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Gaza Freedom March 2009 Historic Event
Following Israel's 22-day assault on Gaza in winter 2008-09, a diverse coalition focused on human rights and international law came together to mobilize an international contingent for a nonviolent march alongside the people of Gaza on Dec. 31, calling for an end to the illegal blockade. Our goal was and is to end the siege on Gaza. We demand that Israel end the blockade. We also call upon Egypt to open the border at Rafah allowing Palestinians the freedom to travel for study, work, commerce and much-needed medical treatment, and to receive visitors freely from abroad. Although we did not succeed in reaching Gaza in December 2009, we continue to see the Gaza Freedom March as part of a broader strategy to end the Israeli occupation by targeting non-violently its flagrant violations of international law from the house demolitions and illegal settlements to curfews and torture as well as armed attacks on civilian ships in international waters.

Order Out of Chaos: The GFM
Breaking the Siege: The GFM

Vigils IN Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. 
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San Francisco: Golden Gate to Gaza. 
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Un-forget the forgotten of Gaza - Seattlel.
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OFFICIAL PARTICIPANT UPDATES:
#1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8

Gaza Freedom March Coordinating Committee (CC)
This committee is charged with making strategic and policy decisions related to the march.

  • Medea Benjamin is cofounder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK: Women for Peace, and has helped organized five trips to Gaza since February 2009.
  • Felice Gelman works on Palestine issues with WESPAC Foundation. She is on the board of the Friends of the Jenin Freedom Theatre, and recently organized a New York area delegation to Gaza.
  • Mirene Ghossein has served on various human rights and cultural organizations in both Lebanon and the U.S. She is a member of Adalah (Arabic for Justice) NY, the Middle East Committee of WESPAC Foundation and Alwan for the Arts.
  • Abdeen Jabara is a Michigan-born lawyer and former president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (1986-1990).
  • Dina Kennedy is a member of American Palestinian Women's Association and a U.S. coordinator for Free Gaza.
  • Ehab Lotayef is a Montreal-based writer and engineer, and a veteran activist in the struggle for Palestinian rights.
  • Nancy Murray is president of the Gaza Mental Health Foundation and a long time activist for civil and human rights
  • Oruba Rabie is a Palestinian-American graduate student at New Jersey Institute of Technology and a writer for the "Arab Voice" newspaper.
  • Ann Wright is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former U.S. diplomat who resigned in opposition to the Iraq war and co-leader in 2009 of three CODEPINK delegations to Gaza and one delegation to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Gaza Freedom March Liaison Committee (LC)
This committee consists of the chairpersons of the various working committees.

  • Max Ajl is a writer, graduate student in political science and member of the Israel-Palestine Committee of Brooklyn for Peace. He is co-chair of the Media Outreach Committee.
  • Ali Glenesk is a fourth-year UC Berkeley student concentrating in Arabic and global poverty and was a lead organizer of the May 2009 40-person student delegation to Gaza. She is the contact person for the Gaza Freedom March Student Coordinating Committee (SCC).
  • Ali Mallah is vice president of the Canadian Arab Federation in Ontario, a member of the steering committee of the Canadian Peace Alliance, and a founding member of Trade Unionists Against War and the Coalition to Stop War. Ali is the contact person for the North American Muslim/Arab Community Outreach Committee.
  • Nadia Hijab is a syndicated columnist, author, public speaker and media commentator. She has served as co-chair of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and is a past president of the Association of Arab American University Graduates. 
  • Mark Johnson, PhD, is executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation/USA. He is co-chair of the march's Interfaith Outreach Committee.
  • Sayel Kayed is a Palestinian-American and an active member of American Muslims for Palestine. He helped organize the last Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza, July 2009. He is chair of the Arab-American Outreach Committee.
  • Dave Kunes is a  communications associate at the national office of Peace Action. He is chair of the Internet Outreach Committee.
  • Gael Murphy is co-chair of the legislative committee of United for Peace and Justice and a cofounder of CODEPINK. Murphy is the contact person for the Elected Officials Outreach Committee.
  • Pam Rasmussen is on the steering committee of Peace Action Montgomery and was an International Solidarity Movement volunteer in the West Bank. Rasmussen is the contact person for the Peace and Justice Outreach Committee.
  • Sandra Ruch is the Canadian coordinator for the march. She lives in Toronto and is the administrative coordinator for the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, on the steering committee of Independent Jewish Voices and Gaza coordinator for CODEPINK Toronto.
  • Ziyaad Lunat is the contact person for the European Outreach Committee. He is an activist for Palestine and a former BBC journalist. He was the head of the Palestine Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Committee Contact Info:

Peace and Justice Outreach 
Pam Rasmussen 
pam@gazafreedommarch.org

North American Muslim/Arab Outreach 
Ali Mallah 
alimallah@hotmail.com
Sayel Kayed
sayelkayed@yahoo.com

Gaza Outreach
Oruba Rabie
oruba17@gmail.com

Media 
Max Ajl
max@gazafreedommarch.org
Brad Taylor
BTaylor013@aol.com

Fundraising 
Felice Gelman
felice@gazafreedommarch.org

Internet Outreach 
Dave Kunes 
davegazafreedommarch@gmail.com

Student Outreach 
Ali Glenesk
ali.glenesk@gmail.com

Elected Officials Outreach
Gael Murphy 
gael@gazafreedommarch.org

International Outreach
Sandra Ruch
sandra@gazafreedommarch.org

European Outreach
Ziyaad Lunat
ziyaad@gazafreedommarch.org

Government Liaison and Logistics in Gaza/Egypt 
Ann Wright
ann@gazafreedommarch.org

Interfaith Outreach
Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb 
rabbilynn@earthlink.net
Mark Johnson 
mjohnson@forusa.org

Artist/Cultural Outreach 
Fatoosh Fatoosh
fatoosh67@yahoo.com


Historical Resources
Here are some resources to assist with your organizing efforts around the Gaza Freedom March:
  • Wonderful new "Gaza in Crisis" factsheet put together by the staff of AFSC Chicago. Download it here.
  • A flyer with a box at the bottom in which information on local events, etc. can be inserted. Download it here.
  • A quarter-page flyer for the march can be downloaded here.
  • A list of individuals who have traveled to Gaza who are willing to speak at events to help recruit support for the Freedom March. View or download it here. If you cannot pay one of these speakers' travel expenses and and want to explore alternatives, e-mail info@gazafreedommarch.org.
  • A "header image" for posters, invitations to a fundraiser, etc. Download it here.
  • Artwork for Gaza Freedom March buttons. Simply print, cut and assemble. Download it here.

Download and distribute these beautiful posters 
made for us by Artist Michael Thompson



ENDORSE THE GAZA FREEDOM MARCH! Sign the Pledge Below!

This is the official "call" for the Gaza Freedom March. Any other version is not authorized or correct.

Israel’s blockade of Gaza is a flagrant violation of international law that has led to mass suffering. The U.S., the European Union, and the rest of the international community are complicit.

The law is clear. The conscience of humankind is shocked. Yet, the siege of Gaza continues. It is time for us to take action! On Dec. 31, we will end the year by marching alongside the Palestinian people of Gaza in a non-violent demonstration that breaches the illegal blockade.  

Our purpose in this March is lifting the siege on Gaza. We demand that Israel end the blockade. We also call upon Egypt to open Gaza’s Rafah border. Palestinians must have freedom to travel for study, work, and much-needed medical treatment and to receive visitors from abroad. 

As an international coalition we are not in a position to advocate a specific political solution to this conflict. Yet our faith in our common humanity leads us to call on all parties to respect and uphold international law and fundamental human rights to bring an end to the Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 and pursue a just and lasting peace.

The march can only succeed if it arouses the conscience of humanity. Please join us.

The International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza 
(For more information, please see the Statement of Context & For a list of endorsers, please click here.)

To sign the Cairo Declaration, pls. go to: http://cairodeclaration.org/sign

 
 


Photography: Zoriah — www.zoriah.com
© 2011 GazaFreedomMarch.Org