The Undertaker of Freedom
As the Freedom Flotilla approaches ever closer to besieged Gaza, the Hasbara campaign continues full speed ahead.
While Gaza continues to suffer the most methodical modern-day asphyxiation of modern history, where the most basic rights of child and adult alike…the right to food, to life, to work, to health, to learn, to play… are purposefully denied and where the lists of what shall be denied are crafted and tweaked on a weekly basis, then approved and applauded by friend and foe alike, we continue to hear the naysayers; even the media, misinforming, justifying, questioning why such a flotilla need attempt to sail to Gaza. Why the fuss and the worry.
“We offered them alternative ports and crossings to enter…!
“Israel allows in plenty of aid…!”
“The people of Gaza are thriving! No need for an outcry or food!”
To put things in perspective, the latest reports from aid organizations, including the UN and the umbrella organization AIDA (Association of International Development Agencies) give sobering statistics:
at least a quarter of medical permits for life-threatening conditions have been denied by Israel;
*70% of the population survives on under a dollar a day (with an average family spending just 56 US cents on food a day).
*41% of the population unemployed.
*Half the farm land is out of production or inaccessible due to the Israel destruction and “buffer zones”;
*61% of the population is food insecure. 65% of children are. 65% of babies are anemic.
*Fishing catches are down by 72% since fishing zones have now been further restricted to only 3 nautical miles at best-just below Sardine catch lines.
*Allowable exports are at nearly 0% compared to 3000 tons of strawberries and cherry tomatoes and 55 million carnations that were exported to Europe and elsewhere previously. Imports are 70 trucks TOTAL since December. This is compared to 118 daily in the past.
*12 hour electricity outages
“But they are run by a terrorist government!…”
“Rocket-throwers!”
“Kidnappers!”
“Evil-doers!”
“Arabs!”
“Key principles of humanitarian action include that the aid be delivered with neutrality and impartiality, it should “do no harm” to the people and that it not be used to advance political objectives. These principles have been severely lacking in the international humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip” reminds Alegra Pachecho, an attorney and worked for an international humanitarian organization in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for seven years.
There is, of course, as GISHA points out, the obvious contradiction in terms of how the blockade can be so successful by Israeli standards if Gaza, in the Israeli government’s own words, is “thriving”.
We can hear statistics day and night. They are jaw-dropping, especially when we consider that they have been created purposefully; that their existence is actively encouraged and applauded: “It’s like an appointment with a dietitian. The Palestinians will get a lot thinner, but won’t die,” said the Israeli government’s infamous adviser, Dov Weisglass, once explaining the Gaza siege to Israel’s post Palestinian elections Hamas strategy team, who reportedly rolled over laughing.
But in the end, this blockade, this siege, this occupation, never was about food or unemployment at face value, as shocking as these statistics are. It is about creating a situation-of fear and insecurity and exhaustion and hopelessness- where we all agree to accept this siege willingly; this occupation; this slave-hood; where we are willing collaborators in our own imprisonment and we nod our heads approvingly, helplessly, reflexively, and laud the noble efforts of the humane occupier, the pioneer of empty lands, at once an anti-imperialist democracy and the Undertaker of Freedom.
To quote Darwish:
“This siege will endure until we are truly persuaded
into choosing a harmless slavery, but
in total freedom!”
And by we, I do not just refer merely to Palestinians.
05/31/2010 at 7:39 am
Israel has proven once again that it is a terrorist state. Only terrorism can kill innocent people even those who come to help others suffering, and Israel has today shown the whole world that not only does it massacre the residents of Palestine but anyone who come in aid to help them also meets the same fate.
This is truly a sad day for humanity against evil. The governments need to voice their condemnation against Israel.
BOYCOTT ISRAEL TODAY
05/31/2010 at 5:03 pm
Laila, I feel very sad, the flotilla was attacked and activists killed; the perpetrators act as victims and the victims are painted as terrorists. I don’t want to hate but how can I not hate these inhuman people behind Israel sponsored terrorism and subsequent propoganda? May Allah help the aid workers on board the flotilla, may Allah protect them.
05/31/2010 at 7:12 pm
in a related story .. see this ..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100526/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictisraelgaza_20100526164429
the nerve!
05/31/2010 at 10:00 pm
Ayesha,
Imam Ghazali once said to one of his students who said he “hated” someone that “hate” is a very strong word, and that we should never say we hate so and so person, since they are a creature of God, but rather that we hate their actions. We must channel the anger we feel into something constructive; for me, it is writing an op-ed to my newspaper here (hopefully tomorrow). for everyone, it is something different, even if it is just du’a-never underestimate the power of one!