"Swiss Activist Outlines Objective of Palestinian Protest: "To Influence Our Corresponding Nations"

Gathering Storm: Thousands Prepare for Pro-Palestinian March Towards Gaza

The heat's on in Egypt as thousands gear up for a pro-Palestinian rally scheduled for June 12. Early birds like Swiss activist, Samuel Crettenand, arrived as early as Tuesday evening, spearheading an initiative aiming to alleviate the siege around Gaza. Crettenand shares tense encounters with Egyptian authorities, who, despite a decades-long ban on public demonstrations, are yet to issue an official approval. He urges for collaboration to prevent potential chaos before the planned march to the Sinai desert on June 12.

A Contentious French-Israeli City Partnership

Tuesday's early arrivals faced a chilly welcome from Egyptian police, either at their hotels or the airport. In a nutshell, "(we) aren't here to target the Egyptian government," Crettenand asserts. He emphasizes the mission's purpose: to put pressure on our countries to address the Western-backed genocide in Gaza.

Egypt: A Guarded Ally

For Crettenand, security is paramount. He pleads for cooperation with local authorities. "We seek Egyptian authorities' support to ensure our safety," he clarifies, adding, "We don't have the green light, but we don't have a red light either. The march is a go, as long as there's no hard-line restraint from Egyptian authorities."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Wednesday, stating that access to the Gaza border depends on prior authorization, with no further details disclosed.

World March to Gaza: A Bold Plan

This march, as per its website, aims to "negotiate the opening of the Rafah crossing with Egyptian authorities, in collaboration with NGOs, diplomats, and humanitarian organizations." If approved, these activists aim to reside in Rafah from June 15 to 19.

Israel has requested that Egypt obstruct this march, along with a convoy called Soumoud (resistance in Arabic), comprising Tunisian, Algerian, Moroccan, and Mauritanian activists headed towards Gaza. Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds!

Enrichment Data:A search of current news archives reveals limited information about the Egyptian authorities' stance on the World March to Gaza and the Soumoud convoy towards Gaza in June 2021. Most available reports focus on events in June 2025, where Egyptian authorities detained and deported activists attempting to participate in the Global March to Gaza, citing national security concerns and the lack of authorization to enter Sinai. This march aimed to draw attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and challenge Israel's blockade.

If you are seeking information from June 2021, historical news archives or reports specific to that time may be worth consulting for more details. Here's a snapshot of the situation in June 2025:

Global March to Gaza: Thousands of activists from over 80 countries planned to march from Al-Arish to the Rafah border crossing to advocate for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza and highlight the escalating crisis.
Egyptian Response: Egyptian authorities detained and deported activists, citing national security concerns and a lack of authorization to enter Sinai. Many participants, including EU nationals, faced arrest or deportation.
Activist Reactions: The crackdown received criticism from activists, who felt surprised by Egypt's actions, which they perceived as supporting Israel's blockade.

The activist, Samuel Crettenand, urges for cooperation with Egyptian authorities in the politics and government sphere, expressing the need for their support to ensure safety during the World March to Gaza. Despite no official approval from the Egyptian authorities, Crettenand emphasizes that the march towards Gaza is still scheduled to occur, subject to no hard-line restraint.

"Swiss Activist Outlines Objective of Palestinian Protest: "To Influence Our Corresponding Nations"