The Wall As A Barrier to Political Astuteness

Comedian Mark Thomas thinks the security barrier is funny?

Came across a report, Politics and performance with comedian Mark Thomas, which informs us that he has taken up the theme of the "separation barrier that encloses the West Bank in Palestine from Israel" of which he has said:

"I was shocked by the brutality of it. You cannot underestimate the affect it has on people's lives and their human rights. It's about life and death...It takes nine per cent of land from the West Bank. It was put up because of public pressure and the suicide bombings that were happening at the time. Originally Ariel Sharon, the prime minister of Israel, didn't want to build it. If you put a wall you create a boundary, if you create a boundary then you give up on the idea of the West Bank being part of Israel but public pressure was enormous...It takes water and land and effectively turns the area into a series of camp sites and destroys any future of a Palestinian state."

He even published a book on his expereince:

He visited and pulled up short at realiity:

"At one time we got stoned and that was terrifying as we got caught in a gully. Then we got covered in tear gas and we did worry that we may be jailed."  Thomas and his group were detained seven times by the Israeli authorities during his nine week journey..."We were walking past one checkpoint and a soldier says 'Oi! are you from London? I'm from Golders Green, come on You Arsenal'. You just think, what was that about?"

While on the walk Thomas witnessed Israeli settlers creating illegal outposts in the West Bank:

"Under Israeli law Outposts are illegal but they still get, telephone lines, sewage systems, electricity, water and protection from soldiers.  Palestinians are obviously fearful of Outposts because once they are set up it means there will be soldiers and it will bring a whole lot of oppression into that immediate area."

And the upshot of all this?  Thomas has turned his experiences into his latest show Extreme Rambling (Walking the Wall). Extreme Ramblings is on at the Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, Wednesday June 22. Call 01892 678678.

(More info here)


He also thinks that

"Israel is very frightened of the prospect of an international sanctions campaign. I think that would be a good non-violent way to challenge the oppression of the occupation."

I guess this is funny

A buffer zone exists on the Palestinian side of the barrier and the degree to which it varies in size, and the rigor with which it is enforced, depends on the mood of the soldiers. "You can not walk this near the fence, you must walk 300m away from it," says a soldier who detained me on the second walk. "But that's ridiculous," I exclaim, pointing at the crops all around us. "That would mean that farmers can't work here."

"OK then," says the soldier, "150m."

I appear to have bartered over the buffer zone and haggled the soldier down.

Well, at least he didn't use the term "Jew down".
As I can't find any text, it is a bit difficult to judge his art.  But "outposts" are not stirctly "illegal" rather they are unregistered and have not as yet obtained all necessary licenses.  "Oppression" is not some automatic activity.  And it is subjective: what an Arab might think "oppressive" could very well be protection of civil rights and personal security.  After all, Thomas does mention, in passem, something called "suicide bombing".

I just hope Thomas' show doesn't cause him to duck any eggs or rotten tomatoes.

^