Palestinians protest in Jerusalem and Haifa, calling for an end to Gaza siege

Palestinians protest in Jerusalem, call for ending Gaza siege

Friday January 25, 2008 04:56 by IMEMC News saed at imemc dot org

Dozens of Palestinian residents, and peace activists, held a protest on Thursday evening against the ongoing Israeli siege and attacks against the Palestinian residents in the Gaza Strip. The protest was organized by the Al Aqsa Foundation for Rebuilding Muslim Holy Sites.

The protesters called for ending the siege and the Israeli attacks against the civilians in the Gaza Strip as its remains under strict siege while sharp shortages of basic medicine, fuels and food supplies continued which increases the suffering of the residents.

Dozens of Israeli policemen surrounded the protesters and issued traffic tickets against vehicles belonging to residents who participated in the protest.

On behalf of the head of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Raed Salah, Sheikh Yousef Al Baz addressed the protesters and slammed the US President, George Bush, saying that “Bush came to teach us about peace while his tanks and war planes are killing civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to several other areas”.

He also addressed the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, headed by president Mahmoud Abbas, and said that “Israel had to poison Yasser Arafat because he did not bow to any threats”, and called on the leadership remain steadfast instead of “fulfilling dictations”.

Al Baz also addressed the Egyptian leadership to open the borders instead of closing them in front of the hungry and besieged residents who are dying due to lack of medicine and food.

Moreover, Al Baz saluted the residents in the Gaza Strip and called on them to remain steadfast against the ongoing Israel attacks, invasions and assassinations.

Head of the Higher Islamic Council, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, said that the siege against Gaza is meant to humiliate the Palestinian people and force them to surrender, and added that the residents are steadfast in spite of the lack of medicine, electricity, and food.

He also said that the Palestinian in Jerusalem are also suffering as they became totally surrounded by settlement and slammed the recent Israeli decision to construct 7300 homes for Israeli settlers around Jerusalem.

“Israel does not want peace”, he said, “Israel wants us to surrender and remain silent”.

Dozens of Israelis and Palestinians protest in Haifa

Friday January 25, 2008 04:09 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies saed at imemc dot org

On Thursday, dozens of Arab residents of Israel and Jews held a joint protest in Haifa city against the ongoing Israeli attacks and siege against the Gaza Strip, the Arabs48 news website reported.

Protest in Haifa

The protesters carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and in support to lifting the siege over the Gaza Strip.

The protesters also slammed Arab leaders and leaders of international countries for their silence while the Israeli occupation continues its illegal activities, attacks and siege.

The protest was organized by the Israeli Communist Party and the Democratic Front for Peace and Justice.

The protesters also slammed the U.S President, George W. Bush, who visited the area recently and gave Israel a green light to continue the unjust siege against the residents in the Gaza Strip and to continue settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.

The Gaza Strip has been under strict siege since more than 200 days and its hospitals are running out of medical supplies.

Sharp shortages in fuels and medicine, in addition to the power outage in several areas in the Gaza Strip increased the suffered of the residents and increased the number of civilian casualties.

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