Scores of Palestinians and internationals protest in Bethlehem against the Siege imposed on Gaza

About 150 Palestinians and internationals gathered on Tuesday evening in front of the Nativity church located in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem in protest of the Israeli imposed Siege of the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian child lighting a Candle for Gaza – Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura

The event was organized by local NGOs including Al Ruwwad cultural center in Aida Refugee Camp, Al Khader Popular Committee, Mithaq center, the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People, the mother organization of IMEMC, Al Fineeq Center, and Sirage center.

Protesters held banners calling for the end of the Israeli Siege of Gaza, after Short Speeches were delivered in Both Arabic and English, the participants chanted slogans calling for the end of the Israeli Siege and attacks against Palestinians in Gaza.

Hussam Jubaran, one of the Organizers of the event told IMEMC that this protest is a symbolic action to show support for the people in the Coastal Region, " our hearts are with our brothers in Gaza, we demand an immediate halt to this illegal Siege and the violent attacks Israeli is doing in the Gaza strip." Jubaran said

On Thursday last week, the Israeli government decided to keep up the pressure on the Gaza Strip by further attacking Palestinian resistance groups. On Friday Israel declared all Gaza's border crossings completely closed, with a total ban of the delivery of fuel and supplies to the coastal region. By Sunday Gaza had no electricity as the only power plant in Gaza depends entirely upon Israeli Fuel.

After a widespread international outcry following Israel cutting off of all fuel into Gaza, the Israeli authorities agreed to allow fuel and medicine into the Palestinian coastal region on Tuesday for one day only.

Israeli government sources stated on Tuesday that the latest fuel shipment Israel allowed into the Gaza strip is an attempt to sabotage any Security Council condemnation of the siege imposed on the Gaza strip by Israel. Arab states that have representation in the UN Security Council called of an emergency session on Tuesday in an attempt to win UN Security Council condemnation of the Israeli siege of the Gaza strip.

Protesters in Bethlehem Today – Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura