Why I left the “Protest Gaza Flotilla Massacre, Demand UN Investigation, End to Gaza Siege” Facebook group

I’ve differed with Richard Silverstein before, and I find myself doing so again today. I joined an FB group he created, but upon further thought, I’ve decided to leave it. This is due to a very specific grievance; the second item on the group’s manifesto reads “2. that the U.S. government condemn unequivocally the attack on a Turkish ship in international waters; and join other EU countries in withdrawing our ambassador.”

I’ve got no problem with the U.S. unequivocally condemning the attack. While I blame the activists for not remaining nonviolent (which they clearly didn’t) from both a moral and tactical perspective (if they had stayed peaceful, this could have been an incredible way to draw attention to the cruelty of the blockade), that doesn’t excuse Israel’s actions in the first place. All parties involved in yesterday’s events made clear that they have no interest in a peaceful resolution to the conflict. It’s going to take a lot of work to get them there.

And this is something we already know. Which is why I can’t support any kind of intentional deterioration in diplomatic relations right now. Crises like this one make the moral and practical imperative for productive dialogue even more pressing. I object to the group’s belief that we should withdraw our ambassador.

I urge Richard to remove the second part of second item of the group’s beliefs. Only then will I feel comfortable rejoining, because only then will the group truly be advocating for peace.