531 Gaza Overflows

Why is it that the minute I leave Egypt, all hell breaks loose?

As you’ve no doubt heard unless you live in a hole, tens of thousands of Gazans today destroyed the border fence dividing Rafah and streamed across into Egypt, some  to buy supplies denied to them since Israel sealed the borders, others simply to get out of Gaza.

President Mubarak, saving face, said he’d allowed them to cross because they were starving, that he’d instructed security forces to allow them in if they weren’t carrying weapons before escorting them out.

But back in Cairo, police arrested hundreds of protesters, mostly from the Muslim Brotherhood, but also including secular activists, demonstrating against conditions in Gaza and Egypt’s perceived complicity.

And I’m here in dreary London, where the top story is police protesting because their pay-raise was 0.6 percent less than promised.

2 Comments »

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

  1. Well if it makes you feel any better I am sure all of the journalists coming from Cairo haven’t been allowed into Rafah, or at least that’s what I heard in the AP office today in J-town. Its probably like they are all waiting at the police checkpoints salivating at the mouth to get into the town, but completely frustrated at not getting in. Then on the other side of the police barricade our photographers are picking up cigarettes to bring back with them to Gaza. Incredible huh?

    Comment by Tara — January 24, 2008 #

  2. I’m guessing there were no shouts of ‘Yasqut Brown’ at the bobbies’ protest?

    Comment by SP — January 24, 2008 #

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

40 queries. 0.075 seconds. CMS: WordPress. Design: modified Hiperminimalist Theme.
RSS for posts and comments. Valid XHTML and CSS.