From the israeli consulate to Yonge-Dundas Square, hundreds of Free Gaza activists chanted their way down Yonge Monday night, May 31, protesting the killing of civilians on a Gaza-?bound supply ship.[rssbreak]
The noise of the mostly youthful contingents of Palestinian-flag-?waving marchers was somehow comforting, given the tepid response of our political class as the rest of the world expresses its shock and horror.
Michael Ignatieff weighed in on Monday saying that “while we will always support Israel’s right to self-?defence, a measured response is important when dealing with security threats. Given the loss of civilian lives, we are expecting clarification on exactly what happened.”
Clarification, indeed. Even Jack Layton’s statement seemed terse.”We were shocked and deeply saddened by the unacceptable loss of life and injuries sustained as a result of the raid. I join international leaders in calling for an urgent and independent investigation.”
That responses have been low on the indignation scale doesn’t surprise U of Victoria adjunct prof and security specialist Reg Whitaker. The fact that only one question was asked in the House Monday, and it was the BQ’s, he says, speaks volumes about all our parties.
“Let’s call a spade a spade: the Israeli rationalizations of what clearly amounts to an act of international state terrorism – piracy by any other name – are patently ludicrous.”
Swat squads armed with machine guns landing on boats in international waters acting in “self-?defence”? he asks. “Gimme a break. Imagine if pirates boarded boats and killed passengers and then pleaded that they were only defending themselves!
“What if this had been Iranian commandos striking civilian craft in international waters off Iran: can you imagine the response?”
At the Canada-Israel Committee, things look a little different. “As this story emerges,” their May 31 press release reads, “it will become clear that far from a neutral humanitarian relief effort, the Gaza flotilla represents a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion by placing naive civilians in harm’s way. Responsibility for the tragic loss of life rests with those who organized the flotilla.”
Michael Byers of the Liu Institute for Global Issues, however, thinks the real issue is the Gaza blockade itself. “It is indiscriminate and therefore illegal, as both Justice Richard Goldstone [of the UN fact-finding mission on Gaza] and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-?moon have confirmed.” Instead of keeping silent, he says, previous Canadian governments should have taken a strong stand in support of the UN and international law.
As for the current Liberals, he says, they have trouble being forthright because they are divided. “This doesn’t mean acquiescence is acceptable it never is in the face of fundamental violations of human rights.”
That’s also the view of Rabble founder Judy Rebick. “The most provocative act that Israel has ever carried out and Canada is the only country in the world that hasn’t expressed a strong condemnation. Even the U.S. has been stronger.”
Rebick is referring to U.S. support of a UN Security Council resolution June 1 condemning “acts resulting in civilian deaths,” calling for an impartial investigation and expressing “grave concern” at the impact of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Meanwhile, the attempt to marginalize the Free Gaza movement continues. “Anyone aiding Gaza is considered in league with global jihadists,” says Whitaker. “So all civilians in Gaza are collectively punished, and anyone challenging this is a global jihadist. It’s like Alice In Wonderland – Humpty Dumpty says words can mean anything he wants them to.”
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