Showing posts with label Egyption Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Egyption Wall. Show all posts

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Love of the Land: Blindness in Cairo

Blindness in Cairo


Yaacov Lozowick
Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations
29 December 09

The story of the 1,300 demonstrators stuck in Cairo continues not to attract much attention. The Guardian, generally exuberant in seeking vehicles to cast mud at Israel, doesn't seem to be noticing: I think this is because they're embarrassed. Even the editors of the Guardian don't see how the tale can be told without somehow attracting attention that it's the Egyptians, not the Israelis, who are doing the blockading. The BBC visited the story yesterday, but seems not to have returned today. Been there, done that.

The Mondoweis universe is, of course, bursting: Electronic Intifada, Antony Loewnstein, those folks (but not Richard Silverstein, for whatever reason). I continue to be fascinated by Mondoweiss itself. Yesterday they offered us the reflections of Emily Ratner:

We remember the more than 1,400 that were murdered. We remember the hundreds more who have died as a result of this horrific siege. We remember the tens of thousands who are still homeless, one full year later. And we remember our sisters and brothers on the other side of the Rafah border who have breathed life into this historic march every day for months, who have guided our feet to Cairo, and who light the shadowy path to Gaza. Most of all we remember that they will still be caged in Israel’s massive open-air prison long after we’ve safely returned home.

She sees the Egyptians blocking her, but her hatred of the Israeli prison is unaffected. She's in Cairo, for crying out loud, a city where millions live in squalid cinder-block structures under an undemocratic regime, and in the dimmest way she even knows this, but what comes out is a mishmash of romantic verbiage:

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Love of the Land: Blindness in Cairo

Wednesday, 23 December 2009

Love of the Land: Gaza Freedom March URGENT UPDATE

Gaza Freedom March URGENT UPDATE


December 21, 2009

Dear Supporters,

(Enjoy! Each person is free to find that which amuses them the most. However, as this is Egypt, and not Bi'ilin, rock throwing at the border police is not advised and could be fatal. It may also be ingracious to ask your host, Egypt, why they are building a security wall on the border of Gaza, which will prevent the free flow of commerce between Egypt and Gaza. Y.)

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. (Question? If they won't let you pass through the border with the requested supplies, does it become the Egyptian blockade?) We are continuing in the same direction.



BTW, if, with all your plans,you fail to leave Egypt, I have an alternative project just up your ally.He needs your help.

Name: Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman
Country: Egypt
Status: Jailed since 2006
Blog URL: http://karam903.blogspot.com/



Egyptian embassies and missions all over the world must hear from 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. (How about Free Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman?)


Love of the Land: Gaza Freedom March URGENT UPDATE
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