Monday, May 31, 2010

Israel's Memorial Day Attack on Humanitarian Aid

The most self-destructive actions of a regime determined to keep people down are attacks on nonviolent actions. So we remember the fire hoses and dogs turned on demonstrators in the American South during the 1960s as a turning point.

Today Israeli special forces attacked and killed people attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. One can only wonder what made the government think that sending armed military forces, ready for battle, against unarmed aid ships was a good idea. We feel so strongly that Gaza must be made into a concentration camp, or punished for the existence of Hamas, that we must keep food and medical supplies out at all costs? Stop the boats and search them for weapons, perhaps.

The reports are conflicting and undoubtedly spun for the greatest effect. Marc Lynch is a good person to follow, and TPM Cafe also provides background and commentary. And an Israeli gives some insight.

1 comment:

GliderMarty said...

Cheryl, You start off by saying "The most self-destructive actions of a regime determined to keep people down are attacks on nonviolent actions." That would seem to imply you are confident that there was no violent resistance. Was that what you intended?

This is not to defend Israel's approach here, just to say that at this point there seems to be doubt as to what transpired. If the Israelis encountered violent resistance and the world acts like it attacked nonviolent protestors, that will only reinforce Israel's belief that the world is so dead set against them, that shouldn't pay any attention to world opinion.