Jon leads us to the Electronic Intifada, where even prank calls are tools of resistance:
EI: I saw one of the flyers you dropped on Gaza.
Israeli officer: Oh yes that’s right …
EI: I have some information for you on members of terrorist groups that are in Gaza.
Israeli officer: Oh I hope so…
EI: We’re on the same side against terrorism … I have names for you too, if that will help you at all.
Israeli officer: Of course that will be helpful.
EI: You don’t know what the terrorists are doing here in Gaza and we want to be saved from them …
…
EI: But you know the terrorist groups are all over the Strip. I mean there’s no place in the Strip where there aren’t terrorists. They’re all over the place.Israeli officer: You just wait. We’ll get to them, you’ll see.
EI: But as you know, it’s not easy for one to talk from Gaza, to give you information, it’s not an easy thing.
Israeli officer: Look … your assistance to us will end up helping you too. Every person who doesn’t have to be hurt in Gaza helps us and helps you. We benefit and you benefit. We want to destroy this Hamas leadership who are hiding, afraid for their lives. They are hiding and others are being killed because of them. What are we fighting each other for? Over nothing!
EI: Ok, let’s talk … let me give you some of the information and then we’ll talk some more. Do you have a pen?
Israeli officer: Yes. I have a pen and I’m writing.
EI: I want to give you names of the biggest terrorist organizations, not just in Gaza, but in all Palestine.
Israeli officer: Ok, let’s see
…
EI: All of them are people … you’ll see. The first one, his name is Ehud Barak [Israeli minister of defense].Israeli officer: Ehud Barak? By God there’s no one like you …
EI: Second, Gabi Ashkenazi [Israeli army chief of staff]
Israeli officer: Do you know him?
EI: Of course. The third one is…
Israeli officer: Wait a minute, one at a time …
EI: No write it down, I don’t have time. The third one is called Ehud Olmert [Israeli prime minister].
Israeli officer: Look, just a minute …
…
Israeli officer: You know what I think? I think you’re not from the Strip.
…
EI: Didn’t I just tell you that there were a number of terrorists in the strip? Record it. There’s a group of terrorists. They’re the biggest terrorists in the world. They call themselves the “Israeli Defense Force” but they’re not defending anyone. They’re a terrorist gang.Israeli officer: You know …
EI: A terrorist, sectarian, racist gang.
Israeli officer: I just want to say a few words to you …
EI: OK, talk, but I can’t hear you very clearly because of the noise of the terrorists bombs and rockets …
Israeli officer: Ah, terrorist bombs and rockets? I understand what you’re getting at …
Israeli officer:… let me say a few words to you. Look, I’m a Jew and I’m from the Israeli Defense Forces. But unlike you, my great, great, great grandfathers were all born here, going back thousands of years. We never left the country. You Palestinians have never been a nation. The Palestinians settled here recently, only a short time ago. What’s that got to do with me?
EI: Ok, the person who wants to help the people of Gaza talks like that about the Palestinians? You deny their existence?
Israeli officer: Look, I’ll tell you …
EI: You really want to help the Palestinians and this is what you say?
…
Any Israeli who can ask “What’s this got to do with me?” – about Gaza, especially – is a sociopath. (See, e.g., Bush, George W.)