Earlier this week, a Palestinian Olympian was prevented from leaving Gaza to compete in a marathon that was taking place in Bethlehem in the West Bank today. 34-year-old Nader Masri, who ran in the 2008 Olympics said he was looking forward to compete with runners from outside Gaza, but Israel’s siege on the impoverished strip did not allow for this to happen. Israel has enforced a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip since 2007 and maintains tight control over its borders. This means that all travel by Palestinians is controlled by Israel, which claims that it will only allow cases of “humanitarian hardship” to leave Gaza. Effectively this has led to Gaza being called an open-air prison whereby none can enter and none can leave. The situation is desperate and reflects not only the lack of resources faced by Gazans, but also the lack of opportunities to work and pursue sports, arts, culture, medicine etc. Palestinians are known for their intelligence and creativity, and this policy by Israel to suffocate the Gaza Strip leaves a largely skilled but unemployed workforce in Gaza. It is imperative that we continue to advocate and offer our support and solidarity to the people of Gaza and not forget their cause. Please spare a prayer for all those suffering across the globe. aljazeera/news/middleeast/2014/04/israel-upholds-travel-ban-gaza-olympian-20144810145329711.html
Posted on: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:55:43 +0000
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