The Protesters Speak

This summer we’re posting interviews with BDS activists in Adelaide.

Joe Frank speaks with us here…

When did you first become interested in the issue of Palestine?

I was probably four or five years old (in 1944/45) when I recall my parents discussing Palestine.  Their concern at that time was not so much what was happening to the Palestinian Arabs but the dangers that my relatives, who were still in Palestine, were facing.  Because of our internment, we received little or no news of what was happening in the ‘outside’ world.  The only news we got was from infrequent letters sent by relatives.

 Why is the Palestinian issue so important to you?

In my opinion, what is happening to the Palestinian people constitutes the greatest injustice of the twentieth century and beyond.  The denial of their aspirations for self-determination whilst under the rule/control of foreign powers since the days of the Ottoman Empire is not paralleled anywhere else.  There have been numerous injustices affecting other groups, but none have dragged out over such an extended period of time.  I hope to live long enough to see a just resolution to the situation faced by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza (Palestine), and those who are refugees in a number of other countries.

 What motivated you to join AFOPA?

I became aware of AFOPA by chance.  I recall attending a symphony orchestra performance at the Adelaide Town Hall and seeing a display of material which included contact details for the organisation.  This must have been within the first three or four years of AFOPA’s formation.

 I joined AFOPA because it gave me an opportunity to become involved in actions that would lead to a better understanding by the wider public of what the Palestinians were being subjected to.  It provided me with the opportunity to take direct action to help Palestinians, as well as being involved in other ways.

 How did you find out about the protests and what motivated you to join the protest group?

I cannot recall how I became aware of the protest group.  I remember taking part in protests on North Terrace and at Parliament House, probably in relation to the bombing of Gaza, which were organised by AFOPA.   Information was, in all likelihood, provided via email.  I participated in protests because they are possibly the most visible way of drawing attention to an issue.  If enough people become involved, protests can, in fact, result in government policy shifts.  Becoming involved with BDS was a natural follow-on.

 What do you see as the main purpose of the BDS actions in Adelaide?

I have always accepted that boycotting can be an effective course of action against undesirable policies, actions, and products.  The good thing is that individuals can take action in their own way. However, action is far more effective if carried out on a large scale and with the support of a wide range of institutions, including governments.  The main purpose of our BDS action is to work in solidarity with the worldwide BDS action against the policies - and therefore the state - of Israel.  By drawing attention to the issue, we are educating and informing the wider public, thereby gaining support for the cause of the Palestinians and our organisation, AFOPA.  We are also demonstrating that ordinary people can stand up for a worthy cause and that persistence and perseverance may need to be employed over the long haul.

 What do you think the protests have achieved?

I believe we have had intangible outcomes that are difficult to determine, but also real outcomes such as the number of people on the street that we have spoken to and therefore influenced, the number of brochures distributed, but more than anything else, the respect we have gained from the police, the Adelaide City Council and others, for the proper way in which we conduct ourselves.

 The protests can be eventful. Do you have any special memories to share?

We have now operated for a long time as a BDS group.  My best memory is the solidarity of the group over all that time.  Obviously, getting ‘positives’ from the public helps one to keep at it, week after week.

 Do you have any predictions for the Palestinian people?

I am in awe of “summud”, the determination of Palestinians everywhere to persevere until justice for them will be wrought.  It is now fifty years since the occupation/blockade of Palestinian land in 1967 took place.  It is seventy years since ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their villages, by Jews, began.  It is one hundred years since the infamous Balfour Declaration was issued, which commenced the process of turning Palestinians into captives or citizens controlled by another power.  I believe that in the fullness of time, justice will be served and the Palestinians will achieve full human rights, either in their own state or as fellow equal citizens of a bi-national state.

 Any predictions for the future of the BDS protest group in Adelaide?

 I accepted the fact that supporting the cause of the Palestinians would be a long-term project and therefore, any BDS action would need to be long-term also.  Those of us old enough to remember know that BDS action against the ‘apartheid’ government of South Africa took time to take effect and finally win through.

 I am prepared to support the cause of the Palestinians for as long as my state of health and other means allow.  Palestine is, after all, the land of my birth, and it should be a land of peace and fellowship where humans care for one another.