June 21 - Holocaust Survivor on Flotilla Attack - "I'm a Terrorist. Arrest Me."

Report on visit with Senator Claire McCaskill:

This is a second report on a state-wide Missouri teleconference with Senator Claire McCaskill

As no one else has done so, that I’m aware of, I’d like to offer a brief report from Monday’s teleconference with Sen. McCaskill and suggested follow-up steps in encouraging her to take a progressive stand (I of course encourage others who participated to chime in as well. Such a debriefing/sharing is worthwhile for considering future strategy and informative for those who with us in spirit but were unable to be present). My apologies on getting this out a few days later than I had hoped….
 
From my perspective, it was an extremely successful dialogue, judging at least from the time the senator visited with us: nearly 45 minutes, instead of the 15-20 minutes we were initially told to expect. It was a real privilege to join with the committed, compassionate and articulate sisters and brothers on the call.
 
Much thanks first of all to Michael Berg who helped get this lined up and who adroitly outlined our primary group concerns at the start of the call. Sixteen concerned citizens joined the call at the senator’s St. Louis, KC and Columbia offices (Colleen Kelly was thankfully able to participate via a phone line as well).
 
A couple specifics…

• Sen. McCaskill said she would be able to, by the end of this week, review Rep. Kucinich’s letter and tell us if she supported the spirit of it (if she does support it, would she be willing to sign on or, if she preferred, author a similar one to circulate among other senators?) To view Rep. Kucinich’s letter:  http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=188757.  Either Michael, Andrea Whitmore (who coordinated folks for the KC office visit) and/or I should follow up on this specific ask. Perhaps one of you already have? One of us or perhaps another leader will inform us of what the senator decides.

•   Sen. McCaskill has clearly been operating with inaccurate information, commenting at one point that rockets launched from Gaza have killed thousands of Israelis. (Michael made a powerful point, noting that more people were killed by Israeli troops aboard the Mavi Marmara than over the past several years by rockets from Gaza). George Smith agreed to provide accurate information to the senator reflecting the level of casualties incurred by both peoples. We encouraged her to review at least the summary of the Goldstone Report. She expressed what seemed like a genuine urge to learn more fully about the issue. George, I trust you’ve already forwarded some material to her? It will be interesting to get her take on the material.

• I think it would be good to have at least someone from each of the three areas, write a note of thanks to Sen. McCaskill and her staff. Perhaps folks already have?

 
Some general reflections…
 
Hedi Epstein was awesome; Sen. McCaskill was appropriately respectful and appreciative of her wise reflections, asking a few questions of our sage sister. Hedi was able to give the senator accurate information on the flotilla, correcting her misconceptions that not just one, but all six ships were overtaken by Israeli commandos and taken to an Israeli port where all the cargo was confiscated. Under the twisted logic of Israeli official-speak, all the flotilla participants were criminals. “I’m a terrorist. Arrest me,” she invited.
 
Sen. McCaskill expressed support in principle for an international (not just an Israeli-military/governmental) review of the attack on the flotilla. It wasn’t sufficient for the Israeli government to offer its seal of approval on a report, the senator concurred. From my perspective though, she seemed to equivocate a bit on whether the US should accept only an international report as the authoritative understanding of the incident.
 
After discussing the flotilla attack exclusively for ten minutes (concerned that we would only have 15 minutes for our full discussion), I steered the conversation toward the larger problem of Israel’s blockade of Gaza. George offered a factoid-laced concise accounting of the plight endured by Gazans, noting that the “US abates Israel” in this collective punishment.    
 
Colleen added that the US is responsible for what happens in Gaza and in the rest of the Palestinian Territories occupied by Israel, as Washington contributes $4 billiion in taxpayer money annually. As Israel forces kill Palestinian civilians with US weaponry, the government seems certainly to be violating the US Arms Export Control Act of 1976. An embargo on US weapons to Israel seems reasonable, at least one of us noted.
 
There was a multi-faith presence between the three offices. I was particularly thankful for the eloquent presence of a brother and sister from the Islamic community who joined in the KC office—and for all the other good folk who joined us. Hedi urged Sen. McCaskill to show courage in promoting peace, equal rights and justice for Palestinians and Israelis alike. “Yes, you may be called anti-Semitic.” She acknowledges she at times gets called that (despite her family’s horrific losses and her own painful experiences suffered during the Holocaust).   
 
Please share your thoughts, updates, etc.
 
In solidarity,
Jeff Stack
Mid-MO Fellowship of Reconciliation coordinator