BEIRUT, (PIC)-- A grouping of Arab popular committees has declared that Friday 8/8/2008 would be dubbed "The Arab and international day to open the Rafah crossing and break the Gaza siege".

The general coordinator of popular committees in Lebanon, Ma'en Bashur, briefed Hamas's deputy political bureau chairman Dr. Mousa Abu Mazrouk in Cairo on the initiative.

Bashur said that Palestinian national unity must be restored on the basis of national concord document, and added that an Arab, international campaign would be soon launched to demand the release of 12,000 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli occupation jails.

He pointed out that efforts were underway to prepare for the Arab, international conference on the Palestinian right of return that is scheduled to be held in Damascus in mid November and would be attended by thousands from Arab and foreign countries to highlight RoR.

Meanwhile, MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the chairman of the anti-siege committee, said that the foreign vessel heading to Gaza to break the siege would set sail on Thursday from a European port and would head to Cyprus.

He said in a press statement that the ship would pass by a number of islands on its way to Cyprus where it would collect material and symbolic aid to the Gaza Strip.

The lawmaker said that the ship would anchor at Cyprus on 5-6/8/2008 before proceeding to Gaza where it is slated to arrive by 6-7/8/2008.

On the Israeli position regarding the ship, Khudari said that Israel should consider ending the siege and opening all Gaza crossings instead of thinking how to confront a peaceful ship that is sailing to express solidarity with the besieged Palestinian people.