One of the most spectacular strikes during Israel's winter military offensive in Gaza came in the waning days of the fighting when Israeli white phosphorus shells hit the central United Nations compound, set the warehouse ablaze and sent a towering column of black smoke rising above Gaza City.
The UN eventually accused Israel of "negligence or recklessness" in hitting the UN warehouse, UN schools and other UN buildings during the offensive.
Israeli President Shimon Peres dismissed the UN report as biased and relations between Israel and the UN have soured considerably in the aftermath of the Gaza offensive.
Now, with the support of his superiors, one of the UN's most prominent spokesman in Jerusalem has embarked on an unusual and controversial attempt to engage Israelis by performing a one-man show in which he becomes the embodiment of the Gaza warehouse and metaphorically burns down before Israeli audiences.
As might be expected, this unique dramatic performance by Chris Gunness, spokesman for the UN Palestinian refugee agency, has sparked renewed debate about the UN, Israel and Gaza.
During the play's debut last May, one audience member rose up to try and shout down Gunness as he told the story of the warehouse.
Earlier this month, hours before Gunness was set to perform the show in Acre, the theater manager abruptly pulled the plug. Some said the theater manager came under direct political pressure from city officials who wanted to prevent the play from being seen.
Gunness says the show isn't meant to be accusatory. It's meant, he says, to show Israelis what happened in Gaza as UN workers repeatedly tried to get the Israeli military to re-direct its strikes and then battled a volatile inferno after Israeli white phosphorus rained down on the compound where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge.
But some Israelis see it as provocative finger-pointing.
Gunness says the show touches a nerve, but that it is a unique way to engage Israelis and start a new conversation.
Gunness is scheduled to perform "Building Understanding: Epitaph for a Warehouse" on Oct. 22 at the Hasimta Theater in Jaffa...
(Top photo: AP/A Palestinian watches the UN warehouse in Gaza City burn. Bottom photo: Chris Gunness)
Ain't it great how Israel resolves all of its problems, quashes all criticism and covers all of its atrocities with cries of "anti-Semitism," "Holocaust" and "bias." If they weren't Jews with free-access to such claims, they wouldn't be where they are today.
Posted by: Lola Flores | August 26, 2009 at 09:22 PM
Come on, Ms. Flores. You know that anyone who criticizes Israel for anything really wishes Hitler had finished the job. Israel is perfect. Just ask The Israel Lobby.
Posted by: August West | August 27, 2009 at 06:23 PM
For the Palestinians, The Israelis are the Nazis.
Since the Palestinians are also Semetic, the Israelis are anti-Semetic.
Israel has no shame. They are babaric.
Good luck answering to God. I doubt he will buy their story.
Posted by: Mark Gaughan | September 03, 2009 at 04:58 AM
I haven't seen Gunness' play, so I'll reserve judgement on it. However, the posted comments are absolutely horrible. No Israeli / Jew justifies operation Cast Lead on the basis of anti-semitism / the Holocaust. It was justified on the basis of the here-and-now: Hummus launched relentless terror attacks (mortars / rockets) on Israeli citizens. Israel had to defend its citizens. As to the warehouse incident, perhaps Israel was at fault. However, if they had credible evidence that Hummus was storing weapons there, then Israel was NOT at fault. Quite clearly, Hummus' military adventurism cost Palestinian lives.
Posted by: The Great Gazoo | September 09, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Gazoo, interesting spin. Of course that is what Israel would have us all believe that operation cast lead was in response to years of terror from hamas. The reality is different though. Can you tell me how many Israelis have been killed from these "rockets"? Can you tell me why those "rockets" are launched in the first place.
This is a very complicated matter, and blaming terrorism for something as awful and inhumane as operation cast lead is very weak.
Israel has put a stranglehold on Gaza since they pulled out. These people have zero chance of making anything out of their lives. There is no self determination, as much as you would like to think that they are just lazy.
In my mind, this cast lead nonsense was born out of Tzipi Livni's trying to look tough in front of the election. How about that? Let's kill some Palis so we can look good on national security and get elected! One shot, two kills! the Most moral army in the world right?
just a bunch of nonsense, and unfortunately you bought it
Posted by: NTY | September 09, 2009 at 01:57 PM