Dr John Guy The Protesters Speak Interview 2021

I first became interested in Palestine probably in my teens. This is because I had an aunt who married a man from Palestine and our two families were great friends when I was growing up. As a 19-year-old in 1967, I recall the consternation in our family about the Six Day War and the seizure of the West Bank. Although I had a good knowledge of the effect of the creation of the State of Israel from the Palestinian perspective, I was – for many years – a Palestine supporter in principle only, and did not become active in support of Palestine until about 2010.

Why is the Palestinian issue so important to you?

My uncle, Salem Khamis, came from a small village near Nazareth. When the State of Israel was declared in 1948, his family lost their land holdings. At the time, he was a student in London (where he met my aunt) and was advised by his family not to return. Uncle Salem’s family became stateless as a result. Fortunately, his marriage to my aunt allowed him to become a resident of Britain.

How did you become involved with the Australian Friends of Palestine Association and their BDS protests?

Kathie and I were deeply disturbed by the Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon in 2006. Some time after this we heard about a Friends of Palestine quiz night. We decided to go along and met some great people. In 2010, I was elected to the Executive Committee of the organisation.

I had been experiencing a growing sense of anger at Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. The Israeli Defence Force attack on Gaza in 2008-9, Operation Cast Lead, which perpetrated gross abuses of power in defiance of international conventions on warfare including the murder of several hundred children, created a desire in me to do something about the situation and spurred me into action.

I was motivated to join the BDS protests because of a profound sense of injustice about this gross violation of human rights, and the need to find a peaceful but effective way to protest the actions of the Israeli government.

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

I believe the main purpose of BDS actions in Adelaide is to draw community awareness to the issue of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. An equally important purpose is, of course, to persuade shoppers in the city centre not to buy products that have been illegally sourced from Palestinian territory or those made by Israeli companies that are complicit in the enforcement of military rule on Palestinian territory. With the cultural boycott in particular, the hope is that not only local people will be made aware of the issues, but that visiting Israelis will also take home the message that what their government does is opposed by many people around the world.

There have been at least two cases that I am aware of where an Israeli-owned or operated retail outlet has closed in Rundle Mall, probably due to BDS action. However, I think the engagement of shoppers and passers-by in the places in which we protest, and the tens of thousands of leaflets we have handed out have had the effect, albeit difficult to measure, of raising the issue in the community of Adelaide in South Australia. I think it is likely that this consciousness-raising by the BDS protesters has been at least part of the reason why politicians in South Australia were able to pass a motion calling on the Federal Government to recognise the State of Palestine.

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

I cannot recall any specific events in detail; however a few themes stand out. The antics of the Christian Zionists and ‘Chalk Man’ are often funny, despite the underlying threatening nature of their activities. The occasional difficult conversations with a well-muscled young man almost certainly associated with the Israeli Defence Force have been memorable. What’s most pleasant is talking to people who are genuinely interested and concerned after they have listened to what we have to say.

Do you have any predictions for the Palestinian people?

It is increasingly unlikely that two separate states can be constructed out of what is left of the West Bank after the shameful theft of Palestinian land by the Israeli government. But at the same time, decades of repression by the Israelis and the occasional reprisals by the Palestinians make it hard to imagine how a one-state solution could exist. However, I think that will be the most likely outcome at some stage.

Any other comments or observations you would like to make.

I'm very proud to be associated with a world-renowned political movement that has helped to change and shape politics and attitudes, albeit slowly, to show that the Palestinians are a worthy cause of support against the illegal and unprincipled oppression by Israel.