Gaza Freedom March Wrap Up
By Haitham Sabbah • Jan 2nd, 2010 at 11:14 • Category: Analysis, Features, Haitham's Choice, Israel, Newswire, Palestine, War, Zionism
Foreign activists staged a sit-in to protest against Egypt's stance. (AFP- Victoria Hazou)
By Sana (Keffiyeh And Onions)
I'm sure its going to take me some time to process everything that has happened in Cairo with the Gaza Freedom March over the past week or so but here are some of my initial thoughts and feelings. Bear in mind, these are my own opinions and reflections and they surely are not the same as the 1300 other people who were in Cairo. So for what its worth – here it goes:
This whole political experience here with CODEPINK, for me, has been honestly disappointing and angering. I'm going to be honest here, I did not participate in many of the protests that took place in Cairo because I had serious issues with the way everything was being handled and the way that the March really seemed to have fallen apart and unraveled once everyone realized that our chances of getting into Gaza were really slim to none. From the very first meeting that was held in Tahrir Square, the individuals who were going to be staying in Gaza longer (past January 2nd) were told to not participate in any of these demonstrations because if we did somehow come up with a way to get into Gaza, if we had any record or history with problems with the Egyptians – this would effectively eliminate any chance of us getting in. People told us to completely "disassociate from the March" and that because Egypt is not a democracy, "nothing we do will change their minds" – which sadly, ended up being quite true despite how often people demonstrated, were barricaded in by people, and some even beaten up. Moral of the story: This is not the U.S., they don't care that you're Americans, and we did not fly thousands of miles to protest in Egypt.
Aside from this though, there were so many critical problems with the way things were being done and decisions were being made that I really felt uncomfortable with doing anything that GFM was doing in Cairo.
I felt as though there was no insight to the way the Egyptian government works, or the greater public opinion in Egypt, at all. We cannot simply think that a country, who has religiously served the agenda of the U.S. and Israel, will do a complete 360 and open the borders when a group of activists show up, no matter how big. Anyone who has any familiarity with the politics of this conflict, know that Egypt's role in ensuring the Palestinian suffering is not a new or novel concept. Given that, the fact that CODEPINK did not prepare for the very unsurprising setback that Egypt delivered by closing its borders, really baffled me. When we got news on Monday, that the borders were going to be closed and no one would enter, I figured that this was a very expected move (especially after news of Egypt's steel wall just was released as well) and that the steering committee and whoever else also saw this coming and that surely back up plans and strategies were on hand now that Egypt played its cards. But after a couple days when everyone started arriving and it was time to figure out what we were going to do, it just seemed like these small fragmented actions (the hunger strike here, french sit-in there) were things that groups were doing on their own, hardly with any support from the mass collective. There was no unified message besides come out in the streets and protest. It felt like everyone kind of went their own way and that now instead of focusing on the occupation we were going to go after the Egyptian government – which as much as I have issues with that they are doing and how they add to the Palestinian suffering – that is not why I came here.
Lets clarify something here. As much as I hate Egypt, Egypt is NOT occupying the Palestinian territories. ISRAEL is. I mean, to a certain degree, by doing of all this, I feel, we took a lot of heat off of Israel b/c the press coverage just shows a bunch of people demonstrating in Cairo, which is giving the message that we have a problem with Egypt for what they are doing wrong when we were here to raise awareness of the ISRAELI OCCUPATION and Operation Cast Lead which was carried out by ISRAEL one year ago. Why are people shouting "Free Egypt" at the demonstrations? It makes no sense, we had no focus.
I want to believe that GFM tried to do the best that it could, given the circumstances, but honestly it just led to many people feeling as if they had to do something, anything, since we weren't being allowed in Gaza. Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in public resistance and demonstrating, even getting arrested when its necessary, etc – but you cannot do these things without tons of planning, proper escalation tactics leading up to massive direct action like that, and a solid SOLID solid foundation in Egypt (resources, connections, lawyers, etc) for the people that do take those risks. Otherwise, you just end up looking like a bunch of stupid foreigners (mostly Americans) who are protesting, sitting in, going on hunger strike – for what? We came here to deliver aid and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza – if that was not going to happen then we could have held all of these actions back in our home towns where we know how things work, we know what resources we have, and we can accurately assess what type of risk we are willing to take for this dire cause. After these past few days, I feel that all we've done is agitate Egypt for a brief period of time, spent a lot of money fueling this unjust country's economy, and made the daily lives of the Egyptian people harder.
When our plans fell through, and it did not seem like we were going to get in, there should have been a massive meeting/discussion with a vote with all of the delegates who have come from around the world as to what we think would be the best thing to do. But when people were told to figure it out and come up with ideas, you had serious fragmentation and people, like the French delegates, who were occupying the area in front of the Embassy feeling like they did not have support or instances like when the entire Japanese delegation just left after the first day for the West Bank. All I've been asking myself these past few days is "What the hell is going on?" and "What is all of this?". And to tell the truth, I still really don't know because I don't think GFM really even knows.
The "100 people to Gaza" stunt was also another fiasco that only further divided this group and our efforts. At first, CODEPINK accepts this offer and takes credit for it since the women went and talked to Suzanne Mubarak. They come up with a list in a very short time of these people who would get to go, not realizing what a bad mistake this is. After a few hour, they do realize its a bad idea, send out an official message saying how they have 'rejected' this offer, and yet, lo and behold people STILL got on the buses and went? Again, "What is going on?"
I realize that this has gotten really long already and these are just some of my preliminary thoughts from the past few days. As of right now this is how I feel: as much as I'd like to really blame fully the repressive Egyptian dictatorship for the Gaza Freedom March falling apart and not succeeding, I believe that CODEPINK, and the same old foreign arrogance/ignorance we have, has a lot to do with it this time as well. Sadly, the Palestinian people are still under occupation and I wish the best of luck to the VIVA Palestina convoys who seem to have a better grasp on how to deal with all this nonsense than we do.
Until later, free free Palestine,
-Sana
Haitham Sabbah is an uprooted Palestinian blogger. He is the webmaster and editor of Palestine Blogs, also webmaster and co-editor of Palestine Think Tank. His personal blog is Sabbah's Blog: http://sabbah.biz/
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by palestinethink: Gaza Freedom March Wrap Up: By Sana (Keffiyeh And Onions)
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Sana analyzes the Code Pink Care and Handling of events in Cairo, after protesters were informed that the Rafah Gates were not opening for them.
Many times activism is dislodged from it's goals by intervening government forces. The need to think on ones feet and change effective planning quickly is vital to engaging public opinion in a meaningful and constructive way. Seeing the glass half empty as opposed to half full is a perception of failure that elicits introspection, the minds eye microscopic dissemination of failure is a good teacher, even such missteps bare valuable and quantifiable good results of the moment.
Every attempt at freeing Gaza fails, do we look at the reasons and remake good strategies from lessons learned? Not always, but Sana is right to see some room for improvment in coordinating such efforts if morale is to peak in the constituents in Gaza and produce new life in Hamas leadrship and steering commitees.
Remebering whom we are serving is never difficult, centering the service on the recipients, however is tricky, knowing the Hassan Nassrallah crowd, understanding the relationships between Syrian Meshud, Haniyeh in Gaza, The Brotherhood in Egypt and Jordan is important to frreing their peoples based on good stewardship of available assets in both protest and planning. One problem with the short fall in reconaisance in Cairo is seen to be not having a per concieved contingency plan ready after being thwarted at the Rafah Gates, but to be sure, Sana has his underwear on a bit tight to do business with a group like Code Pink, they are no strangers to pre planning or hard consequences and did take responibility to represent as many positions as possible, tielding to demands to disband the bus Idea, they sacrifdiced a negotiated settlement that sent delagates with the networks criteria in hand to Gaza, which was a good idea if others had understood how some must sacrifice so that other get to the work. the self sacrifice of some, in this case, in gracful support of the luckey and presient understanding of the value of limited engagment when full measures are thwarted provides some insight for both detrators of Code Pink and those who felt they did their best and got a concession that should have been hailed and lauded as a success limited but granted by the Queen, women rights served, the Gazans served and the event continued in Cairo with the outreach to the Brotherhood a major part of events, had they been consulted and prepared to receive guest protesters, they would have glady given venue and support for it's press. This shows that Code Pink must study the Hamas hierarchy, meet beforehand with Egyptian brothers to set up press events, this is about the region, people, remember that the myopic viewpoint is invalid as it pertains to Palestine, Egypt holds these refugees, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, centering on Gaza is a epicentral theme to a larger cause of Palestinian human rights.
Linear thiunkers go with the flow and create opportunity where they are thwarted in Plans and make the best of things, I am poor, I never go to these events due to this, many are always left out of these events for that reason and perhaps the ones able to make the connections needed to have better contingency strategies prepared for just such circumstances.
I am a poor carpenter, as I said, I am never a material part of any middle east affairs, as travel to this region is impossible to fund, and I am not alone in this dilemma. finding intel assets with access and connections is important in moving these events to effective levels of measurable progress.
What we should all see,is growth and perhaps some lessons learned, which is typical of politically sensitive activism, many evils are perched in the paths of good people seeking justice for the oppressed, we need to re mediate these evils pre event and find ways of countering their effectiveness in thwarting plans, often by making stronger measures the contingency, we teach the opposition to accept our initial offerings of peace.
I understand Sana's frustration and agree with her that it was naive to expect Egypt to open its borders or to treat the protesters with respect and that the whole deal ended up muddying the waters by taking the focus off Israel. But looked at in another way, it is a clear example of how Egypt works under Israeli directives and an opportunity to show evidence of the huge amounts of aid Egypt gets from the US, aid which is largely contingent on backing up Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip.
Also, i have no idea what went on between Code Pink and any individuals or subgroups and any officials from Egypt or anywhere. However, two of my friends went over on the delegation with the express purpose of delivering a mural to Gazans and the wife, who is an artist who designed the mural, was able to get to Gaza to meet people and deliver her art work. I am glad that she was let in and that she will be able to tell her story as a witness to the horrific conditions in Gaza and the spirit of the Gazans under the Israeli (and international) grip.
Considering that Egypt was very likely (indeed almost certain) to close the borders, i don't have any problem at all with the fact that about 100 people were permitted to enter. That could have been celebrated as a victory, as an opportunity for further witness and solidaritiy, and as a chance for observation of the "facts on the ground" so that educational outreach efforts can be strengthened. To my mind, it is a sign that a more or less totalitarian government will yield a little to activism.
The saddest thing of course is that someone died in the fray and that this death was not the only example of violence, nor is it likely to be the only death in this event and its aftermath. Of course, there is a lot of other oppression, violence and injury going on – hopefully, this will open some people's eyes to the brutal lawlessness of the Occupation and the role that Egypt, the US and many other governments play in supporting the Occupation.
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The whole exercise reminds me of a criticism by Lenin in the 1920's called "Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder" (that his successors blew everything does not invalidate his analysis). The "leadership" of these outfits would also be dismissed by that of the antiwar movement in the 1960s in the US in even more disparaging terms. They have tactics but no strategy, believe slogans constitute action, focus on symptoms and not causes, and play to their enemy's strengths. And they lose. Surprise!
Gaza is both victim and symbol. Egypt is pawn and distraction. Israel is the enemy. The source and the solution to the issue is in Washington. Go there, or at least to US embassies, and also to Westminster, which helps the US by legitimizing many of its actions. Protest there. Spend the same time outside of the gates of the White House that it took to assemble in the UK and go to Egypt, with the same very small number of people (sorry but that is true), parking vehicles & dumping goods at the gates, calling on Obama to honor his words in Cairo, and people who matter WILL notice, the mainstream US media WILL hatefully and unhappily take note of it, and you may make a difference. Otherwise the occasional convoy or ship or busload of people and goods getting to Gaza means less than putting a band-aid on a sucking chest wound, except perhaps to a few egos who like being the center of attention even in a very small media pond.
I'll be happy to help on the US side, even if it entails a head-butting contest with people on this side of the pond. After a decade in the US Marines "way back when," such things don't bother me. Contact Haitham — he knows how to get in touch with me.
Regarding the French woman which it was widely reported was beaten and died, Ma'an News reported an entirely different story:
"A French woman associated with the March died on Wednesday of a heart attack. She was not present at any of the demonstrations, according to an organizer of the French delegation, Yasser Hassan.
The French delegates had earlier been camped out on the grounds surrounding the French Embassy in Cairo, reportedly flanked by two lines of Egyptian police"
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=251091.
I think someone needs to get to the bottom of this. Misinformation is not good no matter what way you look at it.
Pardon me from adding. The first report that I read of Rene's death due to a beating by Egyptian police was here
http://www.aljazeerah.info/News/2009/December/31%20n/French%20Peace%20Activist,%20Marie%20Renee,%20Killed%20by%20Egyptian%20Police%20During%20a%20Protest%20Against%20Gaza%20Siege%20in%20Cairo.htm
Notice that both accounts are there, the link to the Ma'an report clearly stating she died of a heart attack as cited by Yasser Hassan, and the statement attributed to the organizers of the Gaza Freedom March.
If Rene's death was due to a beating by the Egyptian police, her embassy will certainly be notified and whatever action that embassy decides to take will be taken. This would be a MOST serious situation.
On the other hand, if what Ma'an reported citing Yasser Hassan's account is true, that she died of a heart attack and was not present at any of the demonstrations, WHOEVER made the allegation that she died as the result of an Egyptian police beating needs to IMMEDIATELY issue a statement recanting this serious allegation. Furthermore, anyone furthering this information needs to rectify it. Accusing ANYONE of murder when it is not true is LIBELOUS and does not further anyone's cause. On the contrary, it damages one's cause.
This is why I am asking that the truth be found. As seen from the comment above Doreh Rosen and repeated across the blogosphere, Rene died as the result of a beating.
Again, Ma'an's report is absolutely contrary to this.
Clarification is NECESSARY.
We made the best of a bad situation.
For Sana, it was all about her
For most of us, it's all about swaying 50, 500, or even 5,000 fence sitters back home
For ALL of us, it was an amazing experiece and lifelong commitment towards freeing ALL the people of Palestine, with a primary focus of the open air prison of Gaza.
For the record, I was on "the list" of 100, but I never got on the bus.
@Robin
There were 6 women in the NW corner of the Police Perimeter. One had a bloody nose, 2 were laying on the ground. Of the 2, one was BLUE, and the other was pastey white, and sweating profusely.
BOTH were in the age range of the deceased.
Unfounded rumors said that the dudes in the cashmere coats, and camel hair sport jackets returned REALLY fast, after the 2 women were taken by ambulance.
What we DO know is about 6 of them were distributing bottled water to us, a 180 degree difference from the treatment we received over the 1st 4 days of demos.
The unfortunate, unfounded rumors say the deceased womans' old man was offered 100,000 Euro to protect Mubarack and America's Pile Driven 52 foot wall., and change the initial story that PRESS TV, & Al Jazeera originally reported.
What makes the unfounded rumor REALLY preposterous is he waqsn't sure about the 100,000 Euro deal until they threw in a 3,000 Euro "burial fee
Total HUSH MONEY=103,000 Euro
Of couse, their is no way to prove these unfounded rumors, so the issue is dead !
"because Egypt is not a democracy, "nothing we do will change their minds" – which sadly, ended up being quite true despite how often people demonstrated, were barricaded in by people, and some even beaten up. Moral of the story: This is not the U.S."
Sana seems to imply that if Egypt were a democracy, things would have ended up differently.
But Israel and US are so-called "democracies". Even if Egypt were a "democraticly" governed country, no guarantee they would still not suck up to US and Israel. After all there is a reason US gives all that "foreign aid" to Egypt.
Bill, I'm not one for rumors, I am one for FACTS as should any legitimate peace activist be.
Ma'an, a PALESTINIAN media source spoke to the head of the French delegation, Yasser Hassan. Would HE want to hush something up? That she had been killed rather than the account that he gave, that she had died of a heart attack?
The issue is far from dead. Either she died from a beating that was supposedly reported by the leadership of FGM, or she did not.
Rumors do NO ONE any good! They undermine the legitimacy of any organization and make them look like their own propaganda.
Perhaps someone reading here or from Palestine Think Tank itself can substantiate the FACTS in this matter. If she was killed, certainly the French embassy would be notified and take necessary action. If this is RUMOR and not fact, whoever started it needs to be held accountable. PERIOD.
Well done all of you on the GFM on your attempt to get in to Gaza.
I know you are all very disappointed not to get in, but the fact that you were prepared to try, and went to considerable effort and expense just to get to Cairo, will have given enormous moral support to the people of Gaza, who feel so isolated and abandoned by the world. Knowing that people were protesting in Egypt on their behalf will have given them much needed hope.
So don't underrate your efforts.
Well done to all of you!
Bravo to all who participated. You are my heroes.
And yes let's dump the trucks stateside.
Pressure here now for re-entry there later.
It seems that you haven't understand at all the goal of a massive Freedom March (which has been a success).