The Gaza Freedom March Goes On

Talk Nation Radio for New Year's 2009
The Gaza Freedom March Goes On

We are producing a follow up. Our guests on this week's Talk Nation Radio were beaten in Cairo. They are OK. See message below. Audio to follow. Dori

Christopher Hutchinson, Connecticut United for Peace
Deena Mishel, Gaza Student for Peace
Ziddad Lunat, Gaza Freedom March spokesperson


TRT: 29:
Produced by Dori Smith, Talk Nation Radio studios, Storrs, Connecticut
Download at Pacifica's Audioport here or at Radio4all.net and Archive.org
Clip by Sam Husseini in Cairo, confrontation with security official at US Embassy re who made decision to not allow group to enter Gaza.

International human rights activists carry the hopes of people from 42 countries in support of the 1400 peace delegates trying trying to get across the tightly controlled Egyptian border with Gaza. One year after Israel's Operation Cast Lead, the assault and invasion of Gaza, we continue to follow the story of protesters like Christopher Hutchinson, Deema Mishel, and Ziddad Lunat, who are on the Gaza Freedom March. They are challenging the governments of Israeli, the US and Egypt to open Gaza's borders for peace and aid. Pink Floyd's Roger Waters explained why he joined the Gaza Freedom March and we hear his reasons.
The marchers have been gaining widespread international support and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said Gazans are being denied their basic human rights. He urged Israel to end it's "unacceptable and counterproductive blockade" and do more to repair damage done in the Gaza Strip by Israeli military action there in December and January of last year.
The Egyptian Government abruptly canceled the marcher's travel plans into Gaza. As Christopher Hutchinson explains, there were protests outside the US embassy in Cairo and at an organization for journalists. Both the US group and another group from France have been in negotiations with the Egyptian government. The group initially accepted a negotiated deal with Egypt that would have allowed 100 delegates in, but they changed their minds. It's all or nothing they say, after learning that part of the deal would be that they must stop using the term: "Gaza Freedom March" to describe their efforts. We discuss some of the reasons for Israel's refusal to allow the group to gain entry to Gaza.

Music by Fritz Heede
Clip: Roger Waters, www.gazafreedommarch.org and song Hello I Love You.