Multi-million Dollar Publicity Stunt Reveals Gaza Marchers’ True Objectives

by Noah Shack
Government Relations Research Associate, Canada-Israel Committee

“Could our resources have been more wisely used? Without a doubt, though it’s easier to criticize than to envision.” – David Symons, a ‘Gaza Freedom March’ participant.

In response to an endless barrage of rockets being fired from Gaza onto civilian populations in southern Israel, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in December of 2009.

On the first anniversary of that operation, 1,360 people joined Mr. Symons in Cairo on the Gaza Freedom March, the announced goal of which was to break the so-called blockade of Gaza. This small number was a far cry from the Million-Man March show of force that they hoped for. But more importantly, it appears that an obsessive condemnation of Israel edged out the welfare of Gazans as the core objective.

If a repeat of this ill-fated campaign were planned for next year, a quick visit to Air Canada’s website shows that a single, round trip, economy class ticket from Toronto to Cairo would cost $1584.52. To be generous, let’s assume the average flight to Cairo for the Gaza Freedom Marchers cost around $1,000 per person. That’s nearly $1.4 million evaporated before a single protester touched down on Egyptian soil.

According to its organizers, “the Gaza Freedom March will show the residents of Gaza that the international community of citizens has not forgotten them, and will call worldwide attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.” In reality, the action was barely picked up in the media with the exception of Iranian Press TV, which was only too happy to broadcast images of another regional government manhandling protesters in the streets.

Not even the population of Gaza mobilized in response to this grotesquely expensive failed publicity stunt.

According to Maggie Young, a UC Berkeley student who was one of 84 marchers admitted to Gaza, the protest was primarily led and controlled by 500 men associated with Hamas.

Ha’aretz correspondent Amira Hass described it as “a ritual, an opportunity for Hamas cabinet ministers to get decent media coverage in the company of Western demonstrators,” noting that “there were no Palestinian women among the marchers – a slap to the many feminist organizers and participants, both women and men.”

A popular blog sagaciously relates the following: “An interesting fact about white people is that they firmly believe that all of the world’s problems can be solved through ‘awareness.’ Meaning the process of making other people aware of problems, and then magically someone else like the government will fix it… This belief allows them to feel that sweet self-satisfaction without actually having to solve anything or face any difficult challenges.”

Would it not have been a better use of resources to send $1.4 million to initiatives already engaged in alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza?

A successful global mobilization to raise millions of dollars for the Red Cross or UNRWA would surely enjoy more profile, and have the added bonus of actually impacting the situation on the ground for the people of Gaza. Instead, 1,360 people took a trip to Cairo to ring in the New Year, and returned home with nothing to show for it but some paltry awareness.

The root of this misguided resource allocation is precisely as Mr. Symons elucidates: “it’s easier to criticize than to envision.” By focusing exclusively on criticizing and demonizing Israel, participants in the Gaza Freedom March have revealed their true objectives.

Their goal has far less to do with helping Gaza than with condemning Israel.

The marchers are home, but their campaign against Israel continues. Those same people who opted to hold a self-aggrandizing protest rather than allocate funding to a worthy cause now decry the Government of Canada for seeking transparency regarding its aid to UNRWA, blaming a shady Zionist conspiracy no doubt.

Never mind that Canada will continue to actually support the people of Gaza by providing much needed food, and over $300 million in other Palestinian aid projects.

Easier to criticize than envision indeed.

CIC

H/T: Blazing Cat Fur

GAZA, PACIFISTS REJECT EGYPT'S SYMBOLIC OFFER

The pacifists who have been stuck for the past three days in Cairo while waiting to get into Gaza have turned down Suzanne Mubarak's offer to allow only 100 of the 1,300 delegates into the Gaza Strip.

"We categorically reject the Egyptian offer of a symbolic gesture", reads a statement released by the Coordinating Committee of the Gaza Freedom March and many delegations (including ones from France, Scotland, Canada, South Africa, Sweden and New York state) which had planned to bring to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip concrete signs of international solidarity, one year after the Israeli military operation Cast Lead.

Following three days of vigils and demonstrations in the Egyptian capital, the activists have made it known that they refuse "to continue to cover the siege of Gaza", and that they will work "to allow all 1,362 participants in the March to get into Gaza as the first step towards the goal of getting the siege lifted and freeing Palestine," said Ziyaad Lunat, member of the committee.

ANSAmed

Israeli patrol boat rams aid ship off Gaza

From correspondents in Jerusalem | December 30, 2008

THE Israeli navy has reportedly rammed a boat that was trying to deliver medical supplies to the Gaza Strip.

No one was injured in the collision between the patrol boat and the 20-metre Dignity, which was trying to take three tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza on day four of Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian territory.

Israeli army radio said the boat — operated by the pro-Palestinian Free Gaza Movement — ignored both orders to turn around and warning shots across its bow before it was rammed.

The Free Gaza Movement, which has ran the blockade six times since August to take humanitarian supplies into Gaza, said the vessel could still sail after the ramming.

Paul Laurdee, one of the group's founders, said the Dignity had been "surrounded" in international waters about 70km off the Israeli coast and 135km from Gaza.

"It was surrounded by 11 Israeli naval vessels," he said.

"They ordered the boat to stop, and we didn't. They began firing over our boat and into the waters next to the boat. When the boat wouldn't turn back, one of the naval vessels rammed the boat, but not enough to disable the boat."

On its website, the Free Gaza Movement said the Dignity was on a "mission of mercy" carrying three tonnes of medical supplies "donated by the people of Cyprus," from where it set off on Monday.

"Our people are communicating with the Israelis as to what's next," Mr Laurdee said.

"We will try to dock in Egypt or in Lebanon, or all the way back to Cyprus. But there is doubt about fuel on board and whether they can make it all the way back to Cyprus as normally we refuel in Gaza."

Source: The Australian

Northern California’s Friends of HamasWhen it's not hanging with terrorists, a Bay area organization is hosting events at American universities.

By Reut Cohen

Academic departments at leading universities in Northern California, including UC Berkeley and Santa Clara University, have recently begun co-sponsoring events with South Bay Mobilization (SBM), a group associated with Hamas.

While South Bay Mobilization is not the only organization in the Bay Area that has ties to Hamas through the activities of some of its leaders and/or members, it has taken a leading role on university campuses throughout the Bay Area. Members of South Bay have had luncheons with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas, and have accepted medals from him in a highly propagandistic manner.

Members of South Bay Mobilization have also been linked to the Free Gaza Movement, which sailed to the Gaza Strip from Cyprus in August 2008. Therefore, South Bay Mobilization’s support for the Free Gaza Movement also constitutes support of Hamas and its aims, and is equivalent to an endorsement of terror, murder, and genocide. Read more ...

Source: Pajamas Media