Subscribe Feed (RSS)Blogging from Gaza proved to be more difficult than expected. Our jam-packed schedule left little free time and we experienced the regular power outages that Gazans live with on a daily basis. The following are posts made upon our return from notes on the trip.
Today we are leaving Al-Arish for Gaza. Our day got off with a surprising but joyous announcement. Linda, one of the Canadians with us, let us in on a little secret: she would be meeting her Palestinian fiancé one the other side of the border! She and Hamoudi had met “virtually” eight years prior while frequenting a chatroom on Arabic music. After years of getting to know one another through a webcam, they decided it was time to tie the knot, and the CodePink trip offered a perfect opportunity for a June wedding. Now this is the type of relations we like to see develop with Palestinians!
We sang “we are packing for a peaceful world” as we loaded the luggage on top of the buses, and even got one of the policemen dancing with us. He was given a pink Viva Gaza t-shirt for his good spirits. As our convoy of three buses, a truck carrying the playground equipment and three trucks carrying our armed police escorts made it’s way through town, people along the streets cheered and waved in solidarity.
Though we had never been before, the Rafah crossing was a familiar site, as we had seen many photos. We piled off the buses and opened up the banners, ready for a long wait and intense negotiations to get our convoy through. Instead, after just a few minutes we were told to get on the bus because they were letting us in! This came as such a surprise that at first we were suspicious that it was simply a ploy to get us back on the bus. But after just a few minutes, they opened the gate and let the first bus in. We had set a new record!
Much of the credit goes to the three other delegations traveling under the CodePink umbrella that had gone in just before us. The Canadians in particular had spent days at the border and were only able to stay 36 hours inside Gaza. These delegations literally opened up the road for us and we were very thankful.
Though things went very well, there was one hitch. The second bus had followed us right away, however the third was held up due to the fact that 2 Egyptian citizens were on board. Col. Ann, who was also on the bus with them, attempted to negotiate their entry as we waited inside. Unfortunately, there was simply nothing to do. The Egyptian authorities at the border refused to give in and we were forced to leave them behind. As much as they wanted to come along with us, they knew from the start that it would be very difficult for them to enter and didn’t want to hold up the rest of the delegation. Bowed down by guilt of our privileged status, Nadia and Mai encouraged us to go on without them, saying there was a bigger mission at hand.
After a few hours of passport processing and fee payment, we loaded on a bus that would take us just a few hundred meters across the border. We were in Gaza! It was striking how much more relaxed and safe we felt on the Gazan side of the border.
The press were there waiting for us, but honestly the bride and groom stole the show. Linda changed into her wedding dress and was surrounded by paparazzi. Led by Anita, who always had a song ready, we sang “I’m goin’ to Gaza and I’m gonna get married” to the tune of Going to the Chapel. The joy of actually being in Gaza combined with Linda and Hamoudi’s impending nuptials had many of us in tears. The emotional roller coaster ride had begun!
Category: in gaza
