By this point, the blogosphere is all abuzz with word of Israel’s efforts to interdict a ship bringing supplies to Gaza, and the story, we presume, is going to play as “Genocidal Israelis Massacre Peace Activists.” Doubtlessly, there will be propaganda excesses on both sides of the story, but we would just like to remind our readers that, as this photo of one of those “activists” suggests, Israel is in a bad neighborhood, and we don’t remember ever seeing Gandhi wielding the kind of knife which, if it appeared in movie, would be castigated by academics as a fanciful and racist bit of Orientalism.
This picture is offensive. Why are you suggesting that Muslims are trying to imitate the Karate Kid? In other words, they’re still stuck in the 80’s.
This is all you guys have to say on the subject? A singular, silly, and inflamatory picture of an Arab (not even a Turkish Muslim)? I am stunned. For all its legitimate, rhetorical value, you could have just shown a picture of some of the German activists, and pointed out that their grandparents were probably Nazis.
You’re wasting an important opportunity to support the kind of Israel that sane people can support, by failing to call out the current government when it acts in an unconscionable manner.
Tiresome.
Geez, gimme a break. More is on the way, but while I’m here, I’d like to point out that your analogy is completely specious. I didn’t make a comment about the gentleman’s grandfather; I made a comment about the gentleman himself. And insofar as the gentleman wishes to be considered a “peace activist,” he might want to leave the lethal weapons at home. As for his ethnicity, I’m not sure what relevance it is whether he’s an Arab or a Turk (I don’t actually know, and we could have a fascinating discussion on the construction of ethnic identities in the Middle East if you really want); he’s a “peace activist” with a knife on a ship where Israeli commandos were being attacked by guys with knives and clubs.
Jewdar, I just got done writing an extraordinarily eloquent retort (real genius). Then I paused, returned to the main page, and read your PR follow up piece. Well said. Thanks for proving me wrong. (Not saying I completely agree that Ashdod is a sufficient response, but you’re the one with the pulpit here, and now you’ve used it.)
Good golly! I yearn for the day when this sort of debate will move beyond which side is more good, or at least which side is least bad. The blockade of Gaza is the seminal issue here, not whether the Israelis or the activists don’t play well with others. The UN has called the blockade “unlawful.” So is a military response to people trying to break the blockade justified? I don’t think so.
Thanks. If you let me prattle on long enough, I eventually say something worth reading.
Until this week I thought a flotilla was like a tortilla or it could be short for floating tortilla, like yo let’s grab some flotillas.
I don’t know what the UN said–do you have a citation? Not disagreeing, just curious for the source. I don’t know that it’s true. If you’re speaking about Richard Falk, while he’s a UN official, his statements are not the official proclamation of the UN.
Incidentally, here’s an interesting article on the laws of blockade:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article7142055.ece
Thank you, Rosalin–now do you see how important my work here is, Tone?
You’re welcome jewdar. I’m available for Bar Mitzvahs and interventions.