New Yorkers demand that Egypt and Israel open Gaza border

[pelsar]

http://palsolidarity.org/2009/12/10261

Sixty human rights advocates protested outside Egypt’s Mission to the United Nations today to demand that Egypt open its border with the Gaza Strip. The New York protest came as Egyptian riot police in Cairo surrounded and assaulted hundreds of international activists who had been prevented by Egyptian authorities from entering the Gaza Strip. The international activists had planned to protest in Gaza against Israel’s siege as part of the Gaza Freedom March. Following the demonstration at the Egyptian Mission, the New York City protesters marched to the Israeli consulate chanting, “Free Gaza Now”.


some still have problems with geography but, perhaps their friends in Egypt will give them some lessons

A new report by Amnesty International, Oxfam UK, Mercy Corps and thirteen other international humanitarian organizations explained that, “The international community has betrayed the people of Gaza by failing to back their words with effective action to secure the ending of the Israeli blockade which is preventing reconstruction and recovery
____

This is a good thing.....including for the Palestinians, for one thing, i doubt egypt will bend much, which will bring some reality to the I/P conflict and remove some of the illusions of their "friends."

[Violet_Crumble]

1. I agree that it's a very good thing...

I suspect the protests will have as little effect as they have on Israel, but protesting about Egypt as well as Israel does seem to be becoming a growing trend...

Happy late new year to you, pelsar :)

[pelsar]

3. what will egyptian students do....?

this is from a pure political point of view, is where it gets interesting. They've been protesting israels policies for years including the siege on gaza. Now they actually have a chance to at least "attempt to do something" to help the Palestinians (a couple of years ago a few tried to deliver food and meds via the egyptian border, but were turned back).

Will the americans in Cairo embarrass them enough, so that they do something?.

i think they and only they have a chance of affecting change in the egyptian policy....
---

and happy new year to you as well....and everybody else here

[aquart]

2. LOL!

Only their fellow Arabs love and support the Palestinians. Oh wait.

[Ken Burch]

4. Good for them. There's no justification in keeping those borders closed anymore

And there was no justification at all for keeping most international activists away from the Gaza Freedom March.

[azurnoir]

5. This is a good thing

and Egypt will learn that letting a few protesters through won't pacify anyone much, what will be interesting is how the Arab League will deal with this they almost have to say something

[stray cat]

6. 60 people equals New Yorkers..... So Americans are against abortion and favor killing abortion drs

is an equally legitimate headline. As some Americans are eventhough the headline would make it seem like a majority instead of a few people.

[grassfed]

7. PINK FLOYD'S Roger Waters Speaks Out in Support of Gaza Freedom March VIDEO

EXCLUSIVE…Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters Speaks Out in Support of Gaza Freedom March, Blasts Israeli-Egyptian “Siege” of Gaza

In a Democracy Now! exclusive interview, British musician Roger Waters of the iconic rock band Pink Floyd speaks out about the Gaza Freedom March. “I actually would be very interested to hear what the President of the United States has to say about this nonviolent, democratic demonstration of ordinary people from forty-two countries all over the world,” says Waters. “They feel solidarity with their brothers and sisters, other human beings who are living in conditions that none of us would stand for, for a single second, in any of our countries.”

LISTEN/WATCH
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/12/30/roger_waters

[grassfed]

8. Indigenous Youth Delegation to Palestine (VIDEO w/Laura Flanders, Invincible, Narcicyst, Ras K'Dee)

This week saw the Gaza Freedom March bring together people all over the world in solidarity with Palestine. In November, we spoke with a group of organizers, activists, and musicians who have made that solidarity part of their lives. We wrote then:

There are lots of connections between the indigenous communities in the United States and the Palestinian community: both the corporations and governments that have oppressed them and the strategies of resistance that they’ve used to fight back. Organizers from across the U.S. put together The Indigenous Youth Delegation to Palestine, which connected Native and immigrant youth from the U.S. with youth in Palestine.

Ora Wise of the Palestine Education Project, Ras K’Dee of SNAG Magazine, and hip-hop activists Invincible of Detroit and the Narcicyst join us in the studio to talk about their experiences organizing across borders, creating solidarity between communities of struggle, and being part of a new generation of activists forming their own connections.

http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/2010/01/02/year-in-review-indigenous-youth-delegation-to-palestine/