Demonstrating support
Demonstrations continue this week throughout Egypt denouncing Israel's brutalities in Gaza
8 - 14 January 2009
Al-Ahram.org
Reem Leila reports on the wave of protests in solidarity with Gaza
"Off to Gaza we go, martyrs by the million."
"Boycott Israel."
Since Israeli air strikes, and now a ground offensive, against Gaza began on 27 December banner-waving demonstrators throughout Egypt have chanted such phrases as they took to the streets to protest against Israel's military offensive that has already cost hundreds of Palestinian lives and injured thousands more.
Protesters continued to pour onto the streets to voice their anger at Israel's actions as well as the response to the crisis by Egypt's government. An estimated 400 people gathered near Al-Fath Mosque in Ramses Square in Cairo to demand Egypt open the border between Gaza and Egypt. Security forces violently broke up pro-Gaza demonstrations in Downtown Cairo for the second consecutive day on Friday, arresting more than 40 protesters.
Protesters have taken to the streets in Assiut, Minya, Daqahliya, Fayoum and Alexandria. Hundreds of students demonstrated at Cairo and Ain Shams Universities, and many more Egyptians have been queuing to donate blood to victims of the Israeli onslaught being treated in Egyptian hospitals.
Egyptian protesters have called for an immediate end to the aggression and are demanding a boycott of Israel in a series of actions reminiscent of the protests two years ago when Israel embarked on what turned into a month-long war against Hizbullah in Lebanon. Hundreds took to the streets in 2006, and even larger numbers are heeding opposition leaders' calls for action this time.
"Showing solidarity with besieged Palestinians by means of words and action is not a crime but a duty that should be upheld by all freedom-loving people," said Muslim Brotherhood MP Saad El-Husseini.
Hamdi El-Tahhan, head of the People's Assembly Transportation Committee, points out that it is Hamas that is preventing hundreds of Palestinians injured in Israeli attacks from leaving the Gaza Strip although ambulances are waiting for them on the Egyptian side of the frontier.
"Those attacking Egypt's response to the crisis know very well that the regime is exerting its utmost efforts to solve the problem and stop the Israeli attacks. Cairo is exerting tremendous efforts on both the political and public levels to stop the Israeli attacks," said El-Tahhan. "Egypt has defended the Palestinian cause since the mid-1940s. No other Arab country has exerted as much effort as Egypt."
Rafah crossing is open for humanitarian aid, he said, and for students who want to continue their education and those who want to pass into Gaza.
"Those who are insulting and attacking Egypt do not understand anything. They cannot do more than Egypt is already doing. If Egypt opened the crossing without regulations we would find ourselves negotiating over giving Palestinians half of Sinai to live in. This can never happen. We have already given them Gaza," said El-Tahhan.
The protests have shown once again how deep the conflict runs within the Arab world. The Muslim Brotherhood took to the streets alongside secular activists to call for an end to what they term Israel's "holocaust in Gaza".
Images of the wounded and dead continue to bombard TV screens and have heightened tensions between citizens and state. People feel their governments are not doing enough to pressure Israel to end the attacks, which the United Nations Security Council has condemned. The violence, says Kifaya member Karima El-Hefnawi, is a "natural result of the treason and collaboration of Arab regimes with America and Israel who want to wipe out any resistance in Gaza".
El-Hefnawi was furious at Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's recent visit to Egypt. "What made the Egyptian foreign minister invite her at such a time?" she asks.
More than 600 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the attacks on Gaza, with well over 2,500 wounded, 40 per cent of them civilians, including large numbers of children. An Egyptian police officer was killed at the Rafah border crossing by Hamas, and two others injured.
Hours after the first air strike on 27 December more than 1,000 protesters gathered outside the Press and Lawyers' Syndicates carrying Palestinian flags.
"We are protesting for the sake of our fellows in Palestine who are being killed by the Zionists. We would sacrifice ourselves to restore the Holy Land," said journalist, Kifaya activist and member of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Abdel-Quddous. Known for his outspoken criticism to the ruling regime, Abdel-Quddous described the regime's stance towards the assault on Gaza as "dreadful".
A division has been apparent during almost all protests. While Muslim Brotherhood members have refrained from attacking President Hosni Mubarak, in public at least, other activists and opposition groups have been vocal in their anti- Mubarak statements.
A majority of the protesters that gathered outside the People's Assembly were Muslim Brotherhood members, holding copies of the Quran high and chanting Islamic slogans as they called for jihad to free the occupied Palestinian territories. The rally was intended to move towards the Abdine Palace but was prevented by security officials. The protesters then divided into two groups, the largest rallying in front of the Doctors' Syndicate while less than 100 opposition and human rights activists finally settled outside the Shura Council.
Regardless of ideology, protesters are calling on Egyptian and Arab leaders to react against the assault and call off peace treaties with Israel. They have urged Egyptian officials to open the Rafah border crossing, to recall the Egyptian ambassador to Israel, to expel Israel's ambassador to Egypt and halt all exports of natural gas to Israel. "We will protest every day until our demands are met," says El-Husseini.
A Foreign Ministry press release stated that Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit had spoken with his American, Russian and French counterparts to urge them to call for an end to the Israeli operation and for it to be reciprocated by Hamas. Abul- Gheit summoned the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on Sunday to express Egypt's indignation over the council's failure to pressure Israel or issue a resolution demanding an end to Israel's aggression on Gaza.
"We call for an immediate end to Israeli military operations. We cannot allow these attacks to continue. We cannot permit the murder of Palestinians," Abul-Gheit said in a press conference.
Egypt announced that it had opened the crossing to allow the humanitarian aid to reach Gaza as soon as the Israeli attacks began. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki insists that any problems at the crossing originate on the Gaza side of the border and has affirmed that the Rafah gate would remain open. Egypt has also proposed the creation of a safe corridor inside Gaza to allow food and medicine to be distributed until the military operations end.
"Egypt has never closed the Rafah crossing. On the contrary, Egypt has received more than 100 injured Palestinians who are being treated at Egyptian hospitals," says Zaki.
Protests against Israel's continuing onslaught against the people of Gaza have been held in the UK, Morocco, Jordan, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey. Israeli Arabs held a protest march while Kuwaitis also took to the streets. In Paris police said more than 20,000 demonstrators, many wearing Palestinian kufiya headscarves, marched through the city centre demanding an end to the air attacks. Similar protests were planned in some 30 other towns. In London police said more than 10,000 people had attended a march and rally demanding an end to the Israeli offensive.