Gaza flotilla: Israel’s unwinnable war

Last updated on: May 31, 2010 at 3:00 am by zahedamanullah

Gaza flotilla: Israel’s unwinnable war 2010-05-31T03:00:36-04:00 zahedamanullah

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A quiet struggle no longer

When Israel declared that it had left Gaza in 2005, the official line was that a piece of Palestine was evacuated by the Israelis and left to create their own future. When Gaza’s residents chose Hamas to lead (though more for practical reasons that ideological ones), that was simply too much independence to bear. A crippling blockade of Gaza began that sought to limit the flow of arms and assistance to Hamas, but in reality – and with intermittent help from Egypt – created the world’s largest open air prison.

Unfortunately, the media quickly forgot about the plight of Gaza, even though human rights observers noted the deteriorating condition of its people under strict external controls by Israel. Aid agencies have long argued that poverty was worsening and the health of its 1.4 million residents was at risk (29 died last year waiting for treatment in Israel or elsewhere).

The Gaza war of 2008 – which cost 13 Israeli lives and well over 1,500 Gazan ones – did not change this perception in the media. Because the overwhelming perception was that of Israel facing an existential threat from crude missiles being lobbed over the border, Israel was able to get away with a “self-defense” media strategy. If only, the logic goes, the Palestinians would resort to non-violent means to get their message across.

Shortly after that war, Palestinian supporters did just that. By sending unarmed ships with supplies towards Gaza, often with high profile personalities (Cherie Blair’s sister Lauren was an early participant) and wide publicity forced Israeli authorities to blink. As many as five convoys of aid were allowed to dock in Gaza as the prospect of subduing them by force was seen by many in Israel as a PR disaster waiting to happen.

Arguments by Israel on maintaining the blockade border on the absurd, claiming that goods are not in short supply but also highlighting resurgent smuggling operations across Gaza’s border with Egypt. One of these scenarios certainly would not dictate the other. “The Gaza blockade… did not weaken Hamas,” said one Israel commentator recently. “Yet it did present Israel’s security establishment in a ridiculous light. Nobody was able to explain why cilantro, or up until recently clothes, were considered a security threat banned from the Strip.”

Emboldened by such successes, anti-blockade activists continued to press harder. As the largest flotilla found its way to Gaza last week – the cargo ships loaded with 10,000 tons of much-needed supplies and staffed with 800 determined (and non-violent) crew of activists, politicians, and media – there was increasing anxiety in Israel’s diplomatic and military circles. Israel had offered to transport some of the goods into Gaza if the flotilla was directed to Israel where the good would be unloaded and inspected. Distrusting Israel’s intentions, the flotilla carried on and early reports suggest that Israeli commandos boarded a number of ships, killing as many as 16.

Israel’s miltary claims it was met with “live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs,” responding with “riot dispersal means, including live fire.” The activists claim otherwise, that they “never thought there would be any violence” and had repeatedly stated its non-violent intentions. But despite a tendency to claim self defense in its military actions, Israel will have a hard time convincing other governments that sending armed commandos onto ships – surprising the crews by doing so in international waters – would not have triggered a justified self defense (if Israel’s reports are true) by those onboard, however futile that may be. The disproportionate use of guns to knives will surely trigger memories of the rocks-to-tanks imagery of the first Intifada that won the Palestinians greatest PR victories on the world stage to date.

Also complicating matters is the large presence by Turkish citizens (and de facto sponsorship by their government). As a Muslim nation with military ties to the Jewish state, Turkey has long been a strategic asset for Israel. With Turkey’s patience running out in diplomatic circles (or in response to their own population), Israel will find itself with fewer friends in its corner and a burgeoning Boycott-Divest-Sanction movement. Coupled with recent controversies dealing with nuclear weapons cooperation with apartheid-era South Africa and Israel’s increasing political radicalization, it is unlikely that the tide will turn back soon.

With this action, Israel has succumbed to its instinct to collectively punish. In the process, it has punished itself. Likewise, after years of stumbling on strategies to counter the Israeli blockade, Palestine’s non-violent activists have created a strategy that confounds Israel’s conventional wisdom of playing for time and pursuing a war of attrition. Despite the outcome of the current flotilla, it appears certain that this tactic will be repeated again and again, in larger numbers and covered by even more sophisticated media.

Palestine’s first intifada has found its first true successor. With it comes the possibility of real change, fairness, and justice for Palestinians – as long as the strategy can be maintained and amplified.

Zahed Amanullah is Executive Editor of altmuslim.com

Briefings

Previous Post

May 28, 2010

Pakistan's madrassas: Terror factories?

Next Post

June 1, 2010 Humor: Are pork rinds halal?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2012 Elections 30 Dayd 30 Writers (2017) 30 Days 30 Writers 30 Days 30 Writers (2015) 30 Days 30 Writers (2016) 30 Days 30 Writers (2018) 30 Days 30 Writers 2017 Ali Asadullah Ali Eteraz Alper Bilgili Arthur Richards Asides Asma Uddin Black History Month Briefings Charles Turner Commentary Cyrus McGoldrick Eman H Aly Fatimah Popal Hajj Hajj and Dhul Hijjah Hesham Hassaballa Hisham Hellyer Ibrahim Abusharif Inas Younis Irfan Yusuf Jalal Baig Junaid Afeef Laila Alawa Laila Alwala Mas'ood Cajee Muqtedar Khan Nakia Jackson Newsmakers Parvez Ahmed Podcasts Rabia Chaudry Rafia Zakaria Ramadan Reviews Safiyyah Ally Saud Inam Shahed Amanullah Svend White The Opinionated Oncologist Visions Wajahat Ali Zahed Amanullah Zahir Janmohamed Zainab Khan

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not _____ or boast...

Select your answer to see how you score.

Envy Fail Scream Brag