More on the Israeli Occupation
.il | 06.08.2011 08:05
In the past weeks, something big has happened in Israel, something really big.
It's been reported very little in the English language, and when it is, it's usually very superficial.
This is just what I gather, having dedicated all of my free time to reading Israeli media.
I have written about this before, here on Indymedia, but unlike Egypt, Spain, Greece, Tunisia,Libya, etc people don't care, people are apathetic.
Blaming the Israeli people with the occupation is a bit like blaming the Libyans for everything Gaddafi did, This could never work.
Even Anarchists blend the difference between people and governments on some issues. It's fair to say that a lot of very evil government policies have seemed to enjoy popular support, but this is true for a lot of atrocities.
It's also fair to say that most Israelis are blind to the suffering that is going on only 10 minutes drive from their home. They pretend not to see the occupation, because it means they could go on with their day to day.
I was a kid when the Oslo peace accord was signed, It was my Mother's happiest day I've ever seen. but it wasn't just her, while people had grievances with the accord, there was a feeling that there's going to be peace. No it was promised to us that there's going to be peace. by everyone, by the prime-minister, by the president of the united stated, by all the media. we were promised we were going to get peace, we didn't!
Well, I am not in Israel, but I wasn't the only one who was promised peace that day, and I am now an adult, and I still don't have peace. The occupation and the war will end, one way or another. Most likely (Or was most likely?), through aeons or massacres. But I wasn't the only one that was promised peace and all that it entails. Other kids who were promised peace are there, and they are now young adults too.
The official narrative for what has happened in the past weeks is something like this; Dafni Leef,
who is a political activist, was planning to go to a Peace Now protest, but after some grievances with her landlord she decided to camp on Rothschild Avenue. She facebooked a couple of friends, and the Peace protest got cancelled in favour of this.
Soon enough Sderot Rothschild was packed with tents. This is not Tahrir though, and the state can't just go and violently crash a peaceful Middle Class Jewish Rebellion in the centre of Tel-Aviv.
More camps have sprung up all over the country with a clear demand: Social justice!
This is a "non-political" protest housing prices, Officially...
Despite what it looks like, life in Israel are hard. It's hard to pay the bills, it's hard to keep a roof over your head,and to keep a job, like everywhere.
This protest clear demands are basically just fairer regulations of housing, better pay, cheaper things etc.
One of the first events in the protest was a mobilization of the People of Al-Arakib whose village was destroyed for the 27th time for illegal building.
It mostly stays away from "politics", In Israel you wouldn't like to be called left, infact it's pretty much a swear word in everyday conversation. Israel passes laws against human rights groups and political dissent almost every week. It's even illegal to boycott now.
The official narrative is very much this is about people's righteous struggle for cheaper things, so don't involve politics and hence don't speak about the broad context this exists in. While it's not left, while it's about housing it doesn't matter that it's lefty.
This is presented as almost a secret that everyone knows, and everyone does know that it's started by peaceniks. but, "Who cares who started it...".
This façade is beginning to deteriorate though.
There was a statement of support for the Palestinian state that will be official next month, the news report called it a declaration or the state of Palestine.
"We seek good neighbourly relationship with the newly founded Palestinian state".
Needless to say it was interrupted by right-wing thugs.
A group of 42 MKs submitted a statement to the prime-minister, stating that "the solution to the housing crisis is in Yosh" (Occupied territory). Later on that day, They've sent in their Hill-Youth (I shit you not this is what they are called). to go and promote this idea in "Tahrir corner of Rothschild".
The occupation to remind you, costs Israel $9bn, of which $3bn comes from the US, and goes into arms, the rest comes from everyone's pocket.
Settlers get subsided transport, significantly cheaper houses, and a couple of guns.
Even though these people essentially steal land daily, get cheap Arab labour, build swimming pools full of stolen water etc, it still costs more to keep this occupation going then not. and this cost comes from the welfare state.
I couldn't find out what happened to the hill-billies, but it certainly would be interesting, a clear failed provocation from the look of it.
The comments on this story's thread were telling, in Ha'aretz, where the Hebrew forums are usually flooded with tons of lunatic right-wing morons, people were saying it as it is, "It's their [The Settlers] fault", "Opportunists", "provocateurs", etc.
Last weekend, there was a nation wide protest, estimates for attendance go from around 1,200-2000, depending on who you ask.
this happened before only once in Israel, after the massacre of Sabra and Shatila, with an officially agreed estimate of 400,000.
This might not bring peace in a month, it might not bring peace in a year, but it will make everyone's life better. It is the beginning of a social awakening, what happens next, well... I can hope and pray that it doesn't just die.
What will it bring then? a festival?
"The people want social justice", to me sounds like more than the people want cheap living.
But people need to benefit from all of this if it's going to continue.
you can't keep on the lawn of Rothschild forever, This is a "democracy" and they can't just beat them.
This depends a lot on what the Palestinian brothers are going to do next, and I think they already know what that is.
This is an unofficial invitation from someone who isn't there. the Palestinian people are Hereby invited and are encouraged to come and have a say. Should this attempt fail, you will be prosecuted by the police probably for the rest of your life by Israel...
Considering everything, maybe send in the diplomats first, those confident in keeping calm, in talking to people, some of whom will be very hostile to you, and keep calm while listening and expressing your piece of the shit-cake.
and the same goes to the Israeli camp, send out your diplomats now, because we need to start talking for a really long time! we can sort this thing out.
Looks to me like you will find more receptive people willing to solve this now.
Peace is done between we the people,
governments just submit to it eventually!
You are more my brothers then all the war pushers "amongst" us.
Some things to watch
http://alllies.org/blog/archives/10733 - The tent protest reaches London.
http://alllies.org/blog/archives/10426 - A mix of videos, some in English.
It's been reported very little in the English language, and when it is, it's usually very superficial.
This is just what I gather, having dedicated all of my free time to reading Israeli media.
I have written about this before, here on Indymedia, but unlike Egypt, Spain, Greece, Tunisia,Libya, etc people don't care, people are apathetic.
Blaming the Israeli people with the occupation is a bit like blaming the Libyans for everything Gaddafi did, This could never work.
Even Anarchists blend the difference between people and governments on some issues. It's fair to say that a lot of very evil government policies have seemed to enjoy popular support, but this is true for a lot of atrocities.
It's also fair to say that most Israelis are blind to the suffering that is going on only 10 minutes drive from their home. They pretend not to see the occupation, because it means they could go on with their day to day.
I was a kid when the Oslo peace accord was signed, It was my Mother's happiest day I've ever seen. but it wasn't just her, while people had grievances with the accord, there was a feeling that there's going to be peace. No it was promised to us that there's going to be peace. by everyone, by the prime-minister, by the president of the united stated, by all the media. we were promised we were going to get peace, we didn't!
Well, I am not in Israel, but I wasn't the only one who was promised peace that day, and I am now an adult, and I still don't have peace. The occupation and the war will end, one way or another. Most likely (Or was most likely?), through aeons or massacres. But I wasn't the only one that was promised peace and all that it entails. Other kids who were promised peace are there, and they are now young adults too.
The official narrative for what has happened in the past weeks is something like this; Dafni Leef,
who is a political activist, was planning to go to a Peace Now protest, but after some grievances with her landlord she decided to camp on Rothschild Avenue. She facebooked a couple of friends, and the Peace protest got cancelled in favour of this.
Soon enough Sderot Rothschild was packed with tents. This is not Tahrir though, and the state can't just go and violently crash a peaceful Middle Class Jewish Rebellion in the centre of Tel-Aviv.
More camps have sprung up all over the country with a clear demand: Social justice!
This is a "non-political" protest housing prices, Officially...
Despite what it looks like, life in Israel are hard. It's hard to pay the bills, it's hard to keep a roof over your head,and to keep a job, like everywhere.
This protest clear demands are basically just fairer regulations of housing, better pay, cheaper things etc.
One of the first events in the protest was a mobilization of the People of Al-Arakib whose village was destroyed for the 27th time for illegal building.
It mostly stays away from "politics", In Israel you wouldn't like to be called left, infact it's pretty much a swear word in everyday conversation. Israel passes laws against human rights groups and political dissent almost every week. It's even illegal to boycott now.
The official narrative is very much this is about people's righteous struggle for cheaper things, so don't involve politics and hence don't speak about the broad context this exists in. While it's not left, while it's about housing it doesn't matter that it's lefty.
This is presented as almost a secret that everyone knows, and everyone does know that it's started by peaceniks. but, "Who cares who started it...".
This façade is beginning to deteriorate though.
There was a statement of support for the Palestinian state that will be official next month, the news report called it a declaration or the state of Palestine.
"We seek good neighbourly relationship with the newly founded Palestinian state".
Needless to say it was interrupted by right-wing thugs.
A group of 42 MKs submitted a statement to the prime-minister, stating that "the solution to the housing crisis is in Yosh" (Occupied territory). Later on that day, They've sent in their Hill-Youth (I shit you not this is what they are called). to go and promote this idea in "Tahrir corner of Rothschild".
The occupation to remind you, costs Israel $9bn, of which $3bn comes from the US, and goes into arms, the rest comes from everyone's pocket.
Settlers get subsided transport, significantly cheaper houses, and a couple of guns.
Even though these people essentially steal land daily, get cheap Arab labour, build swimming pools full of stolen water etc, it still costs more to keep this occupation going then not. and this cost comes from the welfare state.
I couldn't find out what happened to the hill-billies, but it certainly would be interesting, a clear failed provocation from the look of it.
The comments on this story's thread were telling, in Ha'aretz, where the Hebrew forums are usually flooded with tons of lunatic right-wing morons, people were saying it as it is, "It's their [The Settlers] fault", "Opportunists", "provocateurs", etc.
Last weekend, there was a nation wide protest, estimates for attendance go from around 1,200-2000, depending on who you ask.
this happened before only once in Israel, after the massacre of Sabra and Shatila, with an officially agreed estimate of 400,000.
This might not bring peace in a month, it might not bring peace in a year, but it will make everyone's life better. It is the beginning of a social awakening, what happens next, well... I can hope and pray that it doesn't just die.
What will it bring then? a festival?
"The people want social justice", to me sounds like more than the people want cheap living.
But people need to benefit from all of this if it's going to continue.
you can't keep on the lawn of Rothschild forever, This is a "democracy" and they can't just beat them.
This depends a lot on what the Palestinian brothers are going to do next, and I think they already know what that is.
This is an unofficial invitation from someone who isn't there. the Palestinian people are Hereby invited and are encouraged to come and have a say. Should this attempt fail, you will be prosecuted by the police probably for the rest of your life by Israel...
Considering everything, maybe send in the diplomats first, those confident in keeping calm, in talking to people, some of whom will be very hostile to you, and keep calm while listening and expressing your piece of the shit-cake.
and the same goes to the Israeli camp, send out your diplomats now, because we need to start talking for a really long time! we can sort this thing out.
Looks to me like you will find more receptive people willing to solve this now.
Peace is done between we the people,
governments just submit to it eventually!
You are more my brothers then all the war pushers "amongst" us.
Some things to watch
http://alllies.org/blog/archives/10733 - The tent protest reaches London. http://alllies.org/blog/archives/10426 - A mix of videos, some in English.
.il
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