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On Sunday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry informed international activists planning to enter Gaza for a march that its border with the Palestinian territory would be closed. Citing a “sensitive situation,” Egypt cautioned that activists defying the closing would face the enforcement of its laws. Organizers of the international Gaza Freedom March set to take place on New Year’s Eve have responded to the Egyptian government by publicly re-stating their intention to break the siege. Nearly 1,400 activists from over forty-two countries have already pledged to travel to Cairo en route to the war-devastated Palestinian territory in an effort aimed at commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza and demanding an end to the ongoing blockade. Delegates include the Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, Filipino Member of Parliament and anti-globalization activist Walden Bello, and 85 year-old holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein. Once inside of Gaza, participants plan to join in solidarity with Gazans in a march to the Erez/Israeli border. On the Israeli side, Palestinians and Jews will also be gathering in the call to end the siege. Events in solidarity with the march conceived in the spirit of non-violence have been organized worldwide as well as locally in Southern California. In addition, a contingent of Los Angeles-based activists set to travel to Gaza is making final preparations today before embarking.

GUESTS: Shae Popovich, Actor and Associate Director of the Office of the Americas, Nan Withington, Palestinian Rights Activist, both are local participants in the Gaza Freedom March.

Nan Withington announced the following contact information for the Egyptian authorities during the show, to urge Egyptian authorities to open the border to Gaza:

In the Egyptian government: ahmed.azzam@mfa.gov.eg

In the Egyptian Embassy: omaryoussef@hotmail.com, and 202-895-5400.