26 August 2011 | International Campaign to Open the Rafah Border
Fed up with the closure of Gaza that has kept more than a million and a half Palestinians locked in to the strip’s tight borders, a beacon call is coming from Gaza and resonating across to Egypt, to break Israel’s siege and re-open the border with Egypt immediately.
Activists from South Africa, to youth leaders of the Egyptian revolution, to European, North and South American, and Asian supporters will present signatures to their respective Egyptian Consulates starting Friday August 26th to demand the permanent re-opening of the Rafah Crossing with Egypt without conditions.
Despite promises by the Egyptian government to open it, approximately 35,000 people wait daily to cross the border. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes last week killed at least 21 people, including 2 children, and injured at least 80 more.
Actions:
Launching the campaign internationally, on Friday, August 26, South Africans in Pretoria have delivered the petition to their Egyptian embassy, in solidarity with Gazans who share similar circumstances to those under the Apartheid regime. This delegation will be supported by faxes, emails and calls to Pretoria from around the world.
The Egyptian ambassador in South Africa received the delegation, was receptive and promised to follow up. He cited security reasons for the slow flow at the crossing.
Each Friday until September 30, international actions in solidarity with Gaza and in support of the on-going Egyptian people’s movement will request that the Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces honor the human dignity and freedom of its own people and the people of Gaza by opening the Rafah Crossing permanently and unconditionally.
Today, the South African embassy is receiving emails, faxes and calls from across the globe in support of the delegation to Pretoria.
The full text of the petition and signatories is available at: petition.
Click to see the petition’s Facebook page
Email contact: rafahcrossingcampaign@gmail.com