Despite an announcement by the Egyptian government that it will not allow protesters to cross the Rafah Crossing - the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza - organisers say the international march will proceed, and South African participants are determined to be there. The South African delegation, numbering close to 20 activists, will be led by former Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, and will include trade unionists, professionals, journalists, and solidarity activists.
Hundreds of activists are expected to descend on OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Sunday at 7pm to give the South African delegation what is expected to be a rousing and emotional send-off. "We have prepared for this trip, and we are going to Cairo; we will not be stopped by such announcements," a March spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Media Review Network said on Wednesday that the African Union's silence on the wall being built between Gaza and Egypt is "a huge betrayal". The group, which aims to dispel myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims, called on the South African government to intervene and pressure the Egyptian government into stopping the erection of the wall.
"The MRN finds it unacceptable that the AU's inaction will contribute to the suffering of the Gaza populationWe therefore view this as a huge betrayal of the Gazan population and moral failure on the part of the AU leadership," it said in a statement. The MRN accused Egypt of participating in "crimes against humanity" in its policy towards Gaza.
Negotiations are ongoing with Egyptian authorities in order to convince them to allow marchers through the border. The almost 1,400 protesters from all over the world are expected to cross en masse into Gaza on the 29th December and, on the 31st December, to join Palestinians from Gaza in a massive march to the Erez Crossing - the border between Gaza and Israel.
"The purpose of the march is to show Palestinians that the world does care. People in Gaza have been living under a strangulating siege for about two years. No food, medicines, medical supplies, fuel, or reconstruction material is allowed to go through. We are calling for an end to this blockade, and for international law to apply. Under international law, such collective punishment is illegal. But the world stands by as Gaza starves. We are marching on Erez to tell the Israeli government and the world that Erez must be opened, that crucial supplies must be allowed through, that sick people should be allowed to receive medical treatment," the spokesperson said.
She added that the second reason for the march was to commemorate the Israeli attacks on Gaza in December 2008-January 2009, when about 1,400 people - mostly civilians were killed in Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces. ‘Those attacks were a violation of international law and of human rights. According to the Goldstone Report, commissioned by the United Nations, Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during those attacks. The world must remember, and the perpetrators must be brought to book,' she added.
The South African delegation will leave OR Tambo International Airport on the night of Sunday, 27th December. Activists will meet at the airport to meet the delegation at 7pm in the international departures section. The South African response is being spearheaded by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Palestine Solidarity Committee, Palestine Solidarity Group and Media Review Network. VOC
Showing posts with label vocfm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vocfm. Show all posts
Dec 24, 2009
20 from SA to join Gaza March - voc fm 13:12
A delegation of almost 20 South Africans will, later this month, join more than 1,000 activists from around the world and about 20,000 people from Gaza in the first international Gaza Freedom March, which will protest at Israel's Erez border crossing. South African delegates, including former Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, a five-person COSATU delegation, solidarity activists and journalists, will meet up in Egypt with solidarity holocaust survivors, activists, academics, and politicians from 42 countries.
The march has been organized to protest the two-and-half year hermetic siege that has been imposed on Gaza by Israel. The blockade has resulted in large-scale suffering for the Palestinian population, with food, fuel, and medical supplies being prevented from entering the territory. The march will also commemorate the first anniversary of the devastating attacks on Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces, in which 1,400 people were killed, 4,000 houses destroyed, and UN buildings, hospitals, universities, schools and mosques were bombed.
"And now, one year after those attacks, the Israeli government still refuses to allow reconstruction material into Gaza. Thus people whose homes were destroyed in December 2008 are forced to live through another winter without shelter because their homes cannot be rebuilt. While governments and inter-governmental organizations remain silent about the misery caused by the siege, it has remained the concern of the world's citizens, who cannot ignore the violation of basic human rights and the enduring deprivation and suffering caused by the siege," the Palestine Solidarity Committee said in a statement issued Friday.
Hardened attitudes
Eminent America author Norman G Finkelstein, author of the bestseller The Holocaust Industry and his latest offering, Beyond Chutzpah, told VOC in August that the international Gaza Freedom March was an important way to speak out against Israeli atrocities. He said Israelis have become very "hardened and inured to the atrocities they commit against the Palestinians".
"The Palestinians will never ever melt the heart of the Israelis. Just as the Jews could never make the heart of the Nazi's melt. What I do think is possible however, is that if the Palestinians practice non violence and the whole world watched as Israel fired on them, they can win over the support of international public opinion
However, Finkelstein said, the success of this tactic depended largely on the support for Palestinians outside Israel. "It depends on us, those outside Israel, to keep pointing the finger and camera at what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. That is why on January 1 2010 we are organising the Gaza Freedom March and we are trying to bring thousands of people from around the world to march with the Palestinians to break the siege of Gaza.
"Because we know," he continued, "realistically speaking, if the Palestinians on their own tried to march non-violently. Israel would shoot. Israel would kill them. But if there are thousands of people from around the world - from the United States, the UK and South Africa and elsewhere - if they are at the front of the march, in my opinion, Israel won't shoot."
The march will take place on the 1st January 2010, and protesters will march from Gaza City to the Erez Crossing, where they will confront Israeli soldiers and demand the opening of the border and the lifting of the siege. VOC
The march has been organized to protest the two-and-half year hermetic siege that has been imposed on Gaza by Israel. The blockade has resulted in large-scale suffering for the Palestinian population, with food, fuel, and medical supplies being prevented from entering the territory. The march will also commemorate the first anniversary of the devastating attacks on Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces, in which 1,400 people were killed, 4,000 houses destroyed, and UN buildings, hospitals, universities, schools and mosques were bombed.
"And now, one year after those attacks, the Israeli government still refuses to allow reconstruction material into Gaza. Thus people whose homes were destroyed in December 2008 are forced to live through another winter without shelter because their homes cannot be rebuilt. While governments and inter-governmental organizations remain silent about the misery caused by the siege, it has remained the concern of the world's citizens, who cannot ignore the violation of basic human rights and the enduring deprivation and suffering caused by the siege," the Palestine Solidarity Committee said in a statement issued Friday.
Hardened attitudes
Eminent America author Norman G Finkelstein, author of the bestseller The Holocaust Industry and his latest offering, Beyond Chutzpah, told VOC in August that the international Gaza Freedom March was an important way to speak out against Israeli atrocities. He said Israelis have become very "hardened and inured to the atrocities they commit against the Palestinians".
"The Palestinians will never ever melt the heart of the Israelis. Just as the Jews could never make the heart of the Nazi's melt. What I do think is possible however, is that if the Palestinians practice non violence and the whole world watched as Israel fired on them, they can win over the support of international public opinion
However, Finkelstein said, the success of this tactic depended largely on the support for Palestinians outside Israel. "It depends on us, those outside Israel, to keep pointing the finger and camera at what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. That is why on January 1 2010 we are organising the Gaza Freedom March and we are trying to bring thousands of people from around the world to march with the Palestinians to break the siege of Gaza.
"Because we know," he continued, "realistically speaking, if the Palestinians on their own tried to march non-violently. Israel would shoot. Israel would kill them. But if there are thousands of people from around the world - from the United States, the UK and South Africa and elsewhere - if they are at the front of the march, in my opinion, Israel won't shoot."
The march will take place on the 1st January 2010, and protesters will march from Gaza City to the Erez Crossing, where they will confront Israeli soldiers and demand the opening of the border and the lifting of the siege. VOC
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
