Challenging the siege of Gaza

Challenging the siege of Gaza

Aug 1, 2014

Civil society organisations and public figures have called on the world to demand the opening of the Rafah Crossing.

The signatories, including former Robin Island inmate, anti-Apartheid icon, and ANC leader, Ahmed Kathrada, former ANC Government Minister Ronnie Kasrils, and former Vice President of the European Union, Luisa Morgantini, call on people to:

“Go to your local Egyptian Embassy or consulate and demand the Egyptian government open Rafah crossing immediately and end its complicity with Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza.”
The full text and list of signatories of the call to action is included below.
For more information:
openrafahnow@gmail.com
Urgent Call to Action
In response to calls from our fellow human beings and comrades in Gaza who ask that we bring an end to the Egyptian government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza.
To all of you who understand the interconnectedness of our many human struggles for justice and dignity, we implore you to act in solidarity with Palestine as Gaza burns and bleeds, gathers and buries the lifeless bodies of her children, and contends with carnage, despair, and loss for which there is no language.

More than 1.8 million human beings have been under a suffocating, deadly siege imposed by Israel and accommodated by the Egyptian government, that severely restricts all movement of people and product. It is creating in Gaza what has been described as the biggest open air prison in the world, subject to frequent Israeli attacks as a laboratory to test and market new Israeli weapons. The average age in Gaza is 17 years, with half under the age of 16. They are a defenseless civilian population, densely packed into this besieged enclave with no place to run or take refuge from Israel’s full-on military onslaught.

The cynical claims that Palestinians are forcing Israel to kill their children lack the basic requirements of logic and minimal vestiges of humanity. No one is forcing Israel to commit genocide or to target infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and the only power plant in Gaza. Purposefully, of their own volition, Israelis are using the most sophisticated death machines against civilians: children, families, medical facilities and aid workers. Meanwhile Israel maintains a violent and brutal aerial, land and sea siege on Gaza, continuous since 2006.

Despite a call from Egyptian citizens to lift the siege, the Egyptian government who controls one border and has the option to be part of a humanitarian response to the besieged people of Gaza, has instead supported the Israeli plan for return to the status quo of slow genocide. Many people in Gaza are desperate to avoid slow death by savage siege, hunger and lack of medical care and demand to live like normal human beings, but feel the only option Israel gives them is to die quickly by carpet bombings and wanton mass destruction which Israel now mercilessly executes.

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry stated that the Rafah Crossing into Egypt is “open.” “We receive injured daily from Gaza, as we pass more than 600 tons of aid through.” However, between the 10th and 27th of July, the Egyptian government has allowed an average of just nine wounded people a day to cross the border from Gaza to Egypt to receive medical treatment.
Several aid shipments of medical supplies, and even doctors, were denied entry. In light of the actual number of wounded in Gaza, at least 8,100 as of July 31, 2014, the Egyptian government’s allowance is condemnable.
Egypt must help their sisters and brothers in Gaza. The Egyptian government must refuse complicity in Israel’s genocide of a population they hold captive.

Here’s how you can help:

•Go to your local Egyptian Embassy or consulate and demand the Egyptian government open Rafah crossing immediately and end its complicity with Israel’s genocide of the people of Gaza.

•Flood embassy phone-lines/email with messages of protest.

•Write letters to print media holding Egypt complicit and similarly deluge radio/tv and facebook etc.

•Raise your concerns with your political representatives.
Please communicate your actions and the Embassy responses to us via email at: openrafahnow@gmail.com

Endorsed by:

Ahmed Kathrada Former Robin Island inmate Anti Apartheid icon ANC leader - South Africa
Mr. Ronnie Kasrils Former ANC Govt. Minister for Intelligence Services - South Africa
Luisa Morgantini Former Vice President of the European Union - Italy
Mosireen - Egypt
Abu Dis Popular Committee - Palestine
Al Eizariya popular committee - Palestine
Al Walaja Popular Committee - Palestine
Al Mufakara Popular Committee - Palestine
Al Masara Popular Committee - Palestine
At Tuwani Popular Committee - Palestine
Australians for Palestine - Australia
Badil - Palestine
BDS - Catalunya - Catalunya
BDS France Campaign- France
BDS Kampagne - Germany
BDS Los Angeles for Justice in Palestine - USA
BDS Madrid - Spain
BDS - Netherlands
BDS - South Africa
Bil’in popular committee - Palestine
Boycott Israel Network - UK
British Muslim Initiative - UK
Campaign BDS France - France
Code Pink - USA
Complicitats que Maten - Catalonia
Diensten Onderzoek Centrum Palestina - Netherlands
European Jews for a Just Peace - Europe
Fourteen friends of Palestine, Marin - USA
Freedom Foltilla Italia - Italy Felagid Island- Palestina - Iceland Holy Land Trust - Palestine
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network - International
International League for Human Rights - Germany
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign - Ireland
Irish Anti-War Movement - Ireland
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation - Turkey
International Solidarity Movement Estado Españo - Spain
International Solidarity Movement - Palestine
Jews for Palestinian Right of Return - USA
Juedische Stimme Fuer Gere - Germany
Just Foreign Policy- US
Kenya Palestine Solidarity Committee - Kenya
Kufr Qaddum popular committee - Palestine
Labor for Palestine NY - USA
Lluita Internacionalista - Catalonia
Ni’lin popular committee - Palestine
Nabi Saleh popular committee - Palestine
Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative
Palestine Festival of Literature - Palestine
Palestine Forum in Britain - UK
Palestine Solidarity Alliance - South Africa
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign - Scotland
Palestine Solidarity Campaign - South Africa
Palestinian-American Women's Association of Southern California - USA Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People - Palestine
The Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall) - Palestine
Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists - Palestine
People for Peace, London - Canada
People for Peace London - Canada The Ahmed Katharda foundation - South Africa
PFB - Friends of Al Aqsa - UK
Plataforma de Solidaridad con Palestina Madrid - Spain
The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - Palestine
Rumbo a Gaza - Spain
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign - Scotland
Ship to Gaza - Norway
Ship to Gaza - Sweden
Social Democratic Party - Kenya
Students for Justice in Palestine at Brooklyn College - USA
Student Senate of Bethlehem University - Palestine
Susya Popular Committee - Palestine
Youth Against Settlements - Palestine

ENDS

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