IMORB REPORTS DISCRIMINATION AT RAFAH BORDER

The International Movement to Open the Rafah Border
IMORB Reports Rafah Border Policy Discriminatory To Palestinians
Rafah Crossing
Rafah, Egypt

CONTACT:
Paki Wieland (002) 018 735 8621
Nada Kassass (002) 012 250 4611
A group of ten UNRWA employees with family members has been denied entry to their homes and UNRWA offices in Gaza, PalestineAfter two attempts on June 23 and 24, they are still waiting, although the employees all carry international passports and letters for readmission from Bon Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations. "We are all Palestinians; this why we are being stalled," explained ome of the employees.
The International Movement to Open the Rafah Border (IMORB), now in it's 13th day of a sit-in camp at the Rafah gate to protest the Siege of Gaza.
IMORB participants have made this statement:
We are pleased that on June 24, some sick and injured Palestinians entered Gaza expeditiously. However, throughout the thirteen days that we havemonitored the border situation, we have witnessed hundreds of Palestinians being denied entrance to Gaza, even with proper visas. The Rafah border policy is arbitrary and discriminates against Palestinians.They are often treated with callous disrespect by border authorities and personnel. IMORB sees this as an abuse of power and without regard for family structural needs. Palestinian families and individuals are usually delayed for days to weeks to months, experiencing hardship and forced to stay in hotels in nearby Rafah or El Arish, 35 km from the border. Even Palestinianswith US passports are stalled, and must return to the US without ever visiting their families in Gaza. There is no accountability for the abuses and discrimination towards Palestinians by Egyptian Intelligience or border authorities.
IMORB calls on Special Mideast Envoy, George Mitchell to immediately investigate the discriminatory and arbitrary practices and policies executed
at the Rafah Border Crossing. IMORB further is urging the US Congress and President Obama to end the Siege OF Gaza unconditionally, as a humanitarian crisis continues in the Gaza Strip that totally restricts reconstruction of Gaza since the Israeli invasion of 2008-9. Medical equipment and suppliesand medicine is severely limited, water is chemically polluted with high levels of nitrates and chlorides. Children experience chronic malnutrition asfood supplies are limited.Hundreds of Gazans have perished from the siege, since the winter Israeli invasion that killed nearly 1400 Gazans.
IMORB has learned that the border is expected to be open the weekend of June 27, 28 and 29. IMORB will closely monitor and report on the situation at this time.
الجميع في الجانب المصري، بمن فيهم السلطات والإعلام والإشاعات، يؤكدون أن المعبر سيتم فتحه بشكل تام، أيام 27 و28 و29 يونيو الجاري.لذا، نوجه نداء إلى كل الذين يرغبون في الدخول إلى قطاع غزة وكذلك إلى الذين يرغبون في توفير الدعم للحملة الدولية لفتح معبر رفح ورفع الحصار عن غزة، للحضور إلى المعبر، خلال هذه الأيام المعنية، للتأكد من فتحه، أو، في حالة العكس، التواجد بكثافة في المعتصم الدولي أمامه، للضغط على السلطات المصرية للوفاء بالتزامها بفتحه.

Rafah Sit-In Camp - 9 Days!

June 19, 2009
International Movement to Open the Rafah Gate - 7 Days Sit-In!
Rafah Gate, Rafah, Egypt
Come to Rafah Camp - Besiege the Siege at the Rafah Gate
The International Movement to Open the Rafah Border (IMORB) has maintained a sit-in at the Rafah Crossing Gate for 9 days." We sleep in tents and and
under the stars," explained Don Bryant from the US, on the fourth day of a fast to protest the suffering of the 1.5 million Gazans under Israeli siege which
blocks humanitarian aid and restricts the free-flow of goods and people. "Hundreds of children have been killed from the recent Israeli massacre on Gaza,
and due to the siege!" Bryant exclaimed.
"Our numbers at the camp surged to 26 in the middle of this week," said Ellen Graves, a Raging Grannie from western Massachusetts, US, also fasting.
"Now we are less than 10 holding the camp, under constant surveillance by Egyptian police, but with seeming tolerance."
The IMORB sit-in camp is a "huge step in opposing the siege," said Nada Kassass, an Egyptian journalist who has joined the demonstration. "No one has
ever done this for one week straight," she continued.
The IMORB now sees their camp as a crucial part of ending the siege of Gaza. Half of the sit-in campers will be departing at the end of next week. The
international activists are inviting others to join them the week of June 22 for orientation and to help sustain the sit-in, indefinitely. The group also takes part
in meditation, teach-ins, negotiating with border police, and providing support for Palestinians and others trying to reunite with families in Gaza.
To join the sit-in camp or speak with the campers at the border contact:
Nada Kassass (0020) 0122504611 Arabic
Christian Chantegrel, christian French
Paki Wieland (0020) 0187358621 English
Don Bryant (0020) 177543411 English gazadelegation@gmail.com
Iman Badawi (0020) 0197910753 maryam_maryam24@yahoo.com

CAIRO: Obama Greeted by International Community Activists

Dear Friends:
I have joined a delegation of international community activists. We are in El-Arish (6/7/09), 1/2 hour from the Rafah, Egypt/Gaza border. I have been heavily monitored since I left Cleveland. I was searchedas I boarded the plane to JFK, NY. Two others were searched, as well:a random man, and a Muslim women in hijab, maybe 60-some years old. Itwas disturbing to me, as you can imagine. Palestinians go through thison a daily basis in Occupied Palestine. Since we arrived in El-Arish,our every move is being moitored by Egyptian security.
Don Bryant in El-Arish, Egypt

On June 4, 2009President Obama Greeted in Cairo by International Community ActivistsIn response to US President Barrack Obama's visit to Cairo, Egypt onJune 4, seven "international community activists" from theInternational Movement to Open the Rafah Border, and US anti-wargroups Code Pink and Raging Grannies began a day-long protest to endthe Siege of Gaza. The group began their protest at 9 am at the USembassy in Cairo. They unfurled a banner in front of the embassy withthe message, "End the Siege of Gaza." Code Pink co-founder, MedeaBenjamin carried a letter from the Palestinian government, Hamas, todeliver to the embassy and to President Obama. The letter had beenissued to Medea the day before coming from Gaza. The correspondencefrom Hamas stated their desire to negotiate with israel and the USwith no preconditions. "It was a very dignified letter," said Frenchdemonstrator, Christian. The group was also asking President Obama tovisit Gaza, Palestine on his Middle East tour. "If the president couldsee Gaza for himself, he would see the result of US tax dollars, thatsupport the Israeli war crimes in Gaza ," shouted the demonstrators."Obama, go to Gaza!" they continued.The international community activists (ICA) were diverted fromdelivering their message to the embassy, being directed from oneentrance to another. They were also told that cameras would beconfiscated if any pictures were taken. The group was joined bymembers of two student delegations that had been to Gaza. The studentshad scribed a letter to the president, protesting the Israeli siegeand war crimes in Gaza. Tigue from Code Pink had a contact within theembassy, whom he called to find out who was in control at the embassythat day. He was told that embassy security had the final say. Embassysecurity tried to contain the ICA in a barricade, which they crawledunder, and escaped.The demonstration was pure improvisation. After leaving the embassythe ICA had planned to display their banners from various bridges orbuildings. Instead they decided to see how close they could get to theCairo University, where the president would deliver his Middle Eastaddress.Being separated from the students, the seven travelled in two taxis,arriving 1 km from the university. The police stopped all trafficincluding their taxis. Exiting from the taxis, the demonstrators beganwalking freely, through the heavily secured area. Christian said itwas like the American movie, "Little Big Man," when Dustin Hoffmanescorted the blind native chief through a raging massacre. Thedemonstrators walked for one minute towards a monument thirty metersfrom the university and the security checkpoint. The plaza was crowdedwith spectators, security officers, and police dogs.In front of the monument the demonstrators unfurled the bright pinkbanners in English and Arabic. All the spectators had to pass by thedemonstrators on their way to the presidential address. While some ofthe ICA remained with one banner in front of the monument, the otherswandered among the crowd addressing the spectators by microphone,openly displaying the letter from Hamas. People took interest and tookpictures of the letter and the demonstration.The demonstrators saw about 1000 security officers; Egyptian officersin white and black, and many plain-clothes police from the US andEgypt. Security officers noticed the protestors and communicated onwalkie-talkies apparently trying to figure out how to handle thedemonstrators. The demonstration went on for nearly 1/2 hour beforesecurity finally approached them. Actually there were 30,000 securityofficers on duty, as was later revealed. Security told the ICA toleave but they said, "we are Americans. We are protesting. This is ourright of free speech." The only Egyptian protestor was told to leave,but others joined the demonstration, which now included, one Chineseand three American students, two Frenchmen, and four others from theUS....the Italian who tried to join them was searched and sent awaybecause security discovered a video camera in his back pack.Three of the ICA took a banner to another gate where the president wassupposed to pass by. They were told to leave this area. As they wentto rejoin the larger group, security tried to drive them with somephysical force, to no avail. Medea told them, "President Obamawouldn't like you do that."Finally, a full line of security officers faced the demonstrators. TheICA knew something was about to happen. Suddenly sirens blarred. TheObama motorcade was approaching. President Obama passed, as fast aspossible, by the demonstration in full view of the banners' messages"End the Gaza Siege," "Stop Funding Israeli War Crimes."When Obama had entered the university, the situation was calmer andEgyptian security warmed up to the protestors, serving them juice andcookies.When the president's speech was over, suddenly a huge crowd ofdiplomats, journalists, and Egyptian VIPS all left at the same time.In the hot sun an intensity resurged. The ICA met the masses withincreased vigor. and they were actually greeted by some of the crowd.Some of the demonstrators were engaged in interviews by thejournalists.The group decided it was a good time to exit when they noticed thatmost of the public had dissipated and that other security forces wereslowly enclosing the area around the monument. The InternationalCommunity Activists quickly packed their banners and slipped throughan opening in the security barrier, even while the police werefollowing and trying to grab them.The banners were later hung from a hotel on Independence Plaza.Upon later reflection of the intense deployment of security, RagingGrannie Paki, said, "what kind of a world is this that we have to havethis much security?"Christian answered, " it is an occupied world."