CON-VOY!

This post will be like an elementary school class plan. First, a short lecture, then a lot of pictures. Skip the prose if you like; I'll never find out, and don't care.

The last week has been the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Every year, the richest corporate magnates on the planet assemble- captains of industry, powerful lobbiers, CEOs, tycoons... and of course, one or two lame-duck lackeys from a government or two. The WEF is something like the parties the French court held at Versailles before the peasants got fed up and stormed the Bastille. Our Global Nobles spend a week neck-deep in conspiracy and hedonism, brainstorming ways to further fill their moneybags... oh, I'm sorry... I meant: promote Free Trade.


Fuckit, whatever. I had a whole paragraph written here, and deleted it. You can learn about it yourself, or not. Be warned, however. The WEF, and meetings like it, is how our planet is ruled... and ruined. Ignore it at your own peril.


The (very weak) counterpoint to the WEF is the World Social Forum (WSF), a Tower-of-Babble mishmash of what we might call the "Left": anyone who opposes the New World Order. Anarchists, anti-globalization-ers, alter-globalization-ers, environmentalists, feminists, Marxists, and "freedom fighter" movements like the Basques, Kosovars, and Kurds.

Officially, the WSF is against neocolonization/neoimperialism, neoliberalism, racism, sexism, and war. In other words, they're against everything, and for nothing.

Every year, the WSF holds a Global Action Day to coincide with the WEF meetings. Traditionally held in one place, this year's WSF was broken down into dozens of localized demonstrations and meetings.

Palestine recently got in on the WSF action by tagging the Palestinian national struggle in with anti-neoimperialism (by Israel and the US), anti-war, anti-sexism, and anti-whogivesafuck. Sean's assessment: Palestinian organizers saw an opportunity to increase publicity over the Occupation by tying the Palestinian cause in with the World Social Forum.

So, in association with WSF Global Action Day 2008, a convoy was organized to bring food and medicine to the border of the Gaza Strip. Scores of cars and six big tour buses, packed with food and lefties.

The plan: to "run the blockade" and get the supplies into Gaza.

Horseshit. None of us harbored any illusions that we'd actually get into Gaza. There would be a protest, the border would remain sealed, and the food would be confiscated by the Israeli border guards and donated to ultra-Orthodox charities.

Here are your pictures.


Decorating the buses.


Decorating the cars.


CON-VOOOOOOOOY!


The WSF breeds strange bedfellows. Here are some Communists...


... some Palestinian nationalists...


... and some anarchists! Which of these is not like the other...


The ringleader. "1...2...3...4! We don't want your bloody war! We want real peace! US out of Middle East!"


Here comes the Left.






Here's what you see on the front page.


Here's what you don't see. Check out all the press on the right side of the picture.






A man with a sack of rice on his shoulder. It won't get into Gaza, anymore than I will.



A video of the scope of the crowd. There are over 1000 people here.






Yes, and no.


Uri Avnery, a highly articulate writer and Knesset member. He's a hero of the Left, and with good reason. This man, I believe, used to fight the British in Mandate Palestine, which makes him a former terrorist. I used to read his shit in university, and he must be one of the last Israelis left who doesn't believe that Jews have a monopoly on suffering.


A girl from Sderot, Hamas' favorite rocket target. She gave a short speech in Hebrew, and was given a rousing ovation.

That's all.

I'd like to head for the Galilee next, but it's raining all next week.