Of course Flotilla is Political Provocation

[P F Tinmore]

As the launch of the Freedom Flotilla – Stay Human approaches, increasing numbers of Zionist officials and commentators illuminate the depths of their moral and intellectual bankruptcy by arguing that it is a political – not humanitarian – project.

Ran Curiel, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, offers an example as good as any other. On May 10, he actually went to the trouble of calling a press conference in Strasbourg to offer this conclusion. “In our view, the flotilla is clearly a political provocation ... since there's no need for a flotilla to aid Gaza,” he said. “You can pass whatever you want to Gaza through normal channels.”

Curiel’s reasoning leaves much to be desired. Nobody seems entirely clear on what can enter Gaza through his “normal channels,” namely the Erez Crossing, and a large majority of its necessities continue to arrive at a high premium via tunnels from Egypt. And humanitarian opposition to the siege has always had more to do with its crippling effect on Gaza’s economy than its obstruction of aid. Due to the impossibility of legally importing most goods, or exporting nearly anything, unemployment now reaches 45%, and 300,000 people survive on a dollar a day.

Nevertheless, his conclusion is sound, if self-evident. The Freedom Flotilla is indeed “a political provocation.” Why shouldn’t it be? And when has it pretended to be anything else

Of course Flotilla is Political Provocation

 

[alexa]

As the launch of the Freedom Flotilla – Stay Human approaches, increasing numbers of Zionist officials and commentators illuminate the depths of their moral and intellectual bankruptcy by arguing that it is a political – not humanitarian – project.

Ran Curiel, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, offers an example as good as any other. On May 10, he actually went to the trouble of calling a press conference in Strasbourg to offer this conclusion. “In our view, the flotilla is clearly a political provocation ... since there's no need for a flotilla to aid Gaza,” he said. “You can pass whatever you want to Gaza through normal channels.”

Curiel’s reasoning leaves much to be desired. Nobody seems entirely clear on what can enter Gaza through his “normal channels,” namely the Erez Crossing, and a large majority of its necessities continue to arrive at a high premium via tunnels from Egypt. And humanitarian opposition to the siege has always had more to do with its crippling effect on Gaza’s economy than its obstruction of aid. Due to the impossibility of legally importing most goods, or exporting nearly anything, unemployment now reaches 45%, and 300,000 people survive on a dollar a day.

Nevertheless, his conclusion is sound, if self-evident. The Freedom Flotilla is indeed “a political provocation.” Why shouldn’t it be? And when has it pretended to be anything else

Of course Flotilla is Political Provocation

There is no question that the motivation of 'Free Gaza' is to keep the situation of Gaza in the world's attention. I read last year that the situation of the Palestinians had now reached that point in world awareness like South Africa once did where the world, people first, their governments following, will work to create change. Free Gaza has definitely had a part in this.

The effort started on a much smaller scale a few years prior, when a handful of people, dismayed at the lack of action by states to force Israel to end its deliberate persecution of Palestinians in Gaza, began discussing what average civilians could do about this. “Let’s sail a boat to Gaza,” suggested a fellow International Solidarity Movement activist from Australia. At first the idea seemed rather ridiculous, as not only did one of the most powerful militaries in the world have a naval blockade on Gaza, but we did not have a boat, the money to get a boat, or know the first thing about boats! However, optimism and perhaps a little bit of naiveté won out and discussions began as to how we could make this happen. A year and a half later, on 22 August 2008, 44 people from 17 different countries boarded two small fishing boats in Cyprus and set sail for Gaza. Realistically speaking, none of us expected to reach Gaza. What we did expect to do, however, is expose Israel’s closure policy as not being about security, as Israeli leaders claim. Our Greek-registered fishing boats - leaving from Cyprus, checked by Cypriot port authorities, carrying hearing aids, balloons, and people from various religious, cultural, and professional backgrounds, ranging in age from 21 to 81, including a Catholic nun, a Greek parliamentarian, an Israeli professor, and the sister-in-law of Tony Blair - did not constitute a threat to Israel. If Israel stopped us, it would not be for security reasons, but rather to enforce the isolation and strangulation of the people in Gaza.

Before voyaging into the Mediterranean we reviewed and prepared for every scenario we could think of, including being sunk, shot at, blockaded, and arrested. We realised full well that our undertaking was a dangerous one. None of us wanted to be a hero; no one wanted to die; but at the same time, we believed in the necessity and the power of what we were doing.

On 23 August 2008, after about 32 hours at sea and over 30 sick passengers, including our resident doctor and two nurses, our two small boats became the first to reach the shores of Gaza in over 41 years. Tens of thousands of elated Palestinians rushed to the port to welcome us in a humbling show of excitement, honour, and gratitude; all for something that we … that the world should have done years before. The mantra became, we “broke the siege.” But we did not break the siege. We overcame the blockade, once. We knew that to really end Israel’s stranglehold on Gaza, we would have to repeat our sail again and again, until we effectively opened a sea route to Gaza. That is what we promised the people of Gaza that we would do.

From October to December 2008, the Free Gaza Movement, as we decided to call ourselves, organised four more successful sea voyages to Gaza, taking in doctors, lawyers, journalists, professors, parliamentarians, a Nobel peace laureate, and others who could not enter Gaza any other way. We also took out of Gaza dozens of Palestinians who needed to travel for medical purposes or to take up educational opportunities in foreign countries, but were prevented from doing so by Israel. On our boats, for the first time Palestinians were able to exit and enter their homeland freely. It was beginning to look like we had indeed opened a sea route to Gaza, though unfortunately, we were the only ones using it. We had not yet managed to convince larger entities, particularly states or international NGOs with more resources than we had, to join us.

So no problem letting them in .....until after Cast Lead

Two days after Israel launched massive air strikes commencing its deadly 22-day assault on the Gaza Strip, the Free Gaza Movement organised an emergency mission to Gaza. On the small, 22-metre yacht we called the Dignity, we loaded three tonnes of medical supplies and 16 volunteers, including four doctors, a Cypriot member of parliament, a former US congresswoman, and journalists from CNN and Al Jazeera. On 30 December 2008, in the dark of night and still 90 miles from the coast of Gaza, an Israeli warship rammed our small vessel three times and left it to sink.

read the rest here http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=3382&ed=193&edid=193

Since then Free Gaza suffered unnecessary violence from Israel. Anyway I am in a rush now to get out but that is the drift. Israel started getting violent. For that reason and the safety of passengers they decided to go with a bigger flotilla last year. We all know what happened. 9 people were killed. Now pro Israelis are trying to make out that it is all a PR stunt. They always brought journalists, they have always been checked to confirm there are no weapons on board ...it has been high profile violence from Israel which has been the biggest source of media attention.

Their are even Israelis and pro Israelis who are trying to portray these people as 'terrorists'. That tells the mind set, peaceful protesters, never mind the people of Gaza are up agains6t. This is not new to the world. Similar conditions have been met before as Alice Walker said, she is walking in the steps of those who went before and bringing some hope to those still oppressed.

and yes publicity is good, better without the violence and they do bring changes too. Some, though I think not all it was made up to be, changes in the 'rations' allowed into Gaza last year and

Israel’s announcement of authorization for construction materials for 1,200 homes and 18 schools in Gaza is the latest achievement by the Freedom Flotilla, scheduled to sail next week.

Israel proves that Flotillas work

Good work by committed and courageous people from 20 countries of the world.

 

[docmauser1]

There is no question that the motivation of 'Free Gaza' is to keep the situation of Gaza in the world's attention.

Well, and distract the international community from the real crises, of course, and, naturally, syphon money that may be needed elsewhere.