Since July 3, Egypt has closed its border with Gaza to all but a trickle of Palestinian travellers, stranding hundreds of individuals who need medical care, dream of studying abroad or are trying to re-unite with family. At the same time, the interim Egyptian government has systematically destroyed most of the tunnels underneath the border, upon which the Palestinians of Gaza rely for vital supplies such as construction materials and affordable fuel – both of which are largely unavailable from Israel, which has virtually sealed its own border with the strip since 2007 (both for human traffic and exports). While the Egyptian government claims the shutdown of its Rafah crossing with Gaza is necessary to prevent activity by armed militants, the result is collective punishment of the entire 1.7 million population -- exactly the same treatment Palestinians have experienced at the hands of Israel. Such a total blockade only further threatens the region’s security through the desperation and anger it builds. For the sake of both humanity and a peaceful future, the people of Gaza must be allowed to travel and trade! (Signed, the International Campaign to #OpenRafahBorder)
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 22:28:43 +0000
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