American Activist, Aishah Schwartz Joins Pre-Nakba Celebrations in Cairo and Rafah

May 14, 2011 - PRLog -- CAIRO, EGYPT (MWA-Net) - Gearing up for May 15 Palestinian Nakba Day celebrations, American Activist, Aishah Schwartz attended Friday morning fajr prayer services at Cairo's Masjid Al-Noor, where thousands of worshipers filled the masjid to capacity. The overflow of attendees filled the steps leading into the masjid and out into the Egyptian military secured street-front.

At the conclusion of their prayers worshipers massed outside Masjid Al-Noor waving Palestinian flags and chanting boisterously in support of their Palestinian counterparts.

The May 15 commemoration events for the Nakba (translated as 'Catastrophe') Memorial Day mark the occasion during which more than 700,000 Palestinians - estimated today to number 4.7 million with their descendants - were pushed into exile or driven out of their homes in 1948. Additionally, Israeli forces destroyed more than 400 villages in their wake.

Refugees in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria were also to mark the anniversary from Friday onwards.

Also in advance of May 15 Nakba celebrations, Ms. Schwartz has joined the Egyptian-International Coalition for Ending the Blockade and Rebuilding Gaza, led by Organizer and Public Affairs Director Ahmed Elassy, of Cairo, in traveling to the Rafah border.

The group, in follow-up of a commitment announced on April 17 by Egyptian Foreign Ministry officials to facilitate delivery of goods and supplies Elassy requested be delivered to the Palestinians in Gaza, has arrived to the Rafah border in anticipation of fulfilling its mission.

On April 29 Foreign Minister Al-Araby announcement Egypt's intention to permanently open the Rafah border, stating that Egypt would take, "important steps to help ease the blockade on Gaza in the few days to come."

Further signaling Egypt's intention to move forward with pro-Palestinian changes in foreign policy, The Unity Agreement, signaling the conclusion of intra-Palestinian political hostilities between Fatah and Hamas, was signed in Cairo on May 4.

Serving as a catalyst for The Unity Agreement was the Gaza Youth Breaks Out (GYBO) March 15 revolution. Palestinian youth, reportedly more than 65% of the territory's population, called for unity demonstrations that were widely publicized and supported by global solidarity movements. Among GYBO's demands was a call for immediate unity and reconciliation among Palestinian political factions, as well as free and fair elections.

According to The Unity Agreement signed in Cairo on May 4, the Legislative, Presidential, and Palestinian National Council elections will be conducted within one year from the date of signing.

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Aishah Schwartz, a Muslim American, is an internationally renowned human rights activist and writer focusing on the rights of Muslim women and the plight of the Palestinian people affected by the Israeli imposed illegal embargo on Gaza. Full biography here: http://aishahsjourney.blogspot.com/2010/06/aishah-schwart...