Tag: Gaza

Codepink delegations allowed into Gaza

Codepink | Rabble

Codepink at the Rafah border
Codepink at the Rafah border

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 by riot police, and not allowed to even get off the bus. They were told that there were military exercises going on in the area and that they could not move forward to the border. Meanwhile, they saw other cars going in and out. But they were forced to turn around to go back to Al Arish.

Ann, Tighe and I were furious, planning all sorts of things—press conferences to denounce the treatment of our delegations, protests, etc. Our first step, however, was to go to the Egyptian foreign ministry’s Office of Palestinian Affairs to see if they could help. We ended spending about 4 hours with the two people in charge of Egyptian relations with Gaza while they talked to the intelligence services and police, trying to get the group official permission and get that permission to all the officials of various Egyptian agencies at the checkpoints and the border.

Phone calls were flying back and forth, back and forth, as we followed the group’s progress, step by step, from Al Arish through all the checkpoints and finally to the border.

Out of all three delegations (Canadian, New York and student delegation from Cairo), only one person was turned back–a Palestinian student with a brand new passport that had not had her basic visa for Egypt transferred into it.

But all the rest—66 in total—made it through into Gaza. Yipppppeeee.

We are all thrilled, and are eager to get the next group of 70 who will be crossing on Saturday, May 30.

It was terrific teamwork between the folks at the border, those of us in Cairo, and our contacts back in the US and Canada who were advocating on our behalf. Thanks to all who helped.

Today we made another dent in the armor that is imprisoning the people of Gaza. Thanks everyone. Free Gaza!!!

Medea Benjamin, Ann Wright, Tighe Barry
CodePink Delegation

IAF planes drop intimidating pamphlets over Gaza

ISM Gaza | Farming Under Fire

25 May 2009

Translation of leaflet (both leaflets have the same message with different maps):

To the people of the strip:
The Israeli Defense Forces repeat their alert forbidding the coming close to the border fence at a distance less than 300 metres who gets close will subject himself to danger whereby the IDF will take necessary procedures to drive him away which will include shooting when necessary he who has alerted shall be excused!
– The IDF

Israeli forces used similar tactics during the Gazan massacre in December 2009. By dropping leaflets with warnings, Israeli forces tried to intimidate Gazans and alleviate their responsibility to avoid civilian casualties.

Israeli forces threaten Gazans to keep away from 'buffer zone'
Israeli forces threaten Gazans to keep away from 'buffer zone'
Israeli forces threaten Gazans to keep away from 'buffer zone'
Israeli forces threaten Gazans to keep away from 'buffer zone'

IAF planes drop warning pamphlets over Gaza | Ha’aretz

25 May 2009

Israel Air Force aircraft have scattered pamphlets over the Gaza Strip warning residents to stay away from the border, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The heavily guarded border is the scene of sporadic fighting between militants and Israel Defense Forces troops. Israeli forces killed two Palestinian gunmen in a clash on Friday.

The Arabic pamphlets warned Gazans to stay out of areas 300 meters to 500 meters from the border fence, saying they risk being shot.

The IDF had no comment. The military has scattered similar warning pamphlets in the past.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said a 10-year-old boy was struck by a box of leaflets and moderately hurt during Monday’s airdrop.

Violence has largely subsided in Gaza following Israel’s 3-week offensive against the coastal territory’s Hamas rulers in January

Israeli planes drop warning pamphlets over Gaza

Ha’aretz

25 May 2009

Israel Air Force aircraft have scattered pamphlets over the Gaza Strip warning residents to stay away from the border, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The heavily guarded border is the scene of sporadic fighting between militants and Israel Defense Forces troops. Israeli forces killed two Palestinian gunmen in a clash on Friday.

The Arabic pamphlets warned Gazans to stay out of areas 300 meters to 500 meters from the border fence, saying they risk being shot.

The IDF had no comment. The military has scattered similar warning pamphlets in the past.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said a 10-year-old boy was struck by a box of leaflets and moderately hurt during Monday’s airdrop.

Violence has largely subsided in Gaza following Israel’s 3-week offensive against the coastal territory’s Hamas rulers in January

Israeli forces shoot at Gazan farmers and international accompaniers

ISM Gaza | Farming Under Fire

24 May 2009

Israeli forces shot live ammunition at 5 international human rights workers and 10 farmers from Khoza’a as they harvested crops several hundred metres from the Green Line.

In the morning, human rights workers joined Palestinian farmers in Khoza’a village, located east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, to farm land 300-350 meters from the ‘Green Line’.

Israeli forces opened fire on the workers and they were forced to leave the area.

Several farmers have been shot by Israeli forces while farming their lands.