Who's really under siege?

In its latest, catastrophic attempt to enforce the Gaza siege, Israel has demonstrated that in fact, it is under siege - one it has imposed upon itself. Many Israelis are finding it hard to fathom the results of Monday's failed commando raid on the Turkish aid flotilla, which resulted in the deaths of foreign citizens. Those who believe that the blockade of the Gaza Strip must end, and even those who believe the operation was justified, realize that this is the time to reevaluate some of the anachronistic attitudes of those charged with defending the country.

The first attitude is based on the belief that it is possible to carry out a long-term blockade under the political conditions prevailing today internationally. Instead, the effectiveness of the blockade needs to be reexamined after having been in place for three years. Israel's security chiefs surely recognize that the flotillas to the Gaza Strip will not stop; rather, they will only intensify. The political and military leadership that decided to take over the ships behaved in a way befitting a different era. The struggle today takes place on the media battlefield and requires a corresponding solution.

Moreover, what will Israel do with the next flotilla? Or when the United States ceases to show understanding for Israel's position? Or when the number of casualties is higher? And what will the army do when countries like Turkey begin providing military escorts to such civilian flotillas? The military's response to this week's challenge suggests a lack of understanding of the nature of the conflict, and makes one wonder: Who endangers our security more? The human rights activists and the militants who have linked up with them, or those who determine Israel's defense policy?

It is not just Gaza that is under blockade. Israel is isolating itself from the world with its systematic policy of humiliating those who try to enter and leave the country. No security considerations can justify the way in which those who choose to visit Israel are confronted. With such an approach, the State of Israel undermines its own interests on a daily basis. With the technological developments at our disposal, it is hard to understand why respected guests from abroad are asked to answer embarrassing questions pertaining to their social life, their sexual preferences and habits, and much more, in interrogations that often last hours. Only intellectual stagnation can explain such xenophobia.

Palestinian peace activists who are willing to cross the Green Line in order to take part in activities in Israel intended to bridge the gaps between the two peoples also encounter unnecessary difficulties and humiliation, that mostly harms us, ultimately.

I can only assume that those responsible for defense will pooh-pooh my comments as those of yet another woman who is simply unable to understand the security considerations and the supremely important role that the intimate questioning at the border plays in keeping the country secure. However, with our invasive checks of non-Jews passing through the airport, we probably manage to lose several more supporters of Israel each day.

The security policy of Israel suffers from many idees fixes. The handling of the Gaza flotilla exposed several of these - one related to ties with Turkey. It seems the deterioration in relations is linked to the lack of comprehension on the part of Israel's political-military leadership of changes in the region and domestically in Turkey. The changes are neither superficial nor limited in scope. They are also not related to Israel's conflict with the Palestinians per se, although an improvement in those relations could take some of the sting out of the Turkish criticism. Israeli decision makers do not seem to grasp that Turkey seeks to become an international player and to adopt a more ideologically based foreign policy that will help give more of a voice to the under-represented peoples of the world, primarily Muslims, in global forums.

Turkey's international efforts are closely linked to the attempt of the ruling party to position itself on the domestic political scene opposite the Kemalist military-bureaucratic establishment. Delegitimizing Israel on the international level therefore serves it both as a domestic strategy, for political survival and also to expand its power, and makes Turkey a more dominant, regional player.

The situation will not change so long as the Justice and Development Party (AKP ) remains in power. Therefore, Israel should work to bolster economic and cultural ties with Turkish civil society. But Israel's response to the flotilla does not reflect such a strategy. Furthermore, the killing of Turkish citizens will make it impossible for our allies in that country to voice their support for Israel.

The absence of a serious political initiative vis-a-vis the Palestinians, and the mistaken impression that economic and military strength will continue to protect us against the world, have become obstacles to achieving diplomatic progress and sustainable security. A new political initiative, on the other hand, may extricate us from the serious crisis in which we find ourselves and save us from archaic mindsets.

 

Dr. Anat Lapidot-Firilla is a senior research fellow, and academic director of the Mediterranean Neighbours unit at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.