Gaza erupts … in celebration?

The streets of Gaza erupted on Sunday evening… not in anger or protest… but in rare celebration. 

That’s right, tens of thousands of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip took to the streets celebrating Egypt’s victory over Ghana which crowned them champions at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. 

For the second time in less than a week (the other was when Egypt routed Algeria 4-0 on Thursday) Gazans were seen waving Egyptian flags and chanting Egyptian songs in a moment of jubilation in the besieged and war-reeling territory where there is often very little to be happy about on such a grand scale!

For a few hours, the increasing anger among many Palestinians towards their southern neighbor for its increasingly entrenched policies that are exacerbating an Israeli imposed siege were all but forgotten. 

And there was anger in Egypt in recent weeks, when an Egyptian border guard was killed after a Hamas protest along the Gaza border turned violent. 

But on Sunday, for those few hours, the people of Gaza and Egypt – divided by borders, distance, recent tensions and politically opposite governments – were united in there celebration… a moment of relief for both sides if you will! 

The joke in Gaza this evening is that many Palestinians will head to the Rafah Border tomorrow and hope that the Egyptians, overcome by the joyousness of their victory, and as a goodwill gesture after seeing thousands of Gazans celebrating in the streets, will open the border and allow the Palestinians to have something they could celebrate on their own as well…

If the Egyptians don’t open the border (which is the more realistic and likely scenario) and Israel’s siege continues (no indication it will end anytime soon), well, the Palestinians will have to wait another two years before the next Africa Cup of Nations and a chance to celebrate another Egyptian triumph! 

Source