Before anything else the presentation was informative. Voline was unaware of the work of the individuals acting under the aegis of the International Solidarity Movement. In retrospect learning about the painful reality of life in Palestine felt like performing a social duty long overlooked.
The presentation was unlike books such as Comsky's Fateful Triangle. Rather than concentrating on violation of International law and agreements, the presentation highlighted the individual plight of Palestinians living under an apartheid system of humiliating military occupation. Thus the reason that Palestinian police were not seen in certain areas of Palestine was explained. All Palestinians are viewed as potential terrorists by the Israeli military. Because of this "viewpoint" the Israeli army will automatically shoot any armed Palestinian including the police.
The incredible inequality and oppression suffered by the Palestinian people on a day to day basis was portrayed. No freedom of movement, checkpoints preventing trade and work, medaeval laws used to seize Palestinian land, militarized roads to settlements through Palestinian territory, and abuse and violence from settlers.
More a strength than a weakness of the presentation was that it made no suggestion as to what should be done to remedy the situation. The activities of internationals might be described as palliative. Their presence with cameras and the threat of western media attention allows, amongst other things, the Palestinians to harvest olives from their land. Under laws dating from the Ottoman Empire if lands are not harvested they can be seized by the Israeli state. The internationals bravely keep the disease in check but what can solve the problem of two nationalities having one homeland? (Save peace, tolerance and co-operation that is.) Only one mention of religious beliefs was made in the presentation: the settler's biblical claims to the land of Israel. It need not be stated that there are different currents within Judaism and that one is not an anti-semite if one opposes Zionism. Voline has a copy of Jewish Socialist purchased last month. On the cover a picture of Palestinian women and children at a militarized Israeli checkpoint. The title: "40 Years In The Wilderness. Time For Justice!"
The speaker has a blog describing her time in Palestine (http://ana-en.blogspot.com/). A great deal of thought had obviously gone into the presentation. At one time she drifted from the thread of a first hand account of human rights abuses against Palestinians. She began talking about a violent confrontation with stone-throwing settlers, but checked herself.
Voline is thankful that he was welcomed into the Camberwell Squatted Centre. The reception was friendly, drinks were served and as already mentioned the presentation was informative.
Voline: Saturday 21st July 2007
