MADRE Statements

Gaza Freedom March Ends--But Our Work of Ending Israeli Apartheid Continues!

Posted on: Monday, January 11, 2010

Keywords: Palestine, Israel, Peace Building, Middle East, Gaza

MADRE is a member of the coalition US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.

The Gaza Freedom March is over, but our work of changing U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine is more important now than ever!

Over 1,300 people from across the globe, including representatives of many US Campaign member groups, gathered in Cairo last week in an attempt to break the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip. While the Egyptian government refused the Freedom Marchers access, they were still successful in bringing international attention to bear on the grim situation faced by the more than 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza a year after Israel's 22-day assault killed 1,400 people and caused more than $2 billion in infrastructural damage. Major media outlets including the New York Times, Associated Press, and Reuters covered the March—see a list of media coverage, and also see compiled coverage, video, and on-the-ground reporting at the US Campaign blog.

In addition, solidarity actions were organized around the world, including in Tel Aviv, at the Erez Crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and across the United States. See report backs from the solidarity actions, and check out photos and videos of actions organized by US Campaign member groups.

Meanwhile, a concurrent effort to break the siege of Gaza—the Vivia Palestina humanitarian aid convoy led by British MP George Galloway—also met with stiff resistance from the the Egyptian government, at one point facing off against 2,000 riot police in the port of Al-Arish. On Wednesday, January 6, the Viva Palestinian covoy succeeded in entering Gaza. See Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! interviewing Galloway about the situation.

Connect to an Ongoing Campaign

Join MADRE and other members of the coalition US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation: join us in taking action for Gaza.

Check out ongoing boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) campaigns. While there are myriad corporations that profit from Israel's occupation and apartheid practices and deserve to be boycotted and/or divested from, we suggest you plug into an already active campaign that we are organizing or supporting. Three popular BDS campaigns are:

Hang Up On Motorola: This campaign is working for accountability from Motorola, which profits by providing communications equipment to the Israeli military, "security" infrastructure to Israeli settlements, and products and services that normalize Israel's settlement system. Click here to order a campaign kit to get your community involved in this boycott.
Stop Caterkiller: This campaign is working to stop Caterpillar from profiting from Israel's home demolitions and apartheid wall. Caterpillar's equipment was even mentioned over 25 times in the U.N. Goldstone Report on "Operation Cast Lead." Join us in pressuring this U.S. corporation to end sales to Israel of equipment that it systematically uses to deny Palestinians their human rights. Click here to order a campaign kit to educate and activate your community.
Stolen Beauty: This campaign is focused on Ahava cosmetics, a corporation that is based in an Israeli settlement on Palestinian land in the West Bank. Not only is Ahava headquartered in an illegal settlement, it also literally sells stolen Palestinian resources from the Dead Sea. Click here for campaign ideas and resources.

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