Noura

By Geoffrey Cook, MMNS

Boston–As I write (January 28th), the Egyptian border (i.e., the Israeli wall) to Gaza has been breached, and is still wide open! Many have already returned with groceries and other supplies although the Israelis worry that their enemies will return with weapons. Up to 700,000 individuals so far have escaped their mock country of Gaza that, instead, had become a prison. Despite the attempt of Tel Aviv to bulldoze (now a Hamas soldier reversed the order, and razed a wider hole in the border/prison fence!) the wall back into place, and Egyptian paramilitary police attempted to control the streaming humanity from that other poor country into theirs (too). In no circumstances were they in any position to humanely handle the state of affairs! Cairo has literarily failed to halt the exodus. The Arabs of the Levant were shocked at the lack of sympathy shown by their brothers on the Nile while Alexandria was shocked by the abuse that their soldiers received from their Arabic neighbors (over several days.)! Thursday, the Egyptians suffered a humiliating defeat! Forming human shields, the paramilitary police were overwhelmed; they retreated in disarray. As the average Palestinians threw their stones, and the descendants of the Pharaohs shot their guns into the air, the huge opening in the fence remained open! Both Egypt and Israel attempted to block the tide of humanity, but failed!

The Muslims and Christians (20% of the Egyptians are) were quite aware that to apply excessive force would be a public relations disaster within the Arab World. Overall, the situation has helped Hamas, who as President Jimmy Carter testified in his election observer report, on Gaza was one of the most free and fair he has scrutinized worldwide) to the point President Mubarak has invited both Hamas and Fatah for talks to heal their differences! At the same time, it was announced that Israel’s Olmert and Fatah’s Abbas leader of Palestine (excluding the Southern Costal Strip) were coming together for a talk. Mubarak’s initiative sounds much more promising, for no peace agreement can succeed without Hamas!

Besides the report of the current occurrences in the Gaza Strip, this article is a report of Noura Erekat, Esq.’s speech at the Boston Palestine Conference last fall. She is a young Palestinian-American who was educated (in her activism) at Berkeley all the way through Law School (Boalt Hall). Now, she is a Fellow at the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (USC) in the District of Columbia.

She began with her declaration that “Israel is the only State in the Middle East …that discriminates through their sanctions.” Tel Aviv has gained a higher profile in the States as a “trusty frontline” country in our “War on Terror! “The Palestine-Israel conflict has been contextualized into the West’s Terrorist War!”

She brought to our attention on how the Jews are mistreating Arab and other minority citizens within their own frontiers. The South African theory of Bantuization is empowering. The historical Southern African “Paradigm of Apartheid…can be empowering [for the Palestine struggle as well]. We can employ the same tools as the [Blacks] of South Africa did!”

Although the claim that the University Movements towards Divestments are dead. It is not true! Often local based orgs are easier to win over! Yet, Community-based Campaigns are harder to conduct. Still, “they can become effective allies” since “We are fighting,” for “Justice…at stake!”

The saintly Rachel Corrie was murdered by an Israeli soldier (IDF) driving a Caterpillar bulldozer made in the U.S.A. — bought with money gifted by D.C. — while she was attempting to discourage the Israeli Army from destroying a Palestinian physician’s home.

The battle against Cat (Caterpillar) was aimed at the moral consciousness of their shareholders and Divestment from the Company, but because of legal rulings it implies that a national struggle cannot be carried on behalf of Corrie’s martyrdom! This means that a national contest cannot be waged for a young woman so gorily slain! The IDF, the Israeli Defense Force, with their cohorts in Washington protect them from justice!

We have to keep an eye on Congress. Part of our aid to Israeli Jerusalem is against American domestic law! That is, it is illegal to use our donated weaponry for War Crimes or Crimes Against Humanity. The U.N. (United Nations) in New York has documented these very crimes besides other international bodies! Pro-Palestinian groups are as much as much grass roots as political in the States!

Thus, the U.S. must hold Israel to account!

The remarkable Medical Doctor, and Director of Gaza’s main hospital, Mona El-Ferra, M.D. on whom I wrote an article last week for another publication, confirmed that Israel has started to review the fuel situation it has forced upon the “Costal” Province. The much-needed material that the temporary emigrants bought and brought in from Egypt seems to have helped lift the citizens’ spirits, and “The border is still wide open!”

The Israelis are definitely seriously reconsidering their negative policy of continuing the energy embargo to Mona’s little country!

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