Gestures speak louder than words. Also, would make a nice Nike ad.
A Palestinian protestor gestures towards Israeli riot police during a demonstration against the Israeli attacks on Gaza in the Shuafat Refugee Camp, north of Jerusalem, on 29 December 2008. EPA/YOSSI ZAMIR
Palestinian protestors display their rage at the Israeli govt. for denying them their basic rights of food, water, & the ability to purchase adidas products.
I know that this isn’t at all fair, but I always find it amazing when people who are blockaded and claim starvation walk around in Nike hats and Adidas track suits. And before you criticize me for saying this: I know that it’s terribly unfair and that one has very little, if anything, to do with the other.
Mike, those are very unlikely to be authentic Nike or Addidas outfits. You’ve walked down Canal Street recently, right? Same over there.
Nonetheless, I’m more amazed when folks (commenter above you) can simplify the situation to such one dimensional analysis.
You’re right of course. The swoosh on the hat is all wrong. It is a knockoff.
Still, I find it interesting how the Israelis have been blockading Gaza. They’ve been working hard to squeeze the area without causing a humanitarian disaster. This is probably because they don’t want to upset the international community — and they don’t want to upset their own citizens.
I was recently in Israel and I was struck by how pragmatic the Israelis I met were. Every single one of them wanted peace, and all of them understood that a Palestinian state was an absolute necessity. They differed in the way they viewed the situation only insomuch as how they prioritized the slightly different goals of “peace” and “security.”
A perfect example: I was at a dinner for American and Israeli businessmen at which everyone had to stand up and introduce themselves. There were probably about twenty people. One of the attendees was a former head of Mossad. He introduced himself as the chairman of the Council for Security and Peace, and noted that it was not the Council for Peace and Security.
There’s a difference, you see. The Council for Security and Peace is a right-wing organization. The Council for Peace and Security is a left-wing organization. Brings to mind Mel Brooks, doesn’t it?
But that’s exactly the point. My host in Israel had spent five years in Military Intelligence. His thinking was careful and nuanced. He believed that the blockades were radicalizing the Palestinians. He understood that targeted killings (assassinations to you and me) tended to include collateral damage and also radicalized people. But he felt the need to strike back (don’t we all?). Still, he wanted to see a Palestinian state. He wanted the peace process to move forward. The greatest tragedy, he insisted, was the lack of strong leadership on both sides of the conflict. It takes strong leadership to make peace. And there isn’t any right now.
