I saw this headline at Ynet, and my heart leaped.
Israelis, Palestinians call for Shalit’s release
Solidarity at last?
Protest on both sides of fence: Hundreds of demonstrators from all over the country began blocking the Karni, Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings on the Gaza Strip border on Tuesday morning, in protest of the fact that Gilad Shalit has been held by Hamas for three years and in a demand for a sign of life from the Israeli soldier.
Nope.
On the Israeli side, the protestors planned to prevent the transfer of goods into the Strip. Dudu Gilboa, chairman of the People in Blue and White organization, said that the activists were blocking the crossings “in the hopes that this will send a message to the other side, that without a sign of life from Gilad we will only intensify our activities.”
The Palestinian protestors, on the other hand, are calling on Israel to open the crossings. “Shalit is one prisoner, but the lives of so many people are being run around him, and this blockade cannot continue,” said Sami Abed, a Palestinian journalist who organized the protest.
Business as usual.
The Palestinian rally was initiated by Sami Abed, who heard about the Israeli protest organized by Yoel Marshak. According to Abed, the demand to keep the crossings closed until the Shalit affair is solved is unfair and inhumane.
“We also want the Shalit affair to end and the siege on the Strip to be lifted. People say they cannot live like this for hundreds of years more,” he said, adding that the blockade was “a crime against Palestinian children.”
I wonder what the AP spin will be on this one.
If they want the crossings opened it’s simple.
1. Release Gilad Shalit, alive.
2. Stop attacking the crossings.
3. Stop firing rockets into Israel.
4. When you get stuff from Israel that you agreed to pay for, like electricity, pay for it. Don’t be deadbeats.
Note that these are all actions within the capability of the Palis to carry out. They need only act themselves to change the situation. No one else need hold up their perfomance. Amelioration of their situation is in their own hands. Evidently these points are too subtle for the Palestinian Arab mind to comprehend. Crikey.