Promoted as a Human Rights expert, a specialist on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, Mr. Eid spoke to a small audience at International House; the topic "A Palestinian Point of View".
To hear his message and know something of the history of Palestine, the ethnic cleansing of the native population, planned and executed prior to the formal founding of the State of Israel, the occupation and cultural genocide practiced by Israel against the Palestinians, the siege of Gaza and the periodic attacks on a defenseless civilian population with the machinery of modern warfare is to experience cognitive dissonance. (note)
But to fathom the incongruity of Mr. Eid's discourse, one need look only to the sponsors of his speaking tour of the US; the Israeli government, Zionist foundations, and local chapters of National organizations working to legitimate Israeli occupation in Palestine as well as to also grasp the success that the BDS movement is having globally, but especially in the United States.
The much awarded "Human Rights Activist" Bassem Eidn castigated Palestinian leadership and the Palestinian people for their current plight, while lauding Israel for its efforts to rebuild the damage that resulted in Gaza, from the firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel. Mr Eid dismissed the BDS movement as being counter productive and harmful to Palestinians. He went so far as to dismiss the occupation itself and suggest that Israel was a benefactor, supplying much that is visible in the market place today. What has happened to the "billions and billions" of dollars given to Gaza he asked, implying that endemic Palestinian corruption could account for so little to show.
Gaza had been, prior to its repeated bombing and blockade, almost self sufficient in meeting its domestic needs with local food stuffs and basics. That self sufficiency has been intentionally destroyed by Israeli bombing of manufacturing plants, the farms, the dairies, the greenhouses, the fishing fleet and much of the civilian infrastructure (water, sewage treatment, electrical generation) which has in effect made Israeli businessmen the beneficiaries of the International Aid directed to Gaza (at least 78 per cent of humanitarian aid intended for Palestinians ends up in Israelâs coffers.). notes
Profits and jobs now go to Israel as it is largely only Israeli consumer goods, food stuffs and materials that are allowed into Gaza; Israel controls all the boarders by force of death.
Destroying Gaza's industry and agriculture has been an economic opportunity for the Israeli settler economy.
An air of disbelief was evident among some in the audience who did not realize that Mr. Eid was a paid shill for the Zionist occupation and colonial project.. The Q & A did not go well for the speaker or his handler; at least one person became angered by the "poison" he heard from Mr. Eid and was threatened with removal by authorities at the event, still he held his ground. Several questions from people identifying themselves as Jewish expressed confusion about or disagreement with his message. Though five people remained in line to ask questions, the program was cut short by the moderator who, prior to assuming the role of graduate student at the University of Chicago, was a Public Relations agent for the Israeli Army.
As the room was being emptied, several members of the audience were willing to comment on the presentation. Comments were also obtained from audience members who were standing outside, the last from someone who had been in line with a question at the time the program was abruptly terminated.
I
International House at U Chicago -Global Voices Government of Israel J Street-UChicago Newberger Hillel Center, UChicago Pozen Family Center for Human Rights
Fact Sheet: 1,387 Palestinian dead, including 773 civilians, 320 of whom were children; 13 Israelis dead, including three civilians and four soldiers killed in friendly fire; 3,425 housing units destroyed during the conflict, a further 2,843 sustained major damage and 54,800 sustained minor damage; 217 schools and 60 nurseries damaged or destroyed; 40 primary health care clinics and 12 hospitals damaged; 29 ambulances damaged or destroyed; and One UN compound attacked.
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Joel Kovel, Beyond Zionism Michel Warschawski,Toward An Open Tomb-The Crisis of Israeli Society
There are numerous UN Resolutions calling for Israel to end its occupation of and building of settler colonies on Palestinian land; Israel ignores them with the sole backing of the United States. Brand sensitive to accusations of cultural genocide and racism, Israel has increased its propaganda efforts along with structural attacks on the US Constitution's protection of free speech and academic freedom.
For reports from Palestinians and International Solidarity Activists in the occupied territories and information on the BDS movement see: http://palsolidarity.org/
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