Akashma Online News

Article by Marivel Guzman in Collaboration with Omar Karem From Egypt, Cairo International Airport

Palestinians supported the Egyptian Revolution, they tweeted as much as the Egyptians did, they went to the streets to show support for their Egyptian brothers, they suffered with them the first days of the backslash of the revolution when they were being strangled by the same revolution when the Rafah crossing was closed for security measures, said Egypt. 
Palestinians celebrated the triumph of the revolution because ending up the dictatorship of Mubarack servile to the Zionist occupier, Palestinians were hoping to end the 3 years embargo that Israel had imposed on them.  With the deposing of Mubarak who was puppet of Israel and the US, so, the Palestinians thought.

Back in February right after the Revolution in Egypt succeeded in sending Mubarak out of the country, hundreds of Palestinians were stranded in the borders of Egypt and in Cairo Airport because the Generals in charged could not make their mind on opening the borders of Egypt to travelers. 
Palestinians sent a MESSAGE OF PALESTINIANS STRANDED AT CAIRO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT to MR.BR / Marshal Tantawi, the situation was critic because they have started a hunger strike to call the attention of the world. After many negotiations they were allowed to pass thru Egypt and to enter Gaza. The new Egyptian government was not ready to face the world with scheme of this type and they let then pass throught.

Two months later Egypt hosted the paramount meeting between the two Palestinians factions where they signed the reconciliation agreement and Egypt promised to the world that they will alleviated Gaza’s suffocation opening the borders once and for all, well not that easy, they indeed open the borders and the Italian Convoy made their joyful visit to Gaza, some were allowed to visit their doctors in Egypt and some were allowed even to fly out of Egypt with student visas and they even promised to purge their Black List of more than 400 Palestinian men that were not allowed to enter Egypt.

But there is something that the world ignores, Palestinians before the Egyptian Revolution and after opening the borders, Palestinians are still treated as a second class humans in Egypt.
Around these days every year the pilgrims to Mecca flood the airports of the world to fulfill their Muslim duty and visit Mecca at least one in their life, taking the opportunity and being Gaza Strip mostly Muslim they started to apply to leave Gaza to visit Mecca.
Needless to say that the procedures to leave Gaza have not changed, they all need to paid the fee to get their permit from the local government, pay the fees to get their permission to use Egypt as a gate-away to Saudi Arabia, Egypt does not extend visas to these travelers coming from Gaza, after all the paper work was arranged close to 3 buses left Gaza City at 7 am Monday morning to their destination to the airport, they were with the idea that they will be taken to Arish Airport in Egypt which is only one hour from Gaza and closer to Saudi Arabia but instead they were taken to Cairo airport, they traveled since 7 am from Gaza, they spend 7 hours in the border of Egypt checking their passports, and finally they left again in the buses to Cairo, first their passports were not returned to them, once in Cairo airport they were hundreds of other travelers that were directed to a different lines to take their fly, all the Palestinians were taken to a different line and taken to Building 3 of the Cairo Airport where they have been under security, they can not go out.

When they arrived to Cairo airport some of they call they families to come to meet them but were turn back by the police, they were not allowed to contact the Palestinians which without passport and under security guards are like in a prison.

This beautiful Project is only in the mind of the Authorities, as stand now, empty halls, dirty, with not enough bathroom for 200 people, is used to hold Palestinians in their way to Saudi Arabia. Omar Karem journalist and writer of Akashma News will share with more detail when he is is back to Gaza in 2 weeks.
“Once operational, the impressive EGP 3.1 billion new TB3(Terminal Building 3) will be one of the largest terminals in North Africa doubling our current airport’s passenger capacity.” Said H.E. Ahmad Shafik, Minister of Civil Aviation .

Terminal 3 will revolutionalize duty-free shopping in Egypt. With close to 4,000 m2 of retail space, the shops offer passengers both popular international brands and introduce exclusive brands new to the Egyptian. The new Terminal will also include food and beverage areas with local and international brands.

They were told that their fly won’t leave until tomorrow May 25 at 7 PM..that is almost 2 days waiting all crowed in that hall of the airport, dirty, sleeping in the floor, women, men and children are in the same hall, they have restroom inside.
All the talking that the borders are open is only a fairly tale for the Paid Media to distribute to the world and make Gaza Residents look less victims. The reality is that nothing have changed, They still treated as second class human.

When the guards notice that they were taking pictures, immediately the cameras were taken away, the pictures deleted and given back with the warning that they are not allowed to take pictures. The Egyptian Police do not want the world the see the reality..

US is distracting the world with Osama story and the planing of a new war in Pakistan. Obama is busy making sure that the world get deceived with his speech and nothing changing for Palestinians..

The Hypocritical position of Egypt regarding the borders, they announced with press conference that the borders will be open, but nothing have change, still Palestinians are mistreated, and humiliated.

Back from Saudi Arabia the situation have not change for us, even thought in two weeks there were rumors of opening the Rafah borders permanently, but Egyptian do not want to wake up, the story is the same for us Palestinians

Home is home wherever it is. After a year of being in the US, I decided to go spend a month with family and friends in the Gaza Strip. I knew traveling would be a hard time at some point because I have a Palestinian passport. I thought of how hard it was for me when I left Gaza in June 2010, but hoped it would be a better experience after hearing in the news that the Egyptian government decided to open the Rafah borders permanently

Identity Crisis