Thursday, February 9, 2012

Where’s the Syria Flotilla?

commentarymagazine.com


Where’s the Syria Flotilla?



By Andrew Ferguson



In May 2010, a Turkish Islamist charity with close ties to Turkey’s ruling party sponsored a flotilla which it claimed was to relieve suffering in the Gaza Strip, never mind that the standard of living in Gaza surpasses that in Turkey, according to several different measures. Many self-described human rights activists and pacifist groups joined the “Save Gaza” chorus and donated their time and money to sponsoring flotillas which, in effect, would support and supply Hamas but contribute little to humanitarian causes. Here, for example, is a press release from the American Friends Service Committee, the Quakers’ non-governmental organization:



HELP LAUNCH A U.S. BOAT TO JOIN THE NEXT GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA



Break the Siege of Gaza



THIS IS OUR MOMENT TO ACT



Your Donations Will:

Purchase a Boat

Secure a Sailing Crew

Carry Human Rights Activists to the Shores of Gaza

Help to Rebuild Gaza



SUPPORT A VAST CIVIL SOCIETY EFFORT



The U.S. Government Sends Boats to the Middle East Carrying Arms. We Will Send a Boat to Open the Borders, and to Stand for Human Rights and the Right to Rebuild a Free Palestine.



HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE TO INTERNATIONAL LAW



END THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE



HELP US SAIL SOON



EVERY MOMENT COUNTS



EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS



Alas, the American Friends Service Committee as well as Mennonite, Presbyterian, and pacifist organizations are silent on the atrocities in Syria, let alone prepared to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. Others, meanwhile, actively support the Syrian regime. How telling.

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