a taste of palestinian patients suffering at the Borders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ISRAEL FINALLY BOWS DOWN TO PRESSURE FROM 64-YEAR OLD PATIENT AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVISTS.
The FREE GAZA MOVEMENT announces the entry of Magdia Abushaweesh at 13:30, Sunday 31st, 2008 through the Erez crossing to Israel.
64-year old Palestinian woman with a tumor on her spine in need of an operation to save her from paralysis, finally accesses Israel after 7 months of rejection. Originally having received an appointment and permission to travel to the St. Joseph hospital in Jerusalem she has since then continuously been denied entry by the Israeli Occupation Forces.
After the seventh attempt on Friday the 29th of August accompanied by a group of 11 international activists attempting to escort magdia Abushaweesh through the Erez crossing, Israel gave permission. The 11 internationals from the Free Gaza Movement followed by a large group of press secured heavy media coverage that eventually put pressure on the Israeli government and achieved the entry permission. The internationals and Magdia walked towards the Israeli gate with the border guards threatening to shoot them. They advanced slowly with their arms raised, holding their passports up high. They finally managed to reach the gate, but the Israeli guards refused to open it.Magdia entry follows in the wake of the forty-five international human rights workers from the Free Gaza Movement arriving to Gaza on two boats sailing through international waters. The 23rd of August was the frist time in 41 years that an international ship has landed in the Gaza port, consequently breaking the Israeli siege. The mission of exposing the illegality of Israel's actions and expressing solidarity with the suffering people of the Gaza-strip (and of the occupied Palestinian territory as a whole) continues with the continuous presence of several members of the Free Gaza Movement in the Gaza-strip. They will be doing many simular activities during the next few months throughout Gaza