Greenwashing. You've heard the term. It's about corporations painting themselves green and pretending to be environment-friendly, when the reality is quite different.
Governments also have Public Relations machines.
I won't forget this "celebration" in nearby San Francisco a few years back:
Israel in the Gardens, the single largest annual celebration of Israel Independence Day in the Bay Area, will be held this year on Sunday, June 3 at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. A celebration that has taken place annually for over 30 years in San Francisco, this event attracts over 15,000 attendees....
Where blue and white Meets green
This year we’re going green! Particularly exciting this year is the green theme, emphasizing an issue universally resonant with Americans, Jews and Israelis. In traditional values to repair the world (tikkun olam), Israel in the Gardens invites you and your organizations to join in on energy conservation efforts. ....Here
The reality? Not so good for the environment. Even less good for peace.
The Land Research Center reported that the Israeli Authorities uprooted 7000 olive trees in the occupied West Bank this year. 1455 trees were uprooted during the olive picking season.
Fundamental settlers, heavily armed and protected by the army, also attacked, cut, burnt and uprooted more than 5500 trees.
The Center reported that 5720 trees were uprooted in Salfit district.
400 Olive trees were uprooted and burnt in Qalqilia district, 1600 trees were cut or uprooted by the settlers in Hebron district, and 30 olive trees were uprooted in Bethlehem.
These violations were carried out in conjunction of preventing the residents from harvesting their olives in several West Bank areas, as the orchards became isolated behind the Annexation Wall.
Dozens of residents were attacked by the settlers and the soldiers while trying to cultivate their lands or even while trying to reach their orchards.
Israeli settlers even distributed leaflets calling for preventing the Palestinians from cultivating their trees, and also calling for attacking the Palestinians and the international peace activists. IMEMC
This year is not much different than last year, or the year before. That is the problem. things are not going well, not even a little well, not even a tiny bit. Nothing is changing from the official government.
let's not greenwash.
Our only hope is in the amazing steadfastness (sumud) of the Palestinian people, who despite every effort, remain and struggle for justice. The ultimate symbol associated with the concept of sumud and the Palestinian sense of rootedness in the land is the olive tree, ubiquitous throughout Palestine.
The hope of peace remains. Despite the chainsaws and bulldozers attacking the olive trees, the Palestinian people will not be moved.