In case anyone has any misconceptions about the International Solidarity
Movement (ISM), recently nominated for a nobel peace prize by Sven
Robinson, a notoriously anti-Israel (verging on anti-Semitic) Canadian
politician, you may want to read this article. Don't forget that our
favorite peacenik, Yasser Arafat, actually *won* a nobel peace prize.
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Jun. 25, 2003
Support unit for terror, By David Bedein
Being a neutral observer in a war zone is a difficult job. But when these
observers are actually partisans masquerading as objective "monitors" of
the treatment of civilians, the images of the conflict broadcast to the
world can be skewed beyond recognition.
Such is the case with the International Solidarity Movement, and its
members in place in the West Bank and Gaza.
The ISM is often referred to in the media as a "peace movement." Its
spokespersons are assumed to provide objective daily updates for foreign
consuls and the foreign press based in the Middle East (for which the
group has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize). This has been
especially true since the accidental death of Rachel Corrie, an ISM member
killed during an Israeli Defense Force operation in Gaza earlier this
year.
Corrie's presumed martyrdom has helped galvanize favorable press attention
and support for the group. Yet there is a flip side to the portrait the
ISM presents of itself. In practice, it is nothing less than a
revolutionary movement fighting in support of a violent struggle. Indeed,
it defines itself as anything but neutral.
In the opening paragraph on its own web site (www.palsolidarity.org), ISM
says it supports the Palestinian "armed struggle" against the "occupation"
and is in favor of the "relevant UN resolutions." It says it uses
nonviolent means to support that struggle.
But as in any paramilitary operation, there are combat units and support
units. In the ongoing fighting between Palestinian terrorists and Israel's
army, the ISM chooses to play the role of a support unit for the
Palestinians. While it invokes the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and
Mahatma Gandhi the ISM rejects the pure, nonviolent vision of both men by
working in alliance with those who choose to kill people in order to
advance their goals.
At a May 6 press conference I asked ISM spokesman Raphael Cohen how his
group defines the "occupation." His definition? "The Zionist presence in
Palestine" that is, in all of the country including Israel within its
pre-1967 borders.
Cohen went on to say that the ISM view of peace would be a "one-state
solution," or no Israel at all.
ISM spokesperson Huwaida Arraf confirmed that ISM supports the Palestinian
"right of return," which is tantamount to calling for the end of the
Jewish state. On its web site it is easy to follow the group's activities
and judge whether or not it is truly a nonviolent peace movement.
For example, the group freely admits to the following:
Spotting and reporting IDF troops in military operations and reporting
their whereabouts to armed units of the Palestine Liberation Organization
and Hamas. Since the ISM members are not Arabs and since they are not
armed, they are in a perfect position to provide reports on troop
movements of any kind to terrorists who take refuge in population centers.
Intervening with IDF troops at checkpoints in order to facilitate the
movement of Palestinians between cities. Who knows how many armed
terrorists have been able to infiltrate into Israel with the help of this
group?
Preventing Israel from monitoring and closing off the tunnels Palestinian
terror groups have dug along the border with Egypt. When Corrie was killed
she was trying to block an IDF tractor carving a path in the direction of
these underground tunnels.
The group is now launching "The Freedom Summer Palestine Campaign" aiming
to recruit 1,000 volunteers to come to Israel in the guise of unassuming
tourists.
On its web site ISM advises volunteers to "have a really good story about
why you are coming, and not to mention anything about ISM, or knowing,
liking or planning to visit Palestinians. You must play it as though your
visit is for other, Israel-based reasons like tourism, religion, visiting
an Israeli friend, etc.
"So do a little bit of research and put together a story that you'll be
able to answer questions about."
By definition a movement that endorses the "armed struggle" of a terrorist
organization should itself be considered a terrorist organization.
Despite its peaceful image, the ISM has crossed the line from protest to
an alliance with hate.
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