By Khalid Amayreh in al-Khalil (Hebron)
"As I write these words, two boats with some 46 peace activists from many nationalities onboard are sailing from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip in a symbolic effort to break Israel’s cruel blockade of the coastal Palestinian territory.
The Free Gaza Movement, the organizer of the bold mission, includes people from various religious and cultural backgrounds who are united in their dedication to the cause of freedom for the estimated 1.5 million Gazans, thoroughly tormented by a nearly hermetic blockade that has effectively reduced the originally impoverished enclave to a virtual concentration camp......
But the greatest shame falls upon Arab countries, especially Egypt, which is effectively complementing the Israeli siege of the shut-in Gazans by refusing to open the Rafah border crossing to allow them to buy food and medicine as well as travel abroad.
I really can’t understand how we, Arabs and Muslims, can blame Israel, a cruel and criminal state that would like to see Palestinians wiped off from the face of earth, while a so-called brotherly Arab country is closing the borders in the face of thousands of desperate Palestinians seeking urgently needed health care.
Indeed, I want to ask the Egyptian leadership how many Palestinians must die before Egypt will listen to the helpless cries of the starving and dying Gazans?. Shame on you.
We salute you
To these brave men and women onboard “SS Liberty” and “Free Gaza”, I would like to say the following.
I salute you for your courage, humanness and self-abnegation. You undoubtedly represent a point of light in a world overwhelmed by darkness. Your selfless efforts on behalf of the oppressed men, women and children of Gaza show that there are still brave men and women in this world who wouldn’t give in to brut power.
I salute that elderly nun, Anne Montgomery, of the religious Order of the Sacred Heart, for her brave determination to take part in this challenging and dangerous mission, despite her old age.
I salute broadcaster and journalist Lauren Booth for demonstrating that journalism is not a “morally neutral job” and that true journalists must also be true human beings who should take a pro-active stance for justice.
I salute Jeff Halper the Professor of Anthropology and Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICHAD) who by taking part in this sublime endeavor is making an important statement, namely that there are Jews in this world who don’t support Israel’s Nazi-like repression of the Palestinian people and that starving and savaging innocent civilians for political reasons is incompatible with true Jewish morality......."
"As I write these words, two boats with some 46 peace activists from many nationalities onboard are sailing from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip in a symbolic effort to break Israel’s cruel blockade of the coastal Palestinian territory.
The Free Gaza Movement, the organizer of the bold mission, includes people from various religious and cultural backgrounds who are united in their dedication to the cause of freedom for the estimated 1.5 million Gazans, thoroughly tormented by a nearly hermetic blockade that has effectively reduced the originally impoverished enclave to a virtual concentration camp......
But the greatest shame falls upon Arab countries, especially Egypt, which is effectively complementing the Israeli siege of the shut-in Gazans by refusing to open the Rafah border crossing to allow them to buy food and medicine as well as travel abroad.
I really can’t understand how we, Arabs and Muslims, can blame Israel, a cruel and criminal state that would like to see Palestinians wiped off from the face of earth, while a so-called brotherly Arab country is closing the borders in the face of thousands of desperate Palestinians seeking urgently needed health care.
Indeed, I want to ask the Egyptian leadership how many Palestinians must die before Egypt will listen to the helpless cries of the starving and dying Gazans?. Shame on you.
We salute you
To these brave men and women onboard “SS Liberty” and “Free Gaza”, I would like to say the following.
I salute you for your courage, humanness and self-abnegation. You undoubtedly represent a point of light in a world overwhelmed by darkness. Your selfless efforts on behalf of the oppressed men, women and children of Gaza show that there are still brave men and women in this world who wouldn’t give in to brut power.
I salute that elderly nun, Anne Montgomery, of the religious Order of the Sacred Heart, for her brave determination to take part in this challenging and dangerous mission, despite her old age.
I salute broadcaster and journalist Lauren Booth for demonstrating that journalism is not a “morally neutral job” and that true journalists must also be true human beings who should take a pro-active stance for justice.
I salute Jeff Halper the Professor of Anthropology and Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICHAD) who by taking part in this sublime endeavor is making an important statement, namely that there are Jews in this world who don’t support Israel’s Nazi-like repression of the Palestinian people and that starving and savaging innocent civilians for political reasons is incompatible with true Jewish morality......."
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