Palestinian parliamentarians launch sit-in calling for lifting siege of Gaza

Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) started on Sunday a protest in front of the Rafah Crossing, calling upon the world to lift the eight-year long siege of the Gaza Strip.

Deputy Speaker of the PLC Ahmed Bahr said: “We are calling upon our brothers and sisters in the state of Egypt to open the crossing to allow food and goods into the Gaza Strip in a move to break the oppressive siege.”

Speaking by telephone, PLC member from the West Bank Mona Mansour joined the protest, saying that: “We are calling for lifting the siege imposed on our brothers and sisters in Gaza, as well as calling for affording a dignified life for them.”

Hamas spokesperson Mosheer Al-Masri, who is also a PLC member, noted that since the military coup in Egypt last summer, the siege of Gaza has been stricter than it was during the age of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

He called for Egyptians to be responsible for the Palestinians’ needs and to go ahead in their efforts towards lifting the siege, pointing out that: “The whole world together failed to oust the government in Gaza eight years ago. We are still sticking to the same principles and we send a message of persistence and our great desire to liberate our land.”

Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh called for the world powers to protect the children of Palestine from the continuous aggressions of the Israeli occupation.

Haniyeh launched his call from Al-Shifa hospital, the main hospital in Gaza, during a visit he gave to a child suffering from a serious injury after he was wounded by Israeli occupation forces on Friday.

MEMO photographer: Mohammed Asad

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