Rafah Resistance Camp Closed Today (8/12)

YES, we are sad to inform you that we had to close TEMPORARY our camp at the Rafah border, because no more internationals came or tell us they were coming and Chris had to leave and to go back home. It is clear that without internationals, Egyptian activists who would come at risk to be arrested and put in jail.

 

But our action is not over.

We will set a new camp at the border as soon as new internationals will come, because we know how useful it is for all the Palestinians who try to enter and we know the pressure we made on the Zionists authorities of Egypt!

 

We will continue our efforts to Lift the Gaza Siege and to OPEN THE RAFAH BORDER by making pressure on our politicians, our governments and embassies of Egypt all over the world!

 

And we will come back SOON !

 

In this sad day, we would just want to share with you some of the feelings of our members.

 

 

 

It is OVER, we waited and waited for people to come and help us. We've been there for a long time waiting for somebody to take over and help, but as there was NO internationals or Egyptians coming, Chris and myself talked to Nada and with the help of the other 4 participants in the camp collected everything and went home.

Thanks for NOT being there to help.

 

Iman 

 

 

Dear sisters and brothers,

 

I am so moved by each of you, your commitment to justice for the Palestinians, your willingness to sacrifice time, money, your personal lives, to be a part of the movement to open the Rafah border.

 

Whether you were there in person or in spirit, we made a difference! And it is important to remember that. The idea to have a protest at the border came from different experiences, but it became a reality in early June when Egyptians and internationals arrived at the border and AGAINST ALL ODDS  began a sit-in (which lasted 2 months!) to open the border.

Without fame, and without fanfare, we persisted in flying the Palestinian flags, hanging banners, holding signs of protest against the injustice towards the people of Gaza. And we defied the powers! Again and again!

 

We witnessed, shared tea; we gave comfort to the suffering people. We stood against the ridicule and humiliation they suffered at the hand of the border police and "intelligence."

 

What is amazing is not that we closed down after 2 months but that we survived, we flourished at the border through circumstances that were abusive and difficult. We stood up to the powers, and we kept standing. Even the decision to leave, was made by those at the camp, not in reaction to the police "asking" us to leave.

 

I do not believe we were on the same power footing at the Government of Egypt, the U.S. or Israel. We have a different power!!! And whether we are at the border, demonstrating at home, calling the embassies, or talking with friends, we have the power, the freedom to stand for justice and we do! I used to remark when I was at the border that we, the people sitting-in, we were the freest people at the border! And we continue to be. So, we are gone from the border, others will stand there and there will be other opportunities for us to be there or wherever we find ourselves. Failure is impossible!!!

 

I salute all the strong people with whom I lived and worked at the border, each of you is in my heart until it is no longer beating. Creativity is the solution and the antidote to war, to violence, and we have more creative power to unleash!

 

My heart and mind wish we had succeeded in opening the border for good, for everyone. I wanted to move mountains (of Egyptian "Intelligence") for the Palestinians. But the Palestinians, taught me the important lessons of patience and perseverance. I will not forget this gift, as I deepen it in practice, it does not come naturally for me.

 

Let us celebrate our contribution to justice, acknowledge our imperfections, and realize that we need each other to keep on keeping on. The closing of our encampment may be a setback, but FAILURE IS IMPOSSIBLE!

 

I am filled with love and gratitude for each of you in my life, and I hope that we will continue to work together for justice, for that other world we know is possible,

 

Paki

-- 
In Solidarity 
from all 
International Movement to Open Rafah Border

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9986479902


"Only a united world against oppression will help unite and free all of Palestine." 

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country

Reply

 

 

Reply

 

Paki, Eman and IMORB,

You have said it all - I sit here, in Ohio, feeling the tears of disappointment and empowerment of the people, it truly is a miracle that we all came together, from many lands, and held the camp against the odds. (I am thinking that the border police may be thankful, initially that we are all gone, but in their heart of hearts, that they really will miss us, and will never forget the Rafah Camp.) (The tears are coming stronger now) longing to be with you all at the Rafah Border once again. I love you all.

Don

UN and International Agencies Fear Gaza Educational System Unprepared for new school year  

 

Call for immediate opening of Gaza’s borders

 

28 July 2009

 

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, representing UN aid agencies in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), and the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA), represented by at least 25 NGOs, today demand full and unfettered access into and out of Gaza in particular to restore the Gazan educational system.

 

During the 23 days of Israel’s operation “Cast Lead” in Gaza, 18 schools were completely destroyed and at least 280 were damaged. Today, one month before the start of the new school year, more than six months after the ceasefires, none of these schools have been properly rebuilt or rehabilitated due to lack of construction materials. Since the imposition of the blockade, students have faced chronic shortages of educational supplies including textbooks, paper and uniforms, though we acknowledge the recent moves to allow textbooks, uniforms, and stationary into Gaza. These are welcome first steps. However, the quantities, kinds and predictability of goods being permitted into Gaza are still far below what is required for normal life.  Even prior to “Cast Lead” the education system was already under severe duress due to the two year blockade that has caused a crisis of “human dignity” in Gaza. 

 

The right to learn and be educated is a fundamental child right that is uniquely central to every child’s ability to realize his or her potential - and by extension, that of their communities and countries. In the context of protracted conflict and occupation, safe schools also offer an unparalleled means of restoring a sense of normalcy and hope for children and their families. Despite the extraordinary odds stacked against them, going to school and becoming educated remains the single most cherished priority among Palestinian children. The continuing blockade on Gaza jeopardizes this fundamental child right, along with the remarkable progress in education that has been achieved thus far.

 

“The blockade has caused untold suffering to children in Gaza, who face another academic year in terrible conditions”, said Philippe Lazzarini, acting Humanitarian Coordinator of oPt.

 

Together with the communities we serve, the United Nations and non-governmental humanitarian organizations working in oPt collectively call for immediate steps to end the blockade, as is required by international humanitarian and human rights law. We call on the Government of Israel to urgently facilitate entry of construction materials and supplies for schools in the coming weeks, and to ensure that students, teachers and trainers can freely exit and enter Gaza to continue learning.

 

Ensuring access to education is an obligation of all governments, its primacy proclaimed by agreements ranging from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Education is also the heart of all development and the essential prerequisite for equality, dignity, and lasting peace. The future belongs to this generation of children and adolescents, and that future is inextricably rooted in the quality of education that they receive today.

 

 

 

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Marixie Mercado, Chief Communications, UNICEF-occupied Palestinian territory.  Mobile: +972-0-54 778 7604, e-mail:mmercado@unicef.org

Mr. Chris Gunness, Spokesperson, UNRWA.  Telephone: +972-2-5890267, Mobile:+972-054-240-2659, e-mail:cgunness@unrwa.org

Ms. Allegra Pacheco, Head of Advocacy Unit, OCHA.  Mobile: +-972-054 3311 806, e-mail: pacheco6@un.org

Mr. Jerry  Farrell, Country Director, Save the Children Alliance, mobile:+-972-0-54 313 4280, e- mail: farrell.jerry@gmail.com

Mr. Osama Damo, Documentation and Communication Officer, Save the Children Alliance,  mobile: +972-0-598-705-883, e-mail: odamo@scuk.org.ps

 

                                                                                     

 

 

بيان صحفي

وكالات الأمم المتحدة والهيئات الدولية تخشى أن يكون جهاز التعليم في غزة غير جاهز لاستقبال السنة الدراسية الجديدة
نداء من أجل فتح حدود غزة على الفور

28 تموز/يوليو 2009

طالب اليوم منسق الأمم المتحدة للشؤون الإنسانية، بالنيابة عن وكالات الأمم المتحدة للعون في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، واتحاد هيئات التنمية الدولية، ممثلة  على الأقل في 25 مؤسسة غير حكومية، بإتاحة الإمكانية الكاملة وغير المقيدة للدخول إلى غزة والخروج منها، وذلك لإحياء نظام التعليم في غزة بشكل خاص.

تعرضت 18 مدرسة لتدمير كامل وأصيب ما لا يقل عن 280 مدرسة بأضرار أثناء العملية العسكرية الإسرائيلية في غزة "الرصاص المصبوب" على مدى 23 يوماً. واليوم، قبل شهر من بدء السنة الدراسية الجديدة، وبعد أكثر من ستة أشهر على وقف إطلاق النار، لم تتم إعادة تعمير أية من هذه المدارس أو إعادة تأهيلها على النحو المناسب بسبب نقص مواد البناء. ومنذ أن فرض الحصار والطلبة يواجهون نقصاً مزمناً في اللوازم التعليمية، بما في ذلك نقص الكتب المدرسية والورق والزي المدرسي، مع أننا نقر بالتحركات الأخيرة للسماح بدخول الكتب المدرسية والزي المدرسي والقرطاسية إلى غزة. إن هذه الخطوات مرحب بها كخطوات أولى، ولكن كميات البضائع التي يتم السماح بإدخالها إلى غزة وكذلك أنواعها وإمكانية التنبؤ بخصوصها، كل ذلك لا يزال أقل بكثير عما هو مطلوب لاستمرار الحياة بشكل طبيعي. وحتى قبل عملية "الرصاص المصبوب"، كان نظام التعليم يعيش أصلاً في ضائقة شديدة بسبب عامين من الحصار الذي أوجد أزمة "كرامة إنسانية" في غزة.

إن الحق في التعلم والحصول على التعليم حق أساسي من حقوق الطفل وهو يشغل موضعاً مركزياً فريداً بالنسبة لقدرة كل الأطفال على تحقيق طاقاتهم الكامنة، وبالتالي تحقيق طاقات مجتمعاتهم وبلدانهم. وفي ظروف النزاع والاحتلال المطول، توفر المدارس الآمنة أيضاً وسيلة لا تضاهى لاستعادة الحس بطبيعة الأمور والأمل للأطفال وعائلاتهم. وعلى الرغم من المصاعب الاستثنائية التي تتراكم في وجه الأطفال الفلسطينيين، يظل الذهاب إلى المدرسة والحصول على التعليم،  يمثل الأولوية الوحيدة والأكثر أهمية بالنسبة لهم. إن استمرار فرض الحصار على غزة يهدد هذا الحق الأساسي من حقوق الطفل، كما يهدد بالقضاء على التقدم المبهر الذي تم تحقيقه في حقل التعليم حتى الآن.

وقد صرح فيليب لازاريني، القائم بأعمال منسق الشؤون الإنسانية في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، قائلاً: "يسبّب الحصار معاناة لا توصف للأطفال في غزة، والذين يستقبلون عاماً مدرسياً آخر في أوضاع فظيعة".

إن وكالات الأمم المتحدة والمنظمات الإنسانية غير الحكومية العاملة في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، مع المجتمعات التي تخدمها، تنادي بصوت واحد من أجل اتخاذ خطوات فورية لإنهاء الحصار حسب ما يقتضيه القانون الدولي الإنساني وقانون حقوق الإنسان. نحن ندعو حكومة إسرائيل لأن تعمل بشكل عاجل على تيسير دخول مواد البناء واللوازم للمدارس في الأسابيع القادمة، وضمان أن يتمكن الطلبة والمعلمون والمدربون من مغادرة غزة والدخول إليها بحرية من أجل استمرار التعليم.

إن ضمان الوصول إلى التعليم يعد واجباً على كافة الحكومات، وقد أعلنت أولوية هذا الواجب في الاتفاقيات المختلفة بدءاً من الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان وإلى اتفاقية حقوق الطفل. كما أن التعليم يقع في صميم التنمية ويعد شرطاً لا بد منه لتحقيق المساواة والكرامة والسلام الدائم. إن المستقبل ملك لهذا الجيل من الأطفال والفتيان والفتيات، وهذا المستقبل تضرب جذوره بشكل راسخ في جودة التعليم الذي يحصلون عليه الآن.

 

 

للمزيد من المعلومات، يرجى الاتصال مع:

مونيكا عوض، أخصائية الاتصال، اليونيسف – الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، هاتف نقال: 054 778 7605، جوال: 0599 118 848 بريد إلكتروني: mawad@unicef.org

ساجي المغني، مسؤول الاتصال، اليونيسف – الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة، هاتف نقال: 059 892 1836، بريد إلكتروني: selmughanni@unicef.org

كريس جانيس، الناطق الرسمي، الأونروا، هاتف: -02-5890267، هاتف نقال: .054-240-2659، بريد إلكتروني: cgunness@unrwa.org

أليجرا باتشيكو، مديرة وحدة المناصرة، مكتب تنسيق الشؤون الإنسانية، هاتف نقال: 054 3311 806، بريد إلكتروني: pacheco6@un.org

أسامة دامو، مسؤول التوثيق والاتصال، تحالف إنقاذ الطفل، هاتف نقال: 0598-705-883، بريد إلكتروني: odamo@scuk.org.ps

-- 
In Solidarity 
from all 
International Movement to Open Rafah Border

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9986479902


"Only a united world against oppression will help unite and free all of Palestine." 

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country