United, we will never be defeated

In the beginning, when we arrived in Egypt and couldn't go to Gaza, we all thought that the US interests had won. We had spent a lot of energy and money to make this trip, all for nothing.

But sometimes the best laid imperial plans backfire. Instead of sending us to Gaza where we would be on small groups touring the war torn areas, we were concentrated and angry, 1,300 antiapartheid activist, with nothing to do in Cairo.

A massive, week long antiapartheid workshop ensued. We planned rallies and marches, we developed non violent resistance actions, and we earned our badges of courage on the streets of Cairo. That's 43 countries at last working together to learn from and support each other in the struggle.

Code Pink will be seen as the proud parent of a new movement ready to strike out on its own. The South African delegation will be seen as our mentor,  in teaching us the aggressive, non violent tactics that finally brought down apartheid South Africa.

So instead of thwarting our efforts by closing the Gaza border, the Egyptian government has given us worldwide momentum. We have been on CNN and on front page on the NY Times. We have emerged with a 10 point program that lays the groundwork for ending the criminal regime that is the Israeli government. And we have focused our attention on the origin of much of Israel's fascist agenda, the imperial empire of the United State. For it is this empire that controls both Eygpt and Israel, and that enforces the blockade of 1.5 million people in Gaza.

The end of apartheid Israel will be a defeat for this empire, a threat to the war criminals that run the United States. But it will be accomplished. MLK said that the "arc of history is long but it bends toward justice." All of us on the Gaza Freedom March are privileged to be a small part of that long arc. It is a gift to each of us, the privilege to do the right thing.