Some people, as my late grandfather used to say, “you can teach ’em, but you can’t learn ’em.” One example is Sweden’s own Greta Thunberg. Do you remember her ill-fated attempt to bring aid to Gaza on what some humorously called the “Selfie Yacht?” That trip ended with her being deported and flown back home on an emissions-heavy plane, albeit in economy class. The “aid” she managed to carry was barely enough to feed a dozen people.
Well, she’s trying it again, with “Selfie Yacht 2.0.”
Greta Thunberg’s recent ‘Palestinian rescue mission’ turned out to be a complete fiasco. The mission only carried a very limited amount of supplies, reportedly enough for “maybe a dozen people,” and resulted in her being sent back from Israel.
So she’s going to do it all over again!
Now, the Swedish activist, known for her intense focus on environmental issues, is planning another journey, this time from Spain to Gaza with “dozens of boats,” aiming to “breach the illegal Israeli blockade.”
Meanwhile, citizens across the world have been asked to participate in “encampments and demonstrations that will happen simultaneously.”
The initiative has been dubbed the ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’ and will supposedly include activists from more than 40 countries.
Others have dubbed it as yet another attempt to cover Thunberg with publicity.
The critics have a point. Greta seems more focused on extending her time in the limelight than on genuinely aiding the people in Gaza. Her former image as the youthful Swedish climate activist is fading, replaced with that of another Affluent White Female Liberal. Having worn out her act of loud climate advocacy, she’s shifting her focus to a new arena: Gaza.
Still not convincing. That’s pretty obvious to folks in Israel:
Michael Starr, writing for The Jerusalem Post, humorously noted that “Thunberg didn’t get enough attention last time and is returning to the region with even more vessels ready to challenge the Gaza blockade.”
Israeli businessman Adam Milstein also titled the project “Selfie yacht 2.0” and said it was “hoping to provoke violence or drama.”
Here’s a prediction: Not much will come from this venture. It’s unlikely many supplies will reach Gaza. Greta and her team, likely aware of the repercussions, know that if they land in areas controlled by Israel, their boats will be taken, and Greta will be on another economy flight back home. If they land in Hamas territory, they risk becoming hostages of significant profile.
Reality just doesn’t carry a lot of weight with these people.
