Report: French woman killed in Cairo protests

Published today (updated) 31/12/2009 13:27

Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Organizers of the Gaza Freedom March in Cairo reported the death of Marie Renee, a French citizen, from injuries sustained at the hands of Egyptian security forces during a demonstration with the Gaza Freedom March on Thursday, sources said.

Earlier reports of the assault on two women and a man participating in a demonstration outside of Egypt's government buildings by local police were confirmed by Ma'an, as activists refused to leave the area without permission to access Gaza.

Reports said the woman died in the Cairo Hospital. She was traveling with a French delegation of approximately 300 nationals.

Sources said there were 450 activists from dozens of nations present at the protest.

The French delegates had earlier been camped out on the grounds surrounding the French Embassy in Cairo, reportedly flanked by two lines of Egyptian police.

On Wednesday, Egyptian security allowed 84 of the 1,300 who registered to participate in the Freedom March into Gaza. All were traveling with the Codepink delegation, which organized two earlier trips into the besieged Palestinian area since the Israeli war on Gaza last year.

The delegation was permitted into the Strip despite protests from other groups demanding all of those wishing to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza should be allowed into the area.

Egyptian security sent back buses of protesters from the Suez Canal internal checkpoint earlier in the week.

Another 500 are gathered at the Israeli side of the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip in support of the Freedom March. The group called for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and were thanked by de facto Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza Ismail Haniyah by phone for their support.

Egypt grants 84 Codepink activists entry to Gaza

Published yesterday (updated) 31/12/2009 12:21

 Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Eighty-four of the over 1,300 international activists in Egypt for the Gaza Freedom March entered Gaza on Wednesday via the Rafah crossing along with medical supplies after the Egyptian government gave the Codepink delegation the okay for travel.

Several smaller delegations taking part in the Freedom March, set to take place Friday, were denied passage into the northern Sinai by Egyptian security, and approximately 40 others were detained outside the American consulate in Cairo. Egyptian officials had earlier said none of the groups would be granted permission to access the Strip.

This is the third time a Codepink delegation has entered Gaza, and according to organizers, the group has permission to remain in the Strip for two days.

The rest of the 1,200 plus delegates were invited by organizers to march in Cairo in the direction of Gaza in solidarity with the people of Gaza, but noted that Egyptian police would likely arrest marchers, since large gatherings are prohibited under Egyptian law.

A statement from the group said "information sheets containing important legal information have been delivered to all participants."

Protesters reject Egypt’s Gaza offer

Published yesterday (updated) 31/12/2009 12:20

Bethlehem – Ma’an –

The organizers of the Gaza Freedom March rejected an Egyptian offer on Wednesday to allow 100 out of 1,300 supporters into the Gaza Strip.

“We flatly reject Egypt’s offer of a token gesture. We refuse to whitewash the siege of Gaza,” said Ziyaad Lunat a member of the march’s Coordinating Committee in a statement.

“Our group will continue working to get all 1,362 marchers into Gaza as one step towards the ultimate goal for the complete end of the siege and the liberation of Palestine,” he added.

The Freedom March will walk the 41 kilometers from the southern end of Gaza at the Rafah crossing to the northern end at Israel’s Erez crossing; the march was scheduled to take place on Thursday.

Some organizers reportedly welcomed the Egyptian offer.

"It's a partial victory," said Medea Benjamin, American activist one of the March’s organizers, as quoted by AFP. "It shows that mass pressure has an effect."

According to AFP, the Egyptian government offered to allow the organizers to choose who would enter Gaza. The group of 100 was due to travel to the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday morning.

Others denounced the move as divisive and vowed to continue protests.

On Monday, organizers said around 40 American demonstrators were detained by Egyptian forces at the US Embassy in Cairo where they went to seek assistance in their bid to enter Gaza.

The group staged other protests outside the French Embassy and the local UN headquarters. Some members of the group have been on a hunger strike.

The march was organized to call attention to the Israeli-led blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has prevented reconstruction of the territory from last winter’s military offensive which left 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.