Nitin Sawhney<\/a>, an organizer for the Boston Palestine Film Festival and another GFM marcher (and not to be confused with the British musician of the same name), was the only individual foreign national allowed into Gaza through the Rafah crossing by Egypt, for an extended stay in January 2010. The only other foreign nationals allowed in through Rafah were the Viva Palestina convoy, and the 84 individuals from the Gaza Freedom March; both groups were allowed in Gaza for only 36 hours. During his two weeks in Gaza, Sawhney conducted research and efforts to establish a future digital media and production program for youth. <\/p>\nSawhney was able to enter Gaza as an individual because of help from the Indian embassy in Cairo: \u201cEven though most embassies were completely uncooperative, my embassy for some reason felt like they needed to do something to support my application. I presented it as a humanitarian and research mission \u2013 I had letters from NGOs, and I convinced them that my being there was an important thing for me personally, and for the Indian government to support.\u201d The Indian embassy wrote a letter on Sawhney\u2019s behalf to the foreign ministry, and he received a permit shortly after. \u201cThe border was only open on January 4th and 5th, for a total of two days officially. Over a 12-hour period, crossing 13 checkpoints from Cairo to Rafah, I finally managed to get through, after lots of negotiations at almost every security checkpoint. Indeed I was the only one who got in, before the border was completely shut. And they weren\u2019t even letting anyone out for an indefinite period.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Israeli blockade of Gaza began in June 2007, after Hamas defeated Fatah forces in the Gaza Strip, and the blockade continued the economic sanctions that began in March 2006, after Hamas won democratic elections in January. The blockade affects Gaza\u2019s borders with Israel and Egypt, and by sea Gaza is blockaded by the Israeli navy. According to Abunimah, the blockade is \u201c\u2026an outrageous, historic crime, as is the complicity of all the governments helping Israel enforce it.\u201d The blockade impoverished the population of Gaza, and devastated the Gaza economy, which now relies on tunnel trade. Each tunnel takes two years and $100,000 to build, and young teenage boys work in the tunnels, going 60 meters underground under tough and extreme conditions.<\/p>\n
Sawhney was able to witness the activities of the tunnels: \u201cThere are white tents set up all along the border, only meters away from the border wall with Egypt. Everyone can see that these are tunnels.\u201d <\/p>\n
Because of the blockade, Sawhney stated that: \u201cThe tunnels are there as a lifeline of support for basic good and services into Gaza. Pretty much the entire economy of Gaza is run through tunnel trade, right now.\u201d Inflation has dramatically risen because of the tight Israeli blockade, resulting in goods that get into Gaza via the tunnels being six times the normal price. This includes consumer goods and food supplies. <\/p>\n
Furthermore, Sawhney explained that Gaza\u2019s entire supply of fuel and gas comes from the tunnel trade, and added: \u201cThis was all done with the complete understanding of the Egyptian authorities. They knew what was going on. In fact they\u2019re benefiting from it. They\u2019re able to charge a tremendous amount of money for the Egyptian goods\u2026 They\u2019re very much in complicity of the tunnel trade, and it\u2019s shocking to me that they\u2019re the ones trying to blockade those tunnels now.\u201d Egypt is currently building a steel wall on its border with Gaza. <\/p>\n
Because of the blockade, Palestinians in Gaza are rarely allowed to enter or leave the Gaza Strip, including university students with admissions abroad, and those with medical emergencies. For Sawhney, \u201cIt\u2019s the human aspect of the blockade that we need to hear about. We absolutely need to do something about that.\u201d Abunimah provided further reflection on the frustration the marchers felt in not being allowed into the Gaza Strip: \u201cIt gave us a small taste of the infinitely greater frustration that 1.5 million people in Gaza feel every day at being held prisoner by Israel with US and Egyptian complicity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hena Ashraf is a filmmaker and a fierce advocate for the making and use of independent media. She can be reached at hena@a2palestinefilmfest.org. More information on the Gaza Freedom March can be found at www.gazafreedommarch.org.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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