We salute you
[ 22/08/2008 - 11:32 PM ]
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.
Among the people taking part in this brave endeavor are an 81-year-old
Catholic nun and the sister of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as well
as Muslim, Jewish and Christian activists.
If all goes well, the two boats, "SS Liberty" and " SS Free Gaza"
will deliver urgently-needed medicine and other humanitarian aid to the
children of Gaza.
Hundreds of Gaza children and other civilians have died due to the acute
shortage of medicine and food resulting from the year-long siege.
Israel, which is obviously embarrassed by the publicity surrounding the
humanitarian mission, has threatened to violently prevent the two boats from
reaching Gaza.
Some Israeli officials have even hinted at the possibility of using
violence against the two boats.
Israel has not stopped telling the world that it no longer occupies
Gaza. However, this claim is obviously a scandalous lie since the Israeli
occupation continues to exercise tight control over the Gaza Strip's sea, air
and border crossings.
There is no doubt that the continuation of the Gaza siege is a stigma of
shame on the conscience of humanity as a whole.
It is a stigma of shame upon the United States which shamelessly
conspires with Israel to savage and torment these innocent Palestinians whose
only "crime" is their audacity to elect a government that rulers of Tel Aviv
and Washington don't like.
It is also a stigma of shame upon the states of Europe who are watching
passively a predator state gang up on helpless civilians very much like the
Nazi Third Reich did nearly seven decades ago.
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.
I salute Greek MP Tasos Kourakis who has voiced a determination "to break
the wall of silence surrounding Gaza" by exposing the scandalous siege of a
people Israel is trying to crush for wanting to be free.
I salute Dr. Paul Larudee, a co-founder of the Free Gaza mission for his
fearless, unflinching determination to carry out this daunting task despite all
the threats and intimidation coming from Israel.
I salute Yvonne Ridley, TV Presenter, author and peace activist, for her
tireless dedication to the cause of justice in Palestine, Afghanistan and
around the world.
I salute all of you, one by one, for your moral commitment on behalf of
humanity.
May God bless you all.
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