The Flotilla

 

Another flotilla is plying its way to Gaza, nominally with the goal of delivering “humanitarian” goods to a territory blockaded by Israel. Here is a part of the report of that event that appeared in the EU Observer yesterday (June 27, 2011):

All 27 EU countries in Brussels on Friday signed a statement saying: "Humanitarian assistance ... [to Gaza] should be in accordance with the relevant framework and decisions of the UN and should take care not to endanger human lives."

There are ulterior motives, however, and endangering human lives is the flotilla's goal, notwithstanding the declarations of its supporters.ⁱ Indeed, the need for a flotilla to provide “humanitarian assistance” is imaginary, since there are legal means for delivering needed resources – both through Israel and Egypt.ⁱⁱ

Also included in that article:

The IDF's [Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman Avital] Leibovich said it has a right to stop the boats under the maritime law, the San Remo convention. She added that three months ago a ship claiming to be carrying food to Gaza, the Victoria, had bullets, mortars and ship-to-shore missiles on board.ⁱⁱⁱ

But that is irrelevant to the situation which is really intended as a propaganda measure at a time when more are anticipated.

As I noted a few weeks ago, "The upcoming UN debate over the recognition of Palestinian and the deligitimization of Israel, along with the latest Durban clone,^iv are certain to attract further attention by the media and, through them, the public. Whether the questions raised by the debate are themselves legitimate is arguable though. The real issue, however, is why there is so little attention to the crimes perpetrated by the various Arab States – to their racism, sexism, homophobia, corruption, and lack of regard for human rights. There is no attention to the issue of whether, for example, Should Syria exist? Like Israel it is the creation of an international body, but unlike Israel it has no historical basis. And whether or not there is a historical basis for a particular state, there is at least as much reason^v to question some of its neighbors as Israel itself.^vi"  This effort, like many previous ones and, sadly, like many to come, is linked more to public opinion than to fact, logic and equity.

Whatever the arguments of Muslims, Jews, and “bystanders,”^vii there seems to be a dearth of critical thinking and discussion of other countries – countries which already possess hundreds of times the area and population of Israel – and by other countries. Is it purely a matter of selling papers or is there more involved? The vast majority of the media will probably not notice the cautions sent by the European Union, Israel, the United States, and other nations to those participating in the provocation. The press's stories will be based on whatever propaganda releases come from the ships or Palestinian sources.

What is the reason for such attitudes? Different people will have different explanations for the desperate call to discredit and delegitimize Israel.  I know I have my own.^viii  But they're not relevant.  They're all focused on Israel. They don't address the real problem. They don't ask the right questions.

i     Extensive publicity was gained from the last flotilla when members of the IDF, attacked by passengers on one of the ships, fought back and killed some of them.

ii    Egypt recently opened its border with Gaza. While smuggling of weapons into Gaza from Egypt took place before that, the new situation makes such acts easier.

iii     Israel has also been forced to stop other ships containing weapons from reaching Gaza and Hamas, an organization whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. It is disingenuous to suggest that Hamas will be willing to make peace with Israel. They proclaim loudly that they will never do so.

iv     In polite society the question will be raised as “Should Israel be delegitimized?” At the “Durban” conference it is more likely that it will be “Shouldn't Israel be delegitimized?”

v     Actually there are many more reasons.

vi     Syria is only intended as an example. There are other tyrannies in the Arab world that oppress their own citizens, as the “Arab Spring” is demonstrating. Whether those tyrannies are legitimate is a subject that is worthy of wider debate.

vii    “Objective” observers whose views are formed by the media and other Palestinian propaganda. Sadly there is a pro-Palestinian bias in the media, and the vast majority of “news” from the Middle East satanizes all actions taken by Israel, and sanitizes those of the Palestinians.

viii    It's hard for me not to see anti-semitism as part of the hidden agenda of those who want to see Israel destroyed.