Palestinian rights activists protest outside Egyptian Embassy

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Sunday December 21, 2008 16:57 by David L

“The people of Gaza are starving. Open the Rafah crossing to Egypt”

Up to 50 human rights activists protested outside the Egyptian embassy on Saturday afternoon. They called for Egypt to open the Rafah crossing to Gaza to let food and vital supplies in for the people of Gaza, who Israel is trying to starve into submission.

Irish and Palestinian groups assembled outside the Egyptian Embassy in Ballsbridge on Saturday afternoon to demand the opening of the Rafah crossing. The protest is part of a Europe-wide series of events demanding that Egypt opens up the crossing to Gaza.

At the protest were people from the Palestinian Rights Institute [PRI], the Ireland Palestine Solidarity campaign [IPSC], Eirigi and the Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (Ireland) [CESGI]. Activists handed a letter into the embassy, calling on the Egyptian government to end its complicity in the illegal Israeli siege of Gaza. They also call on the Egyptians to push for the permanent opening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The crossing has been closed continuously for over 40 days, and has been subject to closure for the last 18 months, causing huge suffering for the people of Gaza.

During this time the situation in Gaza has gone from bad to worse. The 1.6 million civilians of the Gaza Strip are confined inside Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is deteriorating amidst chronic fuel shortages, and shortages of goods, including essential food items.

International pressure on Egypt to open up its border to Gaza has been growing. There have also been mounting protests in support of the Palestinians in Egypt itself

A spokesperson at the event stated "The people of Gaza face the grimmest Christmas possible. No food, no electricity, only contaminated water to drink.

“They are being punished by Israel for voting the wrong way. They are being punished for being Palestinian. Both the EU and Egypt has supported Israel's criminal starvation policies. This must stop."