Two nights ago, I noticed that COGAT, the IDF unit which administers the Gaza siege, was taking credit in a Facebook post for organizing a “fun day” for 23 Gaza children in Israel. There were pictures (with the children’s faces pixellated) of them enjoying sun and fun at an Israel environmental center and water park called Sachneh.
The post noted the event involved the collaboration of the Israeli medical relief NGO, Road to Recovery and the Gaza relief group, Smile of Hope. It appears the Israeli group has organized such outings previously, as it displays pictures of a similar 2013 day at the beach. The Gaza children in these pictures have even been further exploited as ads for the Metzerplas irrigation systems produced by the Israeli Kibbutz Metzer. They wear hats with the company’s name emblazoned above the brim.
The Israeli NGO’s mission is to arrange for medical care for Palestinian children. It’s media page touts articles praising its work in Christian evangelical publications, Israeli media, and the U.S. pro-Israel Tablet Magazine. Among them is an article praising an IDF Brig. Gen. for his volunteer efforts for the group.
Given that providing Israeli medical care for Palestinians is a major hasbara selling point Israel uses to burnish its humanitarian image, and given that many of those whom Israel treats are recruited to spy on behalf of the Shin Bet, it’s reasonable to suspect the motives of such groups. But even if one accepts them at face value as sincere, the truth is that these acts of charity are nothing more than individual disjointed transactions that benefit individual Palestinians; and do nothing to alleviate suffering in a systemic fashion.
This message of normalization is reinforced by the group’s website mission statement:
Today, amid one of the most deeply-rooted political and cultural conflicts, Road to Recovery is bridging the divide with an initiative of hope. Our organization is a nonprofit organization of volunteers who believe that peace among Israelis and Palestinians can only come about through engagement and personal involvement, placing humanity before politics.
The deep-seated barriers of distrust that exist between Palestinian and Israeli societies only serve to perpetuate the conflict. Our volunteers seek to break down these barriers on a personal level, transporting Palestinian patients on round-trips from the West Bank and Gaza to hospitals throughout Israel for treatment, hospitalization and check-ups.
Another yellow, if not red flag, is that Road to Recovery’s website does not list its staff or board of directors. It is quite rare for non-profits to deny access to the public about matters that are important to know for the sake of transparency.
I’ve sought information about Smile of Hope with little success. They maintain a Facebook page which hasn’t been updated since 2012. No one answers at the phone number listed there.
An article in an Arabic language media site wrote that the Gaza outing was organized through the good graces of Qatar. That nation maintains relations with both Israel and Gaza. It offers hundreds of millions in reconstruction aid to Gaza; and offers intelligence coöperation to Israel in its battle against Iran.
I do not understand why Hamas permitted this event, especially given that the IDF exploited it to score hasbara humanitarian points. Perhaps, it felt it had little choice given that it was beholden to Qatari petro-dollars.
The Israel outings was attacked from two sides after word surfaced: the far-right gossip site, Rotter, attacked the IDF for permitting the children of terrorists to enjoy fun in Israel. Among the more distressing comments were:
- How many terrorists sitting in jail cells or who murdered Israelis were just like them in their youth?
- The nation is committing suicide.
- The chief of staff prosecutes a soldier for killing a terrorist, then brings the children of terrorists here??
Electronic Intifada also criticized the project as a “propaganda stunt.” I join Ali Abunimah in affirming that no one denies children with cancer the right to enjoy a day at the beach. But the pleasure of 23 children should not be exploited by an Israeli army laying siege to 1.4-million Gazans. It should not be exploited by an Israeli army which murdered 500 children in 2014.
As a further example of the quality of COGAT’s PR, it boasted in a tweet that yesterday it permitted 1,470 people to pass to and from Gaza. That’s 1,470 out of 1.4-million!! If Gaza was not under siege, if it was a normal country, one could expect tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people to cross into and out of Israel each day. And COGAT wants a medal for 1,470?!
Shortly after these critical pieces were published COGAT censored the Facebook post and removed it. However, it did not remove the tweet it published about the outing. I attempted to call several phone numbers for COGAT and it appears quite insulated from outside contact. I entered voice mail hell and never reached a live human being.
“I do not understand why Hamas permitted this event, ”
Mmm…because they wanted some little Gazan cancer victims to have a little fun?
Mmm…because the next time a Hamas apparatchik needs urgent care for his kid, and looks to Israel for it, there’s someone to talk to?
@ Bernie: No, because Qatar either offered to up its contribution to rebuilding Gaza or threatened to withdraw it entirely. As for cancer victims having fun, I’d prefer Israel drop the siege and permit these cancer victims to have their day of fun anywhere in the world they wish instead of having to get permission from a military dictatorship which rules their lives.
You think anyone affiliated with Hamas will ever have their children admitted to Israel for medical treatment? Are you daft? Not to mention if they were admitted you can be sure it’s only because the Hamas official agreed to become a Shabak snitch.
@Richard
“You think anyone affiliated with Hamas will ever have their children admitted to Israel for medical treatment? Are you daft? ”
Sir, no Sir! I am not daft, Sir!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/11174416/Hamas-leaders-daughter-treated-in-Israeli-hospital.html
@ Barbar
We’ve all heard about the story of Haniyeh’s daughter, here’s what your own source has to say:
“It is not known if Mr Haniyeh ( ….) personally requested or approved his daughter’s transfer to a hospital in Israel.”
Anyway, we’re talking about an adult here who has various family members living within the present State of Israel.
Abu Marzouk’s sister treated in Israel. Sick!
http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-spokesmans-sister-treated-in-israeli-hospital/
Haniyeh’s mother-in-law treated in Israel. Sick!
http://www.timesofisrael.com/haniyehs-mother-in-law-treated-in-israel/
Haniyeh’s granddaughter treated in Israel. Sick!
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israeli-hospital-treats-Hamas-PM-Haniyehs-granddaughter-332193
Sick! Sick! Sick! Sick! Sick!
@ Bernie X: Holy shit! Israel treated sick relatives of THREE WHOLE Hamas leaders. That’s simply amazing. Now Israel deserves the humanitarian of the year award.
You’re starting to disgust me. I have a sinking feeling you are not long for this world (the one here at this blog at least).
@Richard
You said: ““You think anyone affiliated with Hamas will ever have their children admitted to Israel for medical treatment? Are you daft? ”, and I than convincingly disproved that statement.
For that you’re going to what? Ban me? Moderate me?
What commandment did I violate ?
THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal. (2.22)
This is sick, just tells us that Hasbara sees no moral limits, but people are NOT stupid.
It reminded me of another story: a trip for Gazan orphants whose parents had been killed during the 2014 criminal agression: when Hamas realized it was a PR-stunt it was cancelled, and Hamas was of course criticized for that by Hasbara Central and its international servants. Can you imagine the cynical misuse of these children: killing their parents and waiting for them at Erez crossing to take pictures of them visiting “the Light Upon Nations”
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/revealed-gaza-orphans-israel-trip-was-government-backed-pr-stunt
COGAT publishes numbers about people and supplies movement between Israel and Gaza on a daily basis. Not sure why it disturbs you now.
So 0.1% of Gazan population crosses into Israel every day. Is that high? Low? Who knows! I doubt 300,000 Americans cross into Canada and Mexico on a daily basis.
“I doubt 300,000 Americans cross into Canada and Mexico on a daily basis.”
OMG, Hasbara ain’t what it used to be. It’s not that the US has its own airports and harbours, and it’s not that Americans have to cross Mexico or Canada to go to other parts of the US where the best US hospitals happen to be, is it ? Gee, I really think we should complain, the Hasbara flights lately have been low-quality.
Fact remains, you complain about additional 23 kids having some fun as if Israel ran ads in the NYT in order to score PR points.
Number of ppl and trucks in and out of Gaza are published on daily basis so not sure what got y’all worked out about it.
I think sending 23 children from Gaza to israel to “have fun” is a contradiction in terms and actually perverse. As Richard already said, if they were interested in children simply having fun and not being accomplices in yet another PR stunt by the zionist state, they should have the parks rebuilt within Gaza, like the one recently destroyed by IOF, or be able to spend the day at their own beach, without the israeli navy firing on anyone.
@ Israel: first of all, you are wrong. Here are statistics that go back to 2004:
This figure does include Mexican and Americans crossing each other’s border. But given that these figures are more than a decade old the numbers are likely to be twice that today. This source says that as of 2011 300,000 crossed the U.S.-Canada border daily. Care to ‘fess up to your error? Chances are there are well over 1-million daily crossings by individuals each day.
As for why COGAT’s statistics disturb me–the siege disturbs me. There should be no siege. Gaza should be developing its economy freely. There should be a new airport & seaport. There should be free elections which Israel’s siege obviates.
Dear Richard, as the responsible for coordinating the transportation of patients from the Erez crossing to Israeli hospitals on a daily basis, for 5 years, and as a member of the “road to recovery” Your words are a load of rubbish.
We are not looking to publish our actions, and our point of view the publication of Yoav Mordechai was an unfortunate mistake.
Following publication, Hamas closed the Gaza association, and therefore you were not able to get them obviously .., ..
The association in Gaza included some dedicated volunteers, who do not receive a salary that helps cancer patients in Gaza with food and clothing advocacy in preventing cancer.
You are an insolent person which there are no words to describe it
Have you ever met a child cancer patient from Gaza? Have you ever talked to him and his parents?
You do not know anything about what goes on cancer patients from Gaza, the grueling journey they must pass until they get to an Israeli hospital.
If, God forbid, you had a sick child you were not doing everything you can to get him to a hospital?
Well that’s what poor parents in Gaza are trying to do, and certainly each way cut that coupon, including hospitals and army spokesmen.
every day i get phones calls from worried parents from Gaza, there is a problem with the financial obligations (coming from Ramallah) or with the approval of the Israeli security and what will be and what the child has to get to?
And when all of a sudden the Health situation has deteriorated and we have to take the child emergencies even on Passover eve. , to the hospital?
I guess you never had such phones from desperate people from Gaza.
Your entries in the Arab press as part funded by the Qataris are just a whopper, we do not have any such contact. The entire financing was juggling festival of children invited him one day.
Exploiting the so-called “company regrets using the icon on the hat” , just shows your ignorance, these hats were made in Gaza, and their symbol printed were both of the association in Gaza and the association inIsrael
We are not responsible for the organization of the medical care of children, we help them with transportation, get to the hospital, many patients would otherwise would not been able to financing some 200-600 ILS depending on the distance of the hospital
I am proud that as an Israeli, I can help them, and I’m not the only one, our association are appointed about 500 volunteers carrying patients also passages in the West Bank.
This is a humanitarian action; you know? Maybe you are not familiar with the word, compassion?
And true, you’re right, Israel today does not have that a lot of fans, and obviously furious talkback country that grow racism – will tone as you mentioned. So what is the solution? Give way and stop the few bright spots exist? Let the darkness take over our lives?
We cannot change this damned situation, whereas hospitals in Gaza and the West are not able to treat dozens of children who need it, we can only help those who good fortune allowed him to come for treatment in hospitals in Israel and East Jerusalem
And should you believe it is cooperating with the occupation, then you will continue to write your slander, which give you mostly advertising as your Ego needs.
You do not know anything about the complexity of our everyday lives in this harsh country.
I suggest you instead write slander and hate about our experience of sone Israelis who live here in this complicated, to maintain a degree of compassion for those who need it, will mobilize and helped us organize donations which will enable more and more patients come to Israel in order to save their lives.
Yes, sir, you may make fun of my English this would be a logical escape for you from dealing with the issues I was raisin here.
@ amilia: I both called the phone number on Road to Recovery’s website and e mailed the address listed there but received no response. But apparently, you read about the blog post. It’s a pity you didn’t reply to my e mail so I could’ve included some of your comments in the post itself.
First, no one doubts that you engaged in compassionate humanitarian work. Of course there is some degree of good in that for the few individual Gazans you are able to help. But the truth is that your work and your permitting COGAT to promote it in as crass a way as they did, actually benefits the Israeli siege against Gaza because it allows it to call itself decent & humane, which it isn’t. I also find it interesting that nowhere in your screed attacking me do you say a word against the immoral, illegal siege against Gaza. Nowhere do you acknowledge if there were no siege then Gaza would have the sort of medical facilities which could treat many of these cancer victims. Nowhere do you acknowledge that it is the very COGAT which you collaborate with which creates all of this misery. Why is that? WHy do you focus narrowly on the few Gazans you help while ignoring the 1.8-million living in misery? YOu talk about compassion. You have compassion for a few hundred or few thousand Gazans you’ve helped but appear to have none for the other 1.79-million. Why is that?
As for the Metzerplas hat, there is only one logo on the hat and it’s displayed the same way in scores of pictures on your site: the company’s name in big bold letters. There is no Smile of Hope logo anywhere visible.
Regarding the claim in the Arab press that Qatar intervened to get Hamas to approve the children’s trip, you appear not to have read my post. I never made any claim that Qatar funded the trip. I claimed that if it intervened the leverage it would have over Hamas would be its financial contribution to the rebuilding effort. If you wish to level charges against me at least get right what you claim I said.
As for making fun of your English, you appear a bit paranoid and defensive. Why would you think I would do that? I understand English is not your native language. I wouldn’t dream of writing a blog post in Hebrew myself for the same reason.
i gather you will not publish my response as it opposed to your opinion and you dont have the Integrity necessary too publish it. your extream attitiude is very similiar to the extream right attitude here in Israel . not able to hear a different opinion , a different point of view is exactly what we experiance here in Israel these days.
@ Amaila: You clearly are extremely defensive and confuse the fact that your comment was moderated, and later approved by me, with a refusal to publish it. I never refused to publish anything you wrote. I would appreciate an apology from you. You are quick to be offended, and slow to acknowledge your hasty, faulty judgments of people.
I read, hear and address the views of people like you all the time. Why else would I call your office & write an e mail to your NGO? Would I be reaching out to Road to Recovery because I didn’t want to hear a different point of view? What nonsense. So you’ve made yet another faulty assumption.
Dear Mr. silverstein
1. We do not emplyee PR worker at our association to be able to response , In fact there is not one single person on our payrole association – we are all volunteers who are bussy in transportation and not in PR as you manage your activities.
2. There is no need for me to mention that i’m against the siege on Gaza as i meet the results every day.
3. Whish i could help more then just the hundreds we help – should we get a larger donation we will able to .
4. would you like to join us and help us help more and more people – by helping us raise donation to finance more transpotaraion from Erez to the hospitals? or by a donation from you? that would be great as we share some commen view.
5. should you wish to contact me – send me your E-mail adress or a phone number –
best regards
amilia
@ amilia: An organization doesn’t have to have a professional PR worker in order to answer it’s e mail. Many organization without staff have volunteers do this job as one of many volunteer jobs the organization has. I would suggest yours do a better job of responding to the public and media in future.
In fact, there is a need for you to mention your opposition to the siege because you refused to address it before this. Have you made your opposition known to anyone in Israel or at COGAT? Of course you can’t or they wouldn’t continue exploiting you as they do. How about another question: did you oppose the 2014 war on Gaza. Did you personally or as an organization express your concern for the suffering there? If so, I’d like to see whatever statement your NGO issued.
I’ll join in promoting your organization when you join publicly with any organization, even an Israeli one like Gisha, which opposes the siege. Let me know if you do this.
O
it’s a pity that it is impossible to attach a file
i would like very much to send you a close up of the hats the children Wore on their heads.
so you can see the logo on it.
But again , you don’t realy wish to deals with facts do you?
amilia
@ amilia: You can very clearly see the hats in this picture. There is absolutely no logo on the hat except the Israeli company, Metzerplas. I find it highly unlikely that any company in Gaza would produce a hat with an Israeli corporate logo, as you claim.
Shouldn’t someone have thought about the appearance of Gaza child cancer victims promoting an Israeli commercial company in scores of pictures on your website? And if such pictures were used by anyone outside your website, then they would be further promoting the company. I personally think this is shameful.