I was at the protest tonight in San Francisco at the Israeli Consulate. The event was called to protest the murder of activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gazans suffering from the blockade. While I was there, there were about 500 or 600 on the pro Palestine side and 50 or so supporting Israel. What was really missing from the event (I am not sure who organized it) was a strong and virulent attack on the US and the role it has played in this. Although the US holds the purse strings when it comes to Israel, the country couldn't exist without US backing, I am not so sure that actions like these are executed without the consent or even knowledge of the US. Israel is the only reliable ally for US imperialism in the Middle East and by virtue of that, holds some strong trump cards. But the Zionist regime is also a fanatical regime whose actions are not always logical. Still, there is no doubt that the Zionist regime could not exist as it presently does without the support of the US.
There were a few chants calling for the US to pull out of the Middle East but no speaker while I was there condemned the US governent without whose support The Zionists could not do this. The comments from Obama after the event after all were dismal. Below is a short clip from the event that I took with my phone.
5 comments:
I noticed the answer coalition seemed to have a presence there, maybe they were one of the organizers, since according to their website they did call for an emergency action. Also I noticed that their banner stated "stop u.s. aid to israel" so it seems that idea was stated clearly. but not sure what the chants or verbal statements that were made and by whom?
Absolutely, what you say is true. It was difficult even to watch your video, for it is just more of the same demonstrations, which I've been involved with for the last 30 years. And what really are they achieving? Cathartic in nature, they are nothing compared to the evil on the other side.
I agree that cut US aid to Israel was referenced but there were numerous speeches and the central role of the US here was not given the attention it deserves if you ask me.
Paul Craig Roberts for instance, a bourgeois commentator, former editor of the Wall Street Journal and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury wrote a piece and savaged the US government for its complicity. I guess I wanted a bit more of the bigger picture and that was lacking.
You can read Robert's piece here:
http://www.counterpunch.com/roberts06012010.html
I was thinking more about it. It reminds me of the anti-war movement that arose after they invaded Iraq. I was involved in that and remember having the hardest time getting the dominant organizers of it (I think it was the ISO)to make stronger links between the war and workplace issues.
I remember they limited the demands to three, No racial scapegoating, no attack on Iraq, and no attacks on civil liberties.
These are all supportable demands but it is a serious error to not raise the economic issues in the workplace and communities which will draw ordinary workers in to the struggle as opposed to just students and what I call "the usual suspects.
Consequently, the antiwar movement fizzled. To think that we shut down the SF financial district too. Where did those multitude of young people go. Too many of the usual suspects in these events are simply professional protesters who have no strategy for building anything permanent and no real orientation to the working class
Israeli ambassador’s comments prove attack on ship was premeditated
Oren says Marmara was ‘too large to stop by nonviolent means’
(CHICAGO 6/2/2010) – Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United
States, told National Public Radio’s Diane Rehm Show today that the Mavi
Marmara was to big to stop without the use of military force.
“The particular ship that did encounter the violent incident was simply
too large to stop by nonviolent means. The others ships were not and that
is one of the reasons they were towed safely to port,” Oren said on the
program that aired today.
The Diane Rehm Show was discussing Israel’s Sunday attack on the Freedom
Flotilla, a fleet of vessels bound for the besieged Gaza with 10,000 tons
of humanitarian and medical aid.
The American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) believe Mr. Oren’s comments
contradict his own country’s public relations team that has been trying to
portray Israeli soldiers as the victims of unarmed humanitarian
passengers. His comments show that Israel’s attack and use of deadly force
was premeditated and decided upon as a military course of action even
before the Israeli navy encountered the six Freedom Flotilla vessels in
international waters on Sunday.
“Every time the State of Israel perpetrates a massacre or wantonly kills
innocent civilians, its information ministry goes into overdrive to spread
misinformation and untruths designed to portray Israel as the victim,”
said Dr. Hatem Bazian, AMP chairman and professor of Near Eastern and
Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. “Mr. Oren’s
statements are illuminating in that they throw into question Israel’s
rhetoric that soldiers were only defending themselves.”
Dr. Bazian added: “What was Israel trying to defend itself from –
wheelchairs and medicine?”
The United States supports Israel with more than $3 billion each year in
unconditional military aid. AMP calls upon the U.S. to withhold that aid
until Israel complies with international law by lifting the siege on Gaza
and ending its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.
AMP calls upon President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
and members of Congress to hold Israel accountable for its illegal and
egregious actions against the members of the Freedom Flotilla.
AMP experts available for interviews.
The American Muslims for Palestine is a national, grassroots organization
whose mission is to educate the American public about issues relating to
Palestine and its rich cultural heritage. For more information, contact
Kristin Szremski, director of media and communications, at 708.598.4267,
ext. 22; 708.717.4180 or media@ampalestine.org.
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