Solidarity

During the last weekend, I was looking hard for any news about the two boats that sailed to Gaza to deliver some aid and express solidarity with the largest number of prisoners in the world. Some reported the event which, in my opinion deserved a larger cover. See:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/22/israelandthepalestinians?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews

See also: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7579502.stm

Aljazeera and Al-Ayyam (an independent Palestinian daily) did follow the story though. For those of you who read Arabic see: http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6C83F205-2BAD-4AD3-8469-88A06078FFD1.htm

And:

http://www.al-ayyam.ps/znews/site/template/Doc_View.aspx?did=92312&Date=8/27/2008

For English see:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/08/20088231408112340.html

The two vessels sailed from Cyprus and carried medical aid and 46 activists from a range of countries, ages and backgrounds: including a holocaust survivor, a Catholic nun and Tony Blair’s sister in law (Cherie Booth’s half sister). The Israeli government threatened to stop them reaching Gaza’s waters which are controlled by the occupying forces, but they did arrive in the end. However, Jeff Halper, form The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), was arrested by the Israeli Police on his way back to his home in Al Quds / Jerusalem. A Palestinian with an Israeli passport was forced not to join the boats because he and his family, who lives in the West Bank, received threats.

In addition to the practical aid for the deaf that these boats were transporting, it was a symbol of breaking the blockage that the Israeli government and the international community embossed on this narrow strip of land. The isolated Gazans welcome any outsiders who can show some sympathy to their situation, which is getting worse every day despite the recent ceasefire and the promises of easing the blockage which have not been fulfilled.

In a recent visit to Beit Hanina (a northern suburb of Al Quds) I was encouraged to visit nearby Ramallah which is just 20 minutes drive from there, pass the apartheid wall and the Qalandia check point which looked like an entrance to a concentration camp. I drove there with two friends in a car with an Israeli number, which apparently is illegal. People were very welcoming and seemed so keen to show outsiders their city which they are proud of. The hustle and bustle of Ramallah seemed resilient to the long years of cruel occupation and all that comes with it: restrictions of movements, intimidation, violence, economic difficulties and isolation.

We visited Al Muqataa (Palestinian Authority Presidential head quarters), ate lunch which included “the best falafel I ever had” as my friend put it, and got a photograph in a photo studio of the three of us as a souvenir. However, we didn’t get the chance to taste the famous Rukab ice cream.

To me this visit meant that occupation can be challenged by us, normal people who want justice and freedom for all. In this visit we gave some hope for the people of Ramallah that the outside world still thinks of them, just like the message to the people of Gaza the 47 solidarity activists brought with them on two humble boats.