2009 July » Existence is Resistance

Greetings From A Five Hour Lay Over in Frankfurt!

Jul 112009

Ayman on the plane.
Lamis Deek and i have arrived at Frankfurt airport. We are both
exhausted after a long flight and are waiting to catch our next flight
to Egypt that will bring us closer to our goal which is reaching Gaza.

This great convoy which is being led to Gaza by British MP George
Galloway has inspired many of us around the US to unapologetically
declare our full support of the people of Gaza and the whole of
Palestine.

Our brothers and sisters in Gaza have been suffering from a barbaric
Israeli blockade that has been suffocating them and depriving the
people of basic necessities.

The goal of this convoy is to deliver medical supplies and other aid
to the people in an effort to publicize what is going on and to do our
best to break this siege.
I am extremely excited about going to Gaza and to tell the people
there that they are not alone and that millions of people worldwide
stand with them and their struggle for liberation from Zionist
occupation that has no right to build a state on another peoples
land. They might have gotten away with it 500 years ago but there is
no room for colonialism in the twentieth and twenty first centuries.
In the age of facebook and twitter they cannot hide their crimes
against the people of the middle east. Yikes!

Ayman

Ayman Lifts Off!! 7-10-09

Viva Palestina USA Convoy 2009 No Responses »

Jul 102009

Masalama Baba/Amu Ayman!

So it’s finally here, the crew are all in transit to the final mission: Operation Viva Palestina! My brother Ayman borded an afternoon flight with Lamis Deek of Al-Awda New York, and they will arrive in Germany with a five-hour lay over and then in Cairo where a taxi will meet them for a SIX hour drive to Arish, Egypt where they will meet the rest of the crew.

Lamis and Ayman

You can see my kids, Amir and Rami with their beloved “Amu Ayman” and cousin Munir, seeing him off. You cannot see me or Renee, Ayman’s wife who is so supportive and encouraged him fiercely to take this momentous journey. I will be awaiting a text from Lamis in Germany telling me they have made it that far. It’s a very intense time for everyone at Existence Is Resistance, we are just overwhelmed with emotions and hopes for the people of Gaza.

Yesterday, my son Amir turned three, Ayman needed to renew his passport, and since he’s on Arabi time…he did it with one day to spare. We all packed up and took a trip down to Philly where we chilled and played with people dressed up as colonial citizens…oh colonialism, how you wave “Hello” at us at all times.
The passport office was of course more like an interrogation room, with a surname like “El Sayed” you can imagine what Ayman was asked…
“Why are you going to Egypt?…What countries in the Middle East have you been to…Why…Who paid for your ticket?”
It’s a real slap in the face for a guy who was born in Brooklyn, who talks about unity at any chance he gets, he really could care less, that’s Ayman, always looking at the bright side…it was me teasing him after; “Why are you Arab? Do You have 4 wives? Why not?” To heck with the haters, we’re doing it baby!!!
The Passport Fiasco

From Carolina (Puerto Rico) to Cairo- Alejandro Makes His Way to the Convoy!

Viva Palestina USA Convoy 2009 No Responses »

Jul 082009

It’s July 8th, and at about 4:00pm, I superstitiously made Alejandro, or as I endearingly refer to as Ale, walk under my old miniature Qua’ran as he exited the car on his way to check in at JFK. A Gaza Bound Alejandro At Terminal 4- Egypt Air It was an unbelievable feeling for him, born on the Lower East Side and growing up most of his life in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Ale has never left this hemisphere. What a fantastic way to say “Adios” to NYC and “Merhaba” to the Middle East. What’s even better is that as a member of Existence Is Resistance, Alejandro has been directly involved with the Palestinian Rights struggle and intimately connected, going to Gaza is going to be a very spiritual experience for him, I just know it. Oh, and as if it wasn’t good enough, he’s riding next to New York City Councilman Charles Barron, who just a week ago lead us to the front of the Israeli Mission during a demonstration! EIR in da house!!! Here’s to you Ale, out of the 238 people on this amazing convoy, I can almost be positive that you’ll be the only one carrying the Puerto Rican flag aside the Palestinian one, que viva una Palestina libre!!!!
Mariam

Al Jazeera Coverage of the Viva Palestina Send-Off Rally in Brooklyn and at JFK Airport (In Arabic)

Viva Palestina USA Convoy 2009 No Responses »

Jul 062009

Photos Day 1- July 5th 2009

Viva Palestina USA Convoy 2009 No Responses »

Jul 062009

Just in some photos from the landing in Cairo where the press conference was not appreciated by the Egyptian authorities…thanks Nancy. You can feel the unity just looking at people’s faces!