Rick Congress at his site:
Supporters of the flotilla fall into a trap if they take up the argument mainly on the basis of saying “there is a humanitarian crisis, and the US and Israel are lying about that.” While this statement is clearly true, it can draw us into an argument that is confined to debating about whether or not Gaza is getting enough aid to survive. It can reduce the exchange to an obfuscating “yes they do!” “no they don’t!” shouting match over Gaza having enough food and necessities….
The whole point really is political (in a good way). The target is the blockade. It’s a political act to force out the elected government and to collectively punish all Gazans for not meekly submitting to whatever Israel wants, which includes expelling the entire population and taking all the land; it is part of the long-term ethnic cleansing of Palestine. The blockade is also a war crime, illegal by international law and UN rules, and involves Israeli acts of piracy and murder in international waters. I think this should be at the forefront of our arguments.
