UPDATE: LOCAL RESIDENT CROSSES INTO GAZA STRIP WITH HUMANITARIAN AID AFTER DELAYS

Local Contact:
Tom Middleton
Viva Palestina Convoy Member
585.739.5578
thomas.g.middleton@gmail.com

Brian Lenzo, organizer and press liason
International Socialist Organization and Rochester Against War
585.208.2772
truthtob@yahoo.com


LET'S CELEBRATE A CRACK IN THE EMPIRE
LOCAL RESIDENT CROSSES INTO GAZA STRIP WITH HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES AFTER DELAYS AND CONFLICT WITH EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES.
PROTEST AT ROCHESTER FEDERAL BUILDING TO DEMAND BORDER CROSSING REMAIN OPEN!

Rochester Activists will congregate in front of the downtown Federal Building on Wednesday, January 6th at 4:30pm to demand the US government pressure the Egyptian government to open the Rafah Border crossing into the Gaza Strip permanently. Currently the border is open only temporarily and causes much suffering to the people of Gaza. Other demands include a formal apology from the Egyptian government for its attacks on the convoy yesterday evening.

Local Rochester Student Adriano Contreras is among a 500 strong humanitarian aid convoy (Viva Palestina) that is passing through the Rafah border crossing at 5pm Egyptian time after much delay.

Reports claim that last night, 2,000 riot police have moved towards the Viva Palestina convoy's camp in the Egyptian Port city of Al-Arish. There are conflicting reports of how the conflict started, but the police fired tear gas and there were confrontations between police and convoy members.

The "Viva Palestina" convoy originated in London, England, with a convoy of ambulances, buses, trucks and cars full of supplies and people. The convoy traveled through Europe, into Greece, into Turkey and is not traveling through Syria on its way to Jordan, Egypt and eventually the Rafah Border Crossing into Gaza. Adriano Contreras joined the convoy from the launch in London and has been reporting on their journey through Europe and the Middle East.

Convoy member Adriano has been posting about his travels on a popular blog called "The Sitch", http://www.theSitch.com
Local Contact:
Tom Middleton
Viva Palestina Convoy Member
585.739.5578
thomas.g.middleton@gmail.com

Brian Lenzo, organizer and press liason
International Socialist Organization and Rochester Against War
585.208.2772
truthtob@yahoo.com

The Sitch: http://www.thesitch.com/gaza-dispatches/
Viva Palestina Website: http://www.vivapalestina.org/home.htm
UN Goldstone Report on Gaza War: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/9/FactFindingMission.htm