Naom Chomsky: My visit to Gaza contributes in ending the Israeli blockade

American scholar and activist Noam Chomsky expressed delight for finally being able to visit Gaza after many attempts to enter it by land and through Solidarity ships.

On Thursday, Chomsky arrived in Gaza where he was scheduled to attend the International English Language conference, at Gaza’s Islamic University

Chomsky stressed that his visit contributes to breaking the siege on Gaza, during a reception held by the Islamic University to welcome the delegation composed of academics from America, France, Britain and Canada, who arrived in Gaza on Thursday to partake in the first International English Language Conference in language, literature and linguistics.

He said that he was engaged in defending the Palestinian people and talking about their ordeal over the past seventy years.

Chomsky said that in May 2010, the Israeli regime- occupation authorities-  barred him from entering the occupied West Bank where he was to deliver a lecture at a Palestinian university. He finally had to broadcast his speech via video link from neighboring Jordan.

The head of the university’s administrative board and head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, MP Jamal al-Khudari, stressed that the arrival of the delegation proves to the occupation that the Palestinian people is being supported by all the free world.

For his part, head of the Islamic University, Dr. Kamalin Shaath, welcomed the delegation, stressing that the university has always sought to open the horizons of cooperation with the outside community, despite all the difficulties faced by Gaza; most notably the siege and the Israeli attacks.

The American professor entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing in coordination with Egyptian authorities and he is scheduled to tour refugee camps during his visit.

Professor Chomsky was born in 1929. He is well-known for his linguistic, philosophical and critical academic output in the field of language, literature, politics, philosophy and sociology. He is also famous for his intellectual and extremely vocal opposition to US foreign policy, as well as his criticism of the Israeli occupation.

Gaza News