The latest flotilla to try reach the coast of Gaza has been turned back — ships impounded and passengers deported — just like every other one since December 2008 (right before the launch of Israel’s massive attack). And although the effort was covered by some of the so-called “mainstream” media (ranging from CNN to The Guardian), the reporting is starting to treat the repeated forays as predictable events.
As Dan Murphy from the Christian Science Monitor observed, “‘Flotilla’ news is buried inside. That’s not entirely surprising… A repeat of the violence of 2010 is vanishingly unlikely, and such symbolic efforts lose force over time, as the public grows used to them.”
The one flotilla that actually forced a change in Israeli policy was in May 2010, when the passengers on board the Mavi Marmara actively resisted Israeli commandos, resulting in the murder of nine of the activists. I would argue that short of a government promising to take on Israel by sending its own ships as an escort, the same kind of resistance (sacrifice?) is required to achieve any kind of real impact. And perhaps even that tactic is no longer effective, since the international governing elite would likely criticize the activists for ignoring the lessons they should have learned from past experience.
So….is it time to rethink this strategy for breaking the siege of Gaza? To weigh whether the enormous expense of purchasing and outfitting ships that are later confiscated would be better spent elsewhere (like on advertising in support of BDS)?
I cannot help but think that we should work to bring as much media attention to the Palestinians living inside the prison that is Gaza as to ourselves, the “brave foreigners” who stare down the Israeli navy, get thrown into prison and then are deported home. I am well aware that many Western media don’t pay attention unless one of their own is harmed…I remember the relatively massive media coverage attracted by the murder of Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni. It was a tragedy indeed; Vik was a personal friend. But meanwhile, the routine killing of many more Palestinians goes virtually unnoticed.
In addition to these high-profile campaigns to “break the siege” by bringing in foreigners, why not put even more effort into helping Palestinians and their goods get out? As much as the Gazans love and welcome internationals who fight to visit their world, they would, I think, benefit even more from a little more help pushing traffic the other way.
The “common knowledge” is that it is impossible to get a single young man between the age of 18 and 40 out of Gaza, particularly to the United States. The assumption appears to be that either he is a terrorist, or will not want to return to his homeland — and the U.S. no longer subscribes to taking the “tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” I was told that straight out last year by a desk officer at the State Department, when I tried to get U.S. visas for two young Gazan men so they could join me on a speaking tour.
But that “universal truth” was proven wrong recently when the owners of a cinema chain called the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, managed to bring 23-year-old identical twins Tarzan and Arab (real names Ahmed and Mohamed Abu Nasser) from Gaza to the U.S. for an exhibit of one of their short films. I met the extremely talented pair while I was in Gaza earlier this year, and interviewed them for the Palestinian Gandhi Project. They cut unusual figures even in Gaza: Their hair is long and the word “swarthy” appeared to be coined just for them. They were the last ones you’d ever expect to get U.S. visas. And yet, they did — with the persistent, dogged efforts of the Alamo Drafthouse and the immigration attorney they hired.
The same was true for the DARG Team, a rap group I also interviewed for the project. Their champions were a Swiss group, and the effect of being allowed to see a bit of the world and to experience the comradeship of those on the “outside” is evident in their songs. Before finally making it out of Gaza to tour Europe, their lyrics mostly focused on death and destruction, because that was the sum and total of their lives. When they returned home, however, they wrote songs about “holding your head up high” and “rebuilding Gaza.”
The impossible becomes possible when supporters become committed champions. The videotaping of “Palestinian Gandhis” is just the first step; I hope these too-often-muffled voices of Palestine will be given as much attention as the frustrated flotillas. The next step will be to encourage “twinning” — matching teachers, artists, students, etc. to their counterparts in Palestine. My hope is that they will begin a collaboration that will help break down borders and other barriers. Isn’t that worth as much effort as getting more foreigners in? If you are interested in joining the effort, contact me.
Your view is correct, at least from where I sit in Istanbul. Israel is back to homebase on this run. Unless they actually harm one of the 21 prisoners, the news is over.
While it’s tempting, and amusing, to think of other ways that a flotilla could be organized, I think it may be more important to look at the way ordinary people change their minds about what Israeli really is. In my estimation, there are very few North Americans or Europeans who can visit the West Bank and return with any shred of respect for this Israeli government. Of course, Israel uses a variation of this technique to keep the US Congress onside — and it seems to work.
I wonder whether the organization of inexpensive trips to the West Bank, or perhaps tunnel-to-Gaza adventure tours, might produce more sympathy for Palestinians. The control point for Gaza, of course, is Egypt. We should be working now to find ways for them to give their permission as the Turks recently did. The control point for the West Bank is also difficult — but many have managed to do it.
As for bringing Palestinians out — Yes! This should be an exchange. I think it may be possible to find institutions that have a specific interest in some aspect of life in Gaza. For example, there are unions of fishermen who would understand immediately what it means to be shot at within four miles of your shoreline. I know of a mid-western orchard farmer who become outraged at the treatment of olive farmers once he understood that settlers were destroying trees.
It was our encounter with Palestinians accountant in Canada that got us involved. Imagine the excitement!
Karen’s few days in the spa at Givon has made her more resolute and it seems to have the same effect on other “ordinary” people.
A very easy way is to loudly demand a resolution to boycott all Israeli products at your university:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbnT1hmdD-w
That will cause enough panic among the Zionists on campus. They will then increase the publicity your boycott campaign receives.
We, the imprisoned foreign nationals are the lucky ones. We at least have supporters at home and consuls who watch over us the best they can. What happens to Palestinian political prisoners and to ordinary Palestians daily is far worse–there is no pressing need for the state of Israel to prove to anyone that they are not abusing Palestinians.
I agree with your analysis that we need to keep trying to change the behaviour of the state of Israel. But I also see more and more ordinary people becoming activists after they understand our story is not about us, but about what Israel does to ordinary Palestinians and to Palestinian political prisoners when no one is looking. There are different ways to help people make that imaginative leap.
I have long heard the argument that the money for a ship may be better spent on BDS. I believe that every effort is valuable in a different way in that although they may overlap, there are some people whose imagination is more activated by one or the other.
This I do know– more ships are coming. I don’t know when. There will be more smaller, cheaper ones. I am guessing that legal action will be taken to get the Tahrir returned. After that, we shall see. Freedom rules the waves. Israel waives the rules.
But our numbers are growing.
Would it be worth looking into an action against Israeli boats in Europe ? Even plastering them with BDS stickers would be newsworthy. Especially private boats. Greek Islands in summertime.
Alternatively spraying Israeli boats with water would get attention. Give them the same treatment that the flotillas get near Israel.
F*ck Israeli impunity
Hey Pam,
I have a radio show on West Philadelphia’s community radio station WPEB 88.1, entitled “Radio Against Apartheid.” We are “amplifying voices for justice and equality in the Middle East”.
We just started a few weeks ago, and we’ve already featured Omar Offendum and Susan Abulhawa. This week’s show features an interview with Joseph Dana and Jesse Rosenfeld, and we have plans to speak with representatives from the Great Book Robbery as well as a discussion with philosopher Judith Butler.
We would love the opportunity to feature more Palestinian voices on the radio. RadioAgainstApartheid@Gmail.com if you have any particular contacts who may be interested.
Thanks in advance!