Archive for June 2010
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*photo by: Emad Badwan
The process of entering and leaving Gaza is incomparable to anywhere else. All borders are closed by Israel and Egypt to all but a small number of the students and ill who need to leave the Strip. And now, while the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing is temporarily open, unless you have connections, supreme luck, or money to bribe the Egyptian authorities, you’re not getting out. This includes most students and the ill holding the necessary paperwork. Gaza’s health care system has been decimated by the siege imposed since Hamas was elected in 2006, and from the various Israeli bombings and attacks. As a result, there is a chronic depletion of 141 types of vital medicines and shortage of 116 types of medical supplies, says Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The lack of specialized equipment and expertise means those with certain health problems go untreated, and those with chronic diseases suffer slow deaths–at least a reported over 370 deaths until now. While in Gaza, I met Q, a woman in her fifties with renal failure.
Q had been trying to leave Gaza with 3 of her children in order to be tested for compatibility as kidney donors. But after $1500 bribes per person, Q and children were turned back to Gaza.
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The Same Boat
Photo: Nidal Elkhairy
GAZA—On the evening of May 30, 2010, I awoke to a text message from a Gaza-based international activist saying that the Freedom Flotilla was being instructed by the Israeli Navy to halt its course to the Gaza Strip. The vessels were more than 70 miles from Gaza’s coast.
I wasn’t surprised. In every one of the nine Free Gaza trips from Cyprus to Gaza, the Israeli Navy commanded boats in international or Palestinian waters to turn around. Five voyages succeeded in ignoring the Israeli Navy’s threats and sailing on through international waters into Palestine.
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continuing through tragedies
Palestinians are expert at this, with over 6 decades of practice at getting on with life after tragedies.
As I’m riding in a taxi two days ago after sunset, the Israeli massacre of Flotilla passengers on every radio and tv channel, the driver starts to chat.
“Allah yerhamum, God bless their souls,” he begins. He is friendly but expressionless, doesn’t smile and has fatigue written on his face.
“I’ve got 9 martyrs in my family,” he states, same voice, same expression, barely glancing my way. post continues
