Ramallah Joins Int'l Day Of Solidarity WithGaza

Ramallah Joins The International Day Of Solidarity With Gaza

Candlelight Vigil in Manara

[RAMALLAH] Palestinians will gather in al-Manara on February 23 at 6:00 p.m. to hold a candlelight vigil and sit-in in solidarity with their besieged brothers and sisters in Gaza. On this day demonstrations are planned throughout the world: in Algeria, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Sweden, Turkey, and Uruguay, and other countries, calling for an end to the siege on Gaza.

According to the Popular Committee Against the Siege in Gaza:

* 95 patients have died as a result of the closure and denial of access to medical care;

* 1562 patients need treatment outside of the Gaza Strip

* 322 patients are in serious danger and need urgent treatment;

* 107 kinds of basic medicines are depleted from Gaza Strip;

* 97 kinds of medicines on the verge of depletion;

* 136 medical instrument are stopped or our of order;

* 470 cancer patients are likely to die as a result of the closure.

In addition, the economic impact of the siege has been devastating. Approximately 160,000 Gazans are out of work, $14 million from Gaza's strawberry and flower sectors have been wasted do to restrictions on export, and 80 percent of Gaza's 1.5 million residents is now dependent on food aid.

Saturday's gathering in Ramallah is particularly important so as to dispel the notion of this divide between the West Bank, especially Ramallah, and Gaza. "The divide is only a physical one; we are one people under siege," said Gaza 3ala Bali spokeswoman Huwaida Arraf, "The strangulation of Gaza is unconscionable. We call on the Palestinian leadership to do its utmost to pressure Israel to immediately lift the siege."

DATE: Saturday, February 23, 2008

TIME: 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Manara, Ramallah

ENDS

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