Stop the Siege of Gaza!

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The Israeli state, with the complete backing of the imperialists of the U.S. and the European Union, as well as their clients among the corrupt feudal monarchs in the region, has deprived the entire Palestinian population in Gaza of electricity, sanitation, potable water, heat, cooking gas, medicines and adequate food. And it is winter in Palestine. Nothing has been done to end this crime against humanity, this collective punishment of the Palestinian people, despite many appeals to international agencies and organizations.

Israel's announcement, under international pressure, that it would allow one day's worth of fuel to re-start Gaza's only power plant wouldn't end the crisis.  Rather it would leave Gaza desperate.

With no other choice available, the Palestinian masses and their organizations on Jan. 23 took their destiny into their own hands by blowing up, tearing down and eliminating the fence between Gaza and Egypt. The Israelis built the fence to enforce their illegal occupation. But the Palestinian people have once again given an example of how, by mass, courageous action, a mobilized population can turn the tables on the most heavily armed state in the region, backed by the world’s biggest armed power.

More than 350,000 Palestinians—about 20 percent of the entire population of Gaza—surged over the fence past the Egyptian Army to buy desperately needed supplies. Faced with this mass uprising, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt ordered his border guards to stand down, even though Washington has demanded that Egypt block the border and enforce the strangulation blockade or lose its military aid.

The Palestinians then returned to Gaza and their struggle for liberation. The heroic Palestinian popular movement has once again proved stronger and more determined than its oppressors.

This dramatic and audacious act by the Palestinian people deserves the support of progressive people and especially of anti-imperialists all over the world.  International organizations -- including Israeli peace groups -- are mobilizing to demand an end to the siege of Gaza in protests on January 26, 2008.