've encountered-and overcome--before. No delegation, large or small, that entered Gaza over the past 12 months has ever 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 march on December 31 against the Israeli blockade. We are continuing in the same direction.

Egyptian embassies and missions all over the world must hear from us and our supporters (by phone, fax and email)** over the coming crucial days, with a clear message: Let the international delegation enter Gaza and let the Gaza Freedom March proceed.

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

We look forward to seeing you all in the coming week.

The GFM Steering Committee

If any of you have a spare moment to send an e-mail or a phone call, please do so to ensure that this March can happen and Egypt is pressured to do the right thing and let this peaceful demonstration for the sake of humanity occur.

Wish me safe travels!

-Sana