Violence erupts at Gaza border

Contributed by Uprooted Palestinian

"Violence has erupted between Egyptian troops and Palestinians at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Stones were hurled at guards on Friday after they raised batons and shields and formed a human wall close to one of three crossings.

The move triggered fears among Palestinians, who have been flocking into Egypt for three days for essential supplies following Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, that their access to Egypt was about to be closed.

Egyptian officials early warned the freedom granted to Gaza's residents to visit relatives and to shop was to end......"

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A Comment by Tony Sayegh



I think that the Palestinian strategy should be to keep up the pressure on the Pharaoh to keep the border open. It would be a mistake for Hamas to take a non-binding verbal agreement that this closure will be followed by "regulated passage" through the Rafah crossing or that things will go back to "normal;" what is normal? Concentration camp normal?

With the Palestinians mobilized in large numbers, and having finally tasted some freedom, the confrontation with the Egyptian regime should be escalated not de-escalated.

On the Egyptian and Arab street side, conditions for a confrontation are more favorable. Finally, public interest has been aroused (not to the level of the anti-Danish cartoons level) but certainly more than before.

The biggest jail break in history has been news and its images have been around the world for 3 days. There would be great sympathy and support for the Palestinians in a confrontation. Even at the risk of some fatalities and injuries, Hamas should be organizing and sustaining the mass confrontation. Hopefully the Egyptian street will be up to the level and escalate on its part.

What is needed now is a revolutionary, large scale confrontation with the teetering regime of the Pharaoh. This is the only way to topple the eternally corrupt, subservient and impotent Arab regimes; there is no other way.

Reminds me of the last days of the Shah of Iran when millions of Iranians took to the streets. The Shah's security dogs confronted them and killed hundreds. But that did not stop the masses which surged further. Finally when the regular army was called in they refused orders; the soldiers were from the people and they stood with the people.

The Arabs need a real revolution unlike the military coups of the past. The time is ripe in Egypt, if the Palestinians lead!