Umm al-Fahm turns out lights, Israelis march against Gaza blockade

[bemildred]

The Israeli-Arab town of Umm al-Fahm shut off its electricity for one hour on Saturday night in an intentional blackout, and a torch-lit march was held in solidarity with the residents of the Gaza Strip to protest an Israeli blockade of goods entering the coastal territory.

Earlier, more than 1,000 people in Israel demonstrated the sanctions on the Erez Crossing on the Gaza border. The demonstration was coordinated with the police, and organized by both Jewish and Arab groups, including Ta'ayush, the Coalition of Women for Peace, Gush Shalom, and the Balad and Hadash political parties. The protest was dubbed a "relief convoy" aimed to transfer food, blankets and other basic needs to Gaza.

Regarding the situation on the Gaza-Egypt border, which remains open after militants blew up the border fence last week, Leftist activist and former MK Uri Avneri told the rally that "three days ago, a wall here fell, like the Berlin Wall, like the separation wall and like all the walls and fences in this country will." "As Israelis, we came to transfer crucial supplies and to say ? we are not partner to this crime, we are shamed of this siege. Our hearts are with our Palestinian brothers who are demonstrating on the other side. Our hearts are also with our brothers residing in Sderot. The Qassam threat must stop, but it won't stop through 'an eye for an eye,' but rather when we talk to Hamas," Avneri continued.

A demonstrator at a parallel rally on the Gaza side of the border fence, speaking to the Israeli protest through a cellular phone held to a loudspeaker, said that "together we must create a partnership and chase after peace in Gaza, Ramallah, Israel and Sderot? I feel honored to speak with you. Every drop of blood that spills in Israel or in Palestine is a blow to our humanity. Please send this message to the all of the people in Israel."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/948261.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. I admire Avnery and all those involved in the relief convoy

'The Qassam threat must stop, but it won't stop through 'an eye for an eye,' but rather when we talk to Hamas," Avneri continued.

I agree it won't stop through an eye through an eye; but sadly I am not sure it will just stop when they talk to Hamas - even if Hamas will talk. I hope so, but doubt it. It will stop through negotiations on all sides; grassroots peace movements involving both sides; international opposition to violence on *either* side; and hopefully both sides electing better and more effective governments. Alternatively, it won't stop at all - and that will be disastrous.

[bemildred]

2. Avnery is neither ignorant, naive, nor a fool.

There will be no quick easy solution. The question is which direction to you want to go in?

It is perfectly clear that Hamas wants negotiations, and the Israeli government wishes to avoid them. I presume the Israeli position is partly based on a wish to avoid legitimizing Hamas further, since it would prefer to work through Abbas, and to destroy Hamas. Unfortunately, the government's policies seem to be having the opposite of the intended effect. The wiser heads will suggest that something different is called for, the ideologues and fools will say keep doing the same thing, only get it right this time.

I would say "a man has to know his limits", the Israeli government has no business meddling in Palestinian internal affairs, if it wishes to work out an accomodation with the Palestinians. Any likely solution must be based in mutual respect and a commitment to keep one's word. Rabin understood that perfectly.

[pelsar]

5. actually hes 2 out of the three

naive and a fool.....ignorant no.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. He's neither naive nor a fool, so it's three out of three n/t

[Vegasaurus]

12. The thing is, you know what they say about opinions, don't you? nt

[Violet_Crumble]

13. That's the point I was trying to make to pelsar n/t

[pelsar]

20. i know...

which is why i just wrote my opinion....and nothing more....

[bemildred]

31. And why I felt no need to respond.

Everyone has a perfect right to say what they think.

In thinking about this later though, I think it's good to reiterate that you don't need to supply anything to support your opinion either. I keep seeing angry posts demanding that you back things up and support your position or you are a (insert disparaging name here). This is not correct. Your opinion is entirely in your own control, and if you assert that it is so-and-so, nobody else is in any sort of position to question your judgement on the matter.

[LeftishBrit]

6. I agree with most of this...

I am not sure however how 'perfectly clear' it is that Hamas want negotiations. There is of course only one way to find out. I have always said that they should be invited but I'm cynical about their co-operation, I'm afraid. There are no doubt splits in the organization; but the dominant view is that Israel shouldn't exist at all: not a good starting point for negotiations.

'Unfortunately, the government's policies seem to be having the opposite of the intended effect. The wiser heads will suggest that something different is called for, the ideologues and fools will say keep doing the same thing, only get it right this time.'

I do agree on this.

And am a great admirer of Rabin; one of my heroes.

[bemildred]

7. I have no wish to argue.

They have asked for talks a number of times. They have good reason to want talks, as I said, it legitimizes them. It is true that they oppose the existence of the Israeli state, but the Israeli state opposes the existence of Hamas. Neither will get their wish anytime soon. Hamas knows perfectly well that it cannot defeat Israel in any real military sense, and in the meantime they need to consolidate their position and broaden their base. It would be well worth it to them if they could get legitimacy and stability in exchange for stopping the rockets. The rockets have no military significance, and offer little political advantage in a situation where the Palestinians are not under an oppressive occupation. It is entirely possible that left to their own devices they would soon lose favor.

[Vegasaurus]

9. What makes you think that

"left to their own devices they would soon lose favor"?

[bemildred]

14. They are islamic fundamentalists, right? Sharia law and all that?

You think they are going to out-compete secular modernists without an outside threat? You think Iran would have the Mullahs running things if we had not deposed Mossadegh and installed the Shah? You think the Palestinians are all just hoping to be bullied by religious police? Meddling in the internal affairs of other peoples is not a sound way to advance secular modernism, it never has been, an it never will be. It has to come from within, and it will, in the right conditions.

[Tom Joad]

3. Thanks so much for posting this

this is where Palestinians and Israelis are really working together, at the grassroots level, to support peace.

this is what i support.

[Shaktimaan]

27. Question for you.

I assume that you've traveled to Gaza and the west bank before, right Tom? Did you do this on your own or did you go with ISM, (or a similar organization?)

[pelsar]

4. one kassam...

and two mortars fell within .5 mile from the march according to israeli TV news.......

[bemildred]

8. Well, there's people that want peace, and people that do not.

Whose side are you on?

[Vegasaurus]

10. I think the mortar and kassam launchers

are clearly the ones who do not want peace.

[bemildred]

15. No fooling you, is there? nt

[Vegasaurus]

16. Tell that to the brainiacs shooting rockets nt

[bemildred]

17. Have a nice day.

:hi:

[pelsar]

21. a long lasting peace...

that means a stable Palestenian society that has a strong central govt....and one that refrains from trying to kill israelis every day.....after that...i'm easy.

[bemildred]

24. That seems obvious.

I don't mean to be snarky, but how could it be otherwise?

[Violet_Crumble]

18. It's good to see protests happening in Israel...

The only protests I'd seen before I read about this one was confined to Gaza itself...

[bemildred]

19. Yep.

There are some others, in muslim states, but not much coverage. I think everybody is still a bit disoriented.

[pelsar]

22. with kassams falling

everyday on sederot, the adjacent kibbutzim and the powerstation that provides power to gaza, there is little incentive to protest FOR the Palestinians in gaza.....they might try NOT attempting to kill israrelis everyday, that might have an affect on us.

[Violet_Crumble]

23. I didn't realise the civilians of Gaza were trying to kill Israelis every day...

Oh, yeah. They're not...

[pelsar]

25. the resident Palestenain govt...

..the one that has control over gaza is the one......they have it in their power to reduce if not eliminate the kassams that are being shot daily.

[Violet_Crumble]

28. But the protest isn't for the govt - it's for the civilians n/t

[Shaktimaan]

26. Well, their elected government is.

Democracy is great in that the citizens themselves really do have the opportunity to make their collective voice heard. Remember the few months prior to the invasion of Iraq when massive protests against it occurred all across the nation.

From this we saw that a lot of Americans were against the war. Now how many Gazans have come out to protest Hamas' policy of supporting terrorism against Israeli civilians? What actions HAVE driven Gazans to the streets in protest, (or celebration?) I remember seeing Palestinians celebrating Hamas when Israel left Gaza and thousands celebrated when there was that successful attack at Hebrew University by a female suicide bomber, (despite Arafat's calls to prohibit celebrations).

I know there have been Israelis organizing ongoing protests in Israel against a multitude of Israeli policies that create hardship for Palestinians. I personally know people who participate despite having lost teeth, eyes or even loved ones to this conflict. So do their Palestinian counterparts exist?

Violet, you are always assuming that Hamas' actions are not endorsed by the majority of Palestinians, yet my own eyes tell me differently. In the days following 9/11, there were heartfelt displays of sorrow for the victims all over the world, even in countries that we do not have great relationships with. Yet I saw at least some Palestinians celebrate this event, giving out candy and cheering. (Despite the fact that America gives them more aid than the entire Arab world put together.) I do not remember seeing spontaneous displays of Palestinian mourning at all.

Have you ever seen Israelis take to the streets by the thousands to celebrate the deaths of Arab civilians? Was there a huge celebration after Beit Hanoun or an announcement of the civilian deaths in Lebanon?

[Violet_Crumble]

30. And yr blaming the entire population for its govts actions...

And not surprisingly, you don't do that for other populations. Massive demonstrations in the US? Compared to the entire population of the US they were miniscule, so using yr 'logic' let's blame the vast majority of Americans who obviously must have endorsed the invasion of another country...

I know there have been Israelis organizing ongoing protests in Israel against a multitude of Israeli policies that create hardship for Palestinians. I personally know people who participate despite having lost teeth, eyes or even loved ones to this conflict. So do their Palestinian counterparts exist?

Actually, they do. Have you heard of Combatants For Peace? http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/ The daughter of the Palestinian co-founder of this group was killed by the IDF, yet he's out there trying to do something constructive that will bring peace. There's many other people like this amongst Palestinians, though I know to those who enjoy nothing more than painting the Palestinian people with their broad-brush generalisations, they'll be ignored...

[Tom Joad]

29. Last speaker at the rally. Young woman from Sderot.

thought i would include this eye-witness report from the protestIt comes from Jewish Peace News. good idea for peace-minded folks to get on the list.

The last speaker was this teenager from Sderot, it was her first rally ever, and she talked about how she and her family suffer from the Qassams, but also how she also always remembers how much deeper and worse the suffering is in Gaza.

at the end of the rally they announced that the negotiating team had succeeded in persuading the border cops to let the supplies through, i think they said they will go on monday. a neighboring kibbutz offered their storage space until then, which again shows that not everyone living with the qassams is vengeful.

during our coffee break earlier in the day, my friend/driver/fellow former bay area resident emily had a conversation with one of the most committed activists in the movement about what the purpose of the protest really was. they agreed that being more confrontational might have been more fun and maybe more satisfying, but that in the end, of course, a rally, even one that is relatively large (at least for this location: 1000 people in tel aviv is nothing, but at erez it is quite remarkable), doesn't change much. but, the important thing is that we showed that there is an alternative to war and siege and destruction, and that there is a substantial part of the israeli public who are willing to fight for it, and that the partners are there to make it happen.

i was amazed to discover that it took only an hour to return to tel aviv.

_______________

I was fortunate to attend the supporting vigil in San Francisco, in front of the Israeli consulate. pouring rain (forecast for that Friday afternoon included flood warnings for many areas), but our spirits were high as we stood for human rights and the end of the suffering for all.