Dear friends,
Daily we follow the news and as always our heart is with you.
We enjoyed with you the little bit of freedom you had in the last few days. Of being able to go out, and go to the shops, as normal people. We also know that none of your problems have been solved and there are still hard times ahead.
But this I want to tell you and share with you: never before have the media been so interested in the Palestinian people. Daily there were big pictures in the papers and lines on the front page like: Gazans will not let themselves be locked up! We saw mothers with children carrying sacks of flour on their heads, we saw donkeys who could not carry the heavy load, we saw children playing on the fallen wall. (I will take the newspapers with me next time I come to Gaza) Conny Mus, the journalist, you met him, was in the middle of the people at the border and showed them on tv. It was wonderful.
Usually pictures of Gaza are about fighting, we see the images of fighting men with masks and guns and flags and people think those are the real and only Palestinians. But this time all the attention was for the Palestinian people. This is a change. Always I think: how can I show the people in the Netherlands what Gaza is really like, not just te suffering, but also the courage, the endurance, the sumud, the pleasure. I show how even in the middle of this prison you made an beautiful birthdayparty for me and we sang together and were happy.
Now you have done the world outside a big favour by showing them who you really are, and even knowing nothing is really solved and the suffering and misery will continue, for a few days me and your other friends were happy.
To-day the head of the UNRWA, Karen Koning Abuzayd visits our parliament, and will tell them about the urgency of the situation. To-night I have an appointment with her. I hope she can convince more parliamentarians about the serious situation in Gaza.
With all my love and God bless you all,
Anja
I hope she will convince our minister of foreign-affairs of the serious situation and that he will finally stop supporting the Israeli’s blindly.
I hope the outbreak at Rafa gave you some strength again. Today there will be a demonstration against the siege on Gaza here in Holland. I’m going there also.
I wish you all the best
Frankly, you non-stop endeavors start to change the view of Dutch people to the Palestinian people; people all over the world have recognized the real ordeal our people have been going through. I am totally with you that pictures of Palestine are changing, when touching the humanitarian side of our case.
Hopefully, we are armed with will to have things much better so near since Palestinians have the right to live like others do. We aspire peace and tranquility for all people in the world.
Dear Anja
We all would like to show our gratitude and appreciation for your sympathy and concerns and we are not astonished of your highly broad-mindedness of all events here in Gaza and especially the temporary opening of the border with Egypt .What we all hope is the lasting opening of borders in order to get natural practice of our activities and life .
We really owe a lot for your enduring engagement of our realm in Gaza , so we realize how much your consideration on the reality of our circumstances and daily life here as you still have more acknowledge than others outside and you represent both the best witness and messenger who can depict the view to all people either in Netherlands or any other concerned parliamentarians .
NCCR Team
Gaza
Thanks so much for shedding the light on the Palestinian people’s ordeal. We touch a ray of change concerning the world view towards people in Gaza. We aspire conditions could work more promisingly in the nearest future
We, as Palestinians, are harvesting your remarkable efforts for changing the Gazans’ nature in people’s eyes. I hope tomorrow could help better future of our people. On behalf of all Gazans, I express our extended gratitude for all what you are doing. You are a candle; you consume yourself to light for others.
Dear Anja
First of all , I would like to extend my great greetings to you Anja and all our wonderful friends in Holland for your enduring efforts toward us in Gaza . As we are used to surf your website every morning to supply with hope and willingness when we still feel of your support and sympathy .So , many great thanks for you and may God bless you to continue your support to our needs and issues .
Rasha , NCCR , Gaza
It is like Anja said, I felt so proud these days. When not only Al jazeera but also CNN and othe news broadcasters were calling this “the biggest jail-break in history”. This means that finally they don’t ignore the fac that Gaza is the biggest prison on earth.We all know that this was a temporaly measure, and that they will close Gaza either today or tomorrow again, and that there are more difficult times ahead. But my dear friends, you did something remarkable. I hope so much that once this terrible suffering will be over. And you showed again that it are the normal people, not politicians, are able to struggle for their rights.
Well Anja;
We beleive that we all are in your hearts and know very well that its making you happy the little freedom we are practicing.
We could buy many things that were missed from our markets and cigarettes are available with the old price.
Dear NCCR-friends, Dear all,
It was very emotional to see on Dutch television all the thousands of Gazan people crossing the border. For a little taste of freedom. For days going on.
It felt soo very good and just !
Now – being a smoker also – I had to laugh because of Ramadans message: that the cigarettes are the old price again ..
Keep up the good work of NCCR.
You all are in our heart !
GAZA
Once the prison wall has broken
We can’t but see this as a token:
People who just want to live
Need freedom to get and to give
I want to say hallo to Khaled and thank the NCCR for sending me, through Kifaia, a wonderfully beautiful embroidered postcard. It’s the one with the red flowers and the words “peace” in English and “salam” in Arabic. Please thank the maker and tell her I’ll cherish it.
The text inside reads: “For the peace, with peace, all of us shall pray in peace, to keep our hearts whole.”
I feel encouraged to my keep my heart whole and send it out to all of you in Gaza,
Ruben
I also want to thank the NCCR to sending me again a beautifull postcard which freedom and something in Arabic. And a little pillow. I am very pleased. I should keep it carefully and hope and pray that you all may live in freedom very soon.
Much graetings from
Corrie van der Hart