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Steadfastness and solidarity at the Rafah border

Posted on: June 17, 2009

16 June 2009

Under pressure from the Egyptian army and the police, the International Movement to Open the Rafah Border ( IMORB), is maintaining their camp at the Rafah Border. The group is growing; now 26 people from France, USA, Germany, Egypt, Belgium, and Sweden.

Yesterday, our Italian friend left us for his job in Italy, but a German woman, Alona, married to a Palestinian from Rafah, joined us with her six children, aged 2 to 12. She wants to return to live with her husband and other three children in Gaza. After Egyptian authorities denied her entrance, she said, “I am … Continue reading


Updated on June 17, 2009
Posted under: Reports
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Codepink delegations allowed into Gaza

Posted on: May 26, 2009
Codepink at the Rafah border

Codepink | Rabble

We have some great news to report!!! The day started out with a 3am call from one of our delegations in Al Arish saying that secret police had contacted them at 2pm to intimidate them and say they would not get into Gaza. We, in Cairo, told them to go on to the border and see what happens.

Then at 9am in the morning, when all three groups got in their buses to go to the border, they were stopped at the first checkpoint, surrounded … Continue reading


Updated on May 27, 2009
Posted under: In the Media
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UK medics go on hunger strike after being refused entry into Gaza

Posted on: May 20, 2009

Haroon Siddique | The Guardian

19 May 2009

Three British medics began a hunger strike in Egypt today to protest against being refused entry into Gaza for a humanitarian mission.

Their aim is to establish a cardiac surgery unit at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, which currently has no such facility, and to help train medical students and junior doctors there. But the British medics have been denied access to the Palestinian territory at the Rafah crossing since the beginning of May.

Omar Mangoush, a cardiac surgeon at Hammersmith hospital, in London, told guardian.co.uk he had been to the crossing with his … Continue reading


Updated on May 20, 2009
Posted under: Features, In the Media
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Shades of Checkpoint Charlie at Rafah crossing

Posted on: April 29, 2009
Palestinians wait to cross into Egypt at the Rafah Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip

Haidar Eid | Electronic Intifada

On Monday 30 June, Gaza was abuzz with the sudden announcement that Egypt would open Rafah Crossing — the only gateway for 1.5 million Palestinians who have been imprisoned here for almost two years — for three short days. Although I had good reasons to use the crossing to leave Gaza, I was unsure about pressing my luck to escape, if only for a short while. Past experience has made me graphically … Continue reading


Updated on May 1, 2009
Posted under: In the Media
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‘I was born Palestinian’

Posted on: April 15, 2009
Laila El-Haddad and family.

Laila El-Haddad | A Mother from Gaza

14 April 2009

“Its not very comfortable in there is it?” said the stony faced official, cigarette smoke forming a haze around his gleaming oval head.

“Its OK. We’re fine” I replied wearily, delirious after being awake for a straight period of 30 hours.

“You could be in there for days you know. For weeks. Indefinitely. “So, tell me, you are taking a plane tomorrow morning to the US?”

—–

It was our journey home that began with the standard packing frenzy: squeezing … Continue reading


Updated on April 16, 2009
Posted under: Journals
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Our pause in Cairo Airport

Posted on: April 8, 2009

Laila El-Haddad | A Mother from Gaza

8 April 2009

We have been stuck in Cairo airport for nearly a day now. We are neither being allowed entry or exit by Egyptian authorities, who insist that as long as Rafah Crossing is closed, they are under strict orders not to allow Palestinians in.

This is despite a signed letter of consent I received personally from the Egyptian consul-general in Washington the day of my travel from the US.

To quote the Egyptian officials here in the airport “so sue him”.

I tried to plead that it was not my fault Egypt was in … Continue reading


Updated on April 8, 2009
Posted under: In the Media
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Gaza wears a face of misery: interview with Philip Rizk

Posted on: April 7, 2009
Rizk says it takes one visit to Gaza to picture the kind of agony people endure daily [Gallo/ Getty]

Adam Makary | Al Jazeera

4 April 2009

Philip Rizk, 27, a freelance journalist and blogger who has been reporting from Gaza since 2005, was arrested by Egyptian security forces after a pro-Palestinian rally in Cairo on February 6.

He was released a few days later without being charged.

While in Gaza, he filmed The Palestinian Life, a documentary highlighting non-violent means of resistance against the Israeli occupation.

The film is premiering at the London International Documentary Festival on April 4. Here are excerpts from an interview Rizk gave to Al Jazeera shortly before the film’s debut.

Al Jazeera: Why were you detained and … Continue reading


Updated on April 7, 2009
Posted under: In the Media
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22 days to lift the siege on Gaza

Posted on: March 28, 2009

In 22 days, the Israeli military invaded Gaza and left death and destruction in its wake.

In 22 days, we will focus on lifting the blockade of Gaza by pressuring Egypt and Israel to open the borders.

With participants from 22 countries, we will make this a truly international effort.

From May 22-June 14, delegations will amass at the Rafah border in Egypt and the Erez crossing in Israel, along with boats coming in from the Mediterranean Sea (via www.freegaza.org). We will envelop Gaza with solidarity in order to LIFT THE SIEGE.

With your help, we can do it. We will do it.

Here’s … Continue reading


Updated on June 16, 2009
Posted under: Reports
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Gaza: A delegation of MEP’s call for an immediate cease-fire and for the protection of civilian population

Posted on: January 10, 2009

Press release from Luisa Morgantini – Vice President of the European Parliament (GUE/NGL)

A MEPs’ delegation organized by Luisa Morgantini, Vice President of the European Parliament, will leave tomorrow 10th January and go to Gaza Strip passing through Rafah, the Border Crossing with Egypt, calling for an immediate cease-fire, for the protection of the civil population and UNRWA, (United Nations Relief and Works Agency).

“No one can simply look on the daily killing of children, women, man and to the destruction of houses, infrastructures, schools, mosques, churches. No one can stand anymore … Continue reading


Updated on January 10, 2009
Posted under: Press Releases
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