Palestinians: It is about time for the international community to lift the siege

The Palestinian campaign for lifting the siege on Gaza Strip has called on the international community on Tuesday to pressure the Israeli occupation authority to open the crossing points of the Strip and to end the unjust blockade on it.

 

Hundreds of Palestinian citizens and representatives of various sectors in the Palestinian community have participated in a demonstration organized by the campaign at the Erez (Beit Hanon) crossing point, to the north of the tiny Strip, that was harmonized with a similar rally held by the American Code Pink group at the other side of the crossing point for the same purpose.

 

Both groups raised placards condemning the hermetic closure of the Strip, and urged the international community to help the Palestinian people move freely and safely into and out of the Strip, and to allow entry of all materials needed for the reconstruction of thousands of Palestinian homes and buildings destroyed by the Israeli shelling of the Strip for 22 days last January.

 

For his part, Amjad Al-Shawwa, the coordinator of the public organizations in the Strip, asked US president Barack Obama to seriously act to end the suffering of the people of Gaza Strip inflicted on them due to the siege.

 

He also pointed out that the IOA denied and still is denying hundreds of sick Palestinian citizens the necessary permits to travel abroad to receive proper medical treatment, leading to the death of more than 300 of them since the crossing points were sealed off more than two years ago.

 

At the other side of the crossing point, Ema King, the representative of the Code Pink group, deprecated the Israeli siege on Gaza and described it as a “blatant violation of the international and human law”.

 

She explained that the demonstration that her group organized at the other side of Erez serves as a clear message of solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza Strip especially the children and women.

 

She also revealed that her group brought milk, toys, and medicine for the children of Gaza but they couldn’t access them into the Strip due to the Israeli “stubborn” rejection.

 

However, Ema and her comrades flew kites into the Strip with letters of solidarity and sympathy with the Palestinian people that also condemned the oppressive Israeli blockade on the 1.5 million individuals living there.