Dear Editor,

I want to let you and your readers know about an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about the dire situation surrounding the Gaza Strip this Wednesday, Jan. 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., when Students for Justice in Palestine will be hosting a teach-in at the UCSD Cross-Cultural Center’s Art Space Room for anyone interested.

From Dec. 27, 2008 to Jan. 18, 2009, Israel carried out a 22-day military assault on the Gaza Strip which killed over 1,400 people, injured over 5,000 and left approximately 50,000 people homeless. Only 26 miles long and 6 miles wide, Gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Although Israeli tanks have rolled out of Gaza, the devastation and illegal blockade continues to this day.

Keynote speaker will be Reem Salahi, a member of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) — among the first delegations to enter Gaza less than a month after the Israeli bombings last year. Reem will report back using personal pictures, research and live case studies from the NLG’s fact-finding mission. Audience members will gain insight of daily life in the open-air prison better known as the Gaza Strip.

— Leena Barakat

Public Relations Director,

Students for Justice in Palestine