Egypt and Palestine…one people and one revolution

 

Samah Ahmed, Palestinian journalist from Gaza, and three other Italian citizens supporting Palestine were arrested by the Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces SCAF on 26^th November, 2011 in Cairo. The Egyptian security forces claim that they burned some palm trees belonging to one of the luxury hotels in Egypt. The media immediately started dealing with the detainees as if they were convicted with charges of sabotage against Egypt.

This arrest incident is not the first of its kind against Palestinians of Gaza while in Egyptian territory, or during travel through Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only outlet to the world. We – Palestinian activists- see this incident as the embodiment of the repressive mentality of security apparatus that control the actions of the security of the Egyptian regime against the Palestinians of Gaza. These same authorities continue to close Rafah in the face of Palestinians, preventing their passage to Egypt with the exception of specific cases.

Despite the repeated statements issued by Egyptian authorities following the revolution of January 25 declaring their intention to fully open the crossing, their policy of collusion continues to comply with the Israeli interests that maintain a tight siege on more than a million and a half Palestinians in Gaza.

The Military Council and its security apparatus allegedly accuse the Egyptians of implementing American and Israeli agendas. Whereas their policy of political hypocrisy forgets the blood of five Egyptian soldiers killed on the hands of Israel, contentedly accepts an apology from their murderers, and continues pumping gas to Israel at the cheapest rate. On the day the repressive security apparatus was killing and eye-snipping Egyptian revolutionaries, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs welcomed back the Ambassador of Israel, who was expelled by the Egyptian people!

This Council contributes to the siege of Gaza to satisfy the Israel- U.S. alliance, and considers the mere entry of Palestinians of Gaza to Egypt a security threat and accordingly treats them at best as suspects. Not once did the security restrictions ever stop advancing on the Palestinians, noting that the Palestinian people did not, do not, and will not constitute a threat in any way to Egypt. The only real danger is the conditional aid from the vaunted democracy allies to militarizing the Egyptian regime.

In this light, we, Palestinian activists, demand the following:

1. The immediate lifting of the restrictions and forms of inhumane treatment of Palestinians in Egypt under the banner of “security”.
2. The immediate end of the siege on the Gaza Strip and the full opening of Rafah crossing for Palestinians without any security restrictions and complications.
3. The full support of the Egyptian revolution, respecting Egyptians’ demands and their right to self-determination and the governing regime they choose.

Down with the security system of repression and long live the Egyptian revolution!