By Kim Gasper-Rabuk
Most of the world has now seen picture after picture of starving and murdered Palestinian babies and children on the phones they hold in their hands. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have begun suffering the severe effects of malnutrition from the months-long Israeli and US government’s blockade of food, fuel, and medicine. It is estimated that 600,000 people haven’t eaten in days! Medical workers are fainting from hunger. Incubators have no power to operate. Surgeries are being conducted with insufficient anesthesia.
More than 1700 women, men and children have been shot and murdered just attempting to access a bag of rice or grain at the 4 fake US “humanitarian aid” facilities. More than 200 Palestinians, mostly children, have starved to death with more succumbing each day. Meanwhile, thousands of tons of food and medicine have been detained at the border, has spoiled, or been destroyed by the Israeli army at the border.
A very new group of socialist activists, Socialist Horizon of Madison believe that Netanyahu and the Zionist regime, and the Democrats and Republicans all have blood on their hands. The US ruling class has a stake in controlling the oil, gas, and other resources in the Middle East, and is working to hang onto that power at all costs—including carrying out orchestrated daily murders and mass starvation.
A Bipartisan Genocide
Bernie Sander’s most recent bill opposing an additional $675 million dollars in arms transfers to Israel was only a “vote for show”. Wisconsin’s Democratic Party favorite Senator Tammy Baldwin, and 27 of the 47 Democrats in the US Senate (and zero Republicans) supported the losing measure in a performative vote to feign opposition to the genocide, knowing full well that it wouldn’t pass. Most of the congressional Democrats now expressing “strategic” opposition to Trump’s continuation of the genocide are insincere. They have willfully supported the shipment of over $22 billion dollars of arms to Israel and giving unflinching political support for the killing of at least 75,000-100,000 Palestinians, including nearly 20,000 children, with nearly 200,000 more being maimed or injured. When they controlled the Senate under the Biden-Harris administration, there was only fervent support for funding, arming, and enabling the machinery of genocide that was then passed on to Trump and the Republicans this year.
Meanwhile, large majorities of people in the US are turning against the war and genocide, as they watch the brutality unfold in real time. According to a recent national poll, 71% of respondents believe Palestinians are being starved (5% denying it and 24% are unsure), 78% support an immediate ceasefire, (4% oppose and 17% unsure), 47% believe a genocide is being conducted by Israel (33% oppose the idea and 20% “not sure”), and pluralities of respondents believe Israel is not justified in its attacks, believe the US is “too supportive” of Israel, and believe the US must significantly increase food aid now. A majority (64%) oppose Israel’s blocking of food and medical aid and believes Trump should demand that Israel immediately allow aid into Gaza.
Furthermore, a recent Gallup poll shows that respondents who identify as Democrats are overwhelmingly against the US-Israel genocide of Palestinians. According to a recent Gallup poll, 92% oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza, 91% disapprove of Benjamin Netanyahu, and 60% identify more with Palestinians, while only 12% identify with Israeli Zionists.
The Democratic Party initiated and enabled the genocide in Palestine and is now aware that they are losing their base. These ruling class and imperial Democrats cry fake tears and wring their hands of the misery they have caused yet remain instrumental for Trump and the far right now in power in providing their continued—even if slightly divided—support for the perpetuation of the genocide.
Feed Gaza Campaign
Socialists in Madison recently kicked off a campaign in support of the Palestinian people. The Feed Gaza campaign is seen as part of the larger movement effort to pressure the US ruling class to relinquish their support for the annihilation of the people of Gaza.
Our campaign began at the Farmer’s Market in Madison, Wisconsin, with the unfurling of large, hand-painted banners reading “FEED GAZA!” and “MEDICAL WORKERS OPPOSE GENOCIDE!”, along with large placards depicting starving and martyred Children in Gaza. We feel it’s essential that people here in Madison view with their own eyes the pain, suffering, and human devastation that is currently being green-lighted and funded by the US government. We also hope to use this campaign to involve more people in the Palestinian struggle, and to fight collectively to make it stop. Thousands of Farmers Market attendees saw our protest and hundreds took leaflets with information on this deadly and orchestrated famine.
We’ve invited all those interested in learning what we as socialists can do to oppose the Trump regime, who sees the Gaza Strip as a new Mediterranean playground for the filthy rich. We are also calling out the Democratic Party as complicit. All wings of the party, including Bernie Sanders and the Squad, have consistently sided with Israel and its “right to exist” and “defend itself”—which amounts to the same conclusion in different words as the far-right Republicans.
We, as indignant working-class people with eyes and hearts, can’t stand aside believing we are powerless. We are not! We invite you to join us and get involved. Socialist Horizon of Madison meets every Wednesday at 7:30 at the Madison Public Library—Central (201 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703).
Originally published by Punto Rojo
