December 21, 2009 at 7:39 am (Activism, Associate Post, Gaza, International Solidarity, Photography)
Commentary by Chippy Dee, Photos © by Bud Korotzer
On the very cold evening of December 18th, Times Square was the scene of a send-off rally for the New Yorkers participating in the Gaza Freedom March. The event will take place in Gaza on the first anniversary of the brutal Israeli attack (the subject of the Goldstone Report) that killed over 1,400 people, mostly civilians, more than 400 being children.
About 100+ people were at the rally. Many people on the crowded streets approached the group to find out why they were there and to discuss the issue. The comments appeared to be mostly positive. When the NEW YORK TO GAZA banner was unfurled and the bells and chimes were rung, tourists and locals took photographs of the group.
Rally participants stayed there for about an hour, holding the banner and signs, and chanting, “Free, free Palestine” and, “From the River, to the Sea – Palestine will be Free”.
When the rally ended a small group decided to walk through the crowded, holiday-festive streets, with the signs and chanting. They went through Rockefeller Center (where the police told them they had to stay on the streets) and then up posh 5th Avenue to the Plaza Hotel, where an Israeli flag flies over the entrance. Sadly, several people looking at the “Free Gaza” signs asked, “Who is Gaza?” or, “What did she do?” One person said that she knew all about Gaza and didn’t want to hear anything more about it.
The events that evening put the horrific living conditions of our fellow human beings in Gaza, hopefully, back into people’s minds. It was also an opportunity to explain what is happening there and why.
1,300 people have registered to go on the Gaza Freedom March. Others are just going, without registering. They are planning to enter through Egypt. Once there they will march through Gaza with 50,000 to 100,000 citizens of Gaza. Israeli peace and justice groups will try to connect with them along the way. It is hoped that the march and the publicity in generates around the world, will put enough pressure on Israel to force them to lift the 3 year genocidal siege and allow food, medicine, building supplies, and fuel into Gaza where people are homeless (thanks to ‘Operation Cast Lead’ which destroyed their homes), freezing, and starving.
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