Updates from the Rafah crossing

Posted on By 3arabawy

Mubarak’s pigs are shipping travelers back and forth between the borders now in Central Security Forces trucks like detainees.. The following SMSs are from Nora who’s inside a CSF truck now…!

I.m cold! Palestinians were brought to border in central sec forces trucks. They’re being let into gaza. Its taking ages. I.m tired.
False hopes.. I.m freezing.. Some 3000 egyptians r cold & hungry here.. Rumor all will be taken in CSF cars then ma7dar tasalol
Now inside CSF car
In deep sorrow, goodbye Gaza! Believe it or not, it was more safe there…

UPDATE: Amr called in from Cairo to confirm Nora is currently held in a CSF truck, with around 40 Egyptians, mainly women and children. They were taken to school building in Rafah. There is a number of trucks in the school also with more detained travelers. The school has been taken over by the security services. There are scores of CSF soldiers in and around the school, armed with teargas canons.

UPDATE: Amr says:

Spoke with Nora again. 3 officers are taking the details of estimated 5,000 Egyptians returning from Gaza. She is out in Egyptian Rafah streets and should be heading back to Cairo.

Egypt’s press freedom backslides

Posted on By 3arabawy

From the Daily News Egypt:

Egypt was ranked seventh in the world’s top 10 “backsliders” by the New York-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ).
In its annual report, CPJ listed the top 10 countries where press freedom has deteriorated most in the last five years.
The report said 2007 was the worst year for journalism and press freedom in a decade.

Cartoon by Eric Drooker

Mubarak’s pigs open fire on Palestinians

Posted on By 3arabawy

From Al-Jazeera:

A Palestinian has been shot dead and five people wounded, including two Egyptian border guards, in an exchange of fire along the Gaza-Egypt border, Palestinian medics and Egypt’s news agency Mena say.
The Palestinian sources on Monday named the dead man as Hamed al-Qadi, 40.
In addition to the three other Palestinians shot and wounded, 12 people were treated for tear-gas inhalation.
The injuries occurred after Egyptian police opened fire to disperse a protest by a crowd of angry Gazans, medics said.
Mena said two policemen were shot and wounded on Egypt’s side of the border, after witnesses had earlier reported three policemen were shot.
Thirteen more policemen were treated in hospital for injuries caused by stones, medics said.
The Associated Press news agency reported that the tensions erupted when Egyptian guards sealed the border hermetically, not even allowing Egyptians and Gazans who had found themselves on the wrong side of the border to return home.

U.S. Dog كلب الأمريكان

Nora Younis was at the crossing, she sent out the following SMSs:

Clashes at border. Egypt sec guards throwing stones at palestinian side from behind metal blocks. Pal kids throwing back. Hamas guards sent all stranded people backwards from border. Chances it will be forced open. Hamas radio called people to rally gaza streets now for opening of crossings
Egypt sec throwing tear has bombs at palestinians. Pal kids pick it up and throw it back. Wind is in palestinians favor. All smoke is going to egypt.
Egypt is intensifying army presence on top of buildings. Tension rising. Pals keep sending tens of tear gas bombs back. It will be forced open.