Brilliance of the aid flotilla

I was thinking about the brilliant of the aid flotillas, and how they completely undermined the narrative we were all being asked to believe. That aid was not permitted into the country because it would help the terrorists. We were being told that everything was moving so fast that they couldn’t verify who or what was coming in on aid trucks, or being dropped from the sky, and it posed a security risk. We saw as aid workers who rushed to help were targeted. And the image we were given was that aid couldn’t be let in until things were under control and secure.

Then, from thousands of miles away a group of people announced that they would challenge that narrative, and load ships with aid that would arrive 3 - 4 weeks laters. They would be unarmed and completely vulnerable out in the middle of the ocean, moving at a snail’s pace (typically 5 knots). If anyone wanted or needed to come aboard and verify their claims and intentions, and secure the ships, they would have ample time to do it.

The people on the flotilla didn’t just want to deliver aid, they wanted to prove a point. That it was never about the threats that delivering aid carried. That it was about the threat of the aid itself, and the risk it posed their military strategy by helping people starved of it.

The flotilla organizers said watch what happens. They aren’t turning aid away for security purposes. They aren’t mistaking aid workers in the heat of battle for militants or enemy sympathizers. They are simply refusing to let anyone help. That deprivation was part of the strategy.

And that is the point the flotilla organizers made. No aid flotillas were ever allowed to reach the shores of Gaza. All of the crew members were arrested, detained, and deported, and some reported being tortured, abused, and denied basic necessities such as medical care and medication. One ship was struck by a drone causing a fire and damage to its hull. All of it a reminder to everyone that this type of behavior would not be tolerated.

Through a novel and bold idea they were able to completely flip the narrative on its head. They said if everything is moving fast, we’ll move slow. If everything feels unpredictable, we’ll show you our hand and make our intentions known. They said we’ll play chess and let you expose yourself playing checkers.