The inescapable echoes of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York – September 24-27 – and its consequences for Palestine are behind us. The International Socialist League (ISL) calls to multiply actions against genocide, ethnic cleansing, occupation and to defend the Global Gaza Flotilla (GSF) from the possible and imminent interception of its ships. It is key to follow its route and developments in real time in order to respond immediately with mobilizations and actions previously called to the different aggressive scenarios that Israel may pose.
By Ruben Tzanoff
AI-powered automatic translation
Israel: synonymous with Zionism and barbarism
The Israeli offensive in Gaza is the continuation of a historical policy of occupation and extermination. Thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives when their homes, hospitals and schools were bombed. The advance of tanks and troops has worsened the suffering of a population that survives as best it can, in conditions of forced hunger and displacement. It is a slaughter in the open, which can be summarized in three words: genocide, ethnic cleansing and occupation. Or even in one word: barbarism.
Support for Palestine and a revolt against genocide
In the face of this horror, there is a mobilized response all over the world. In the U.S., mass marches multiplied. The UK saw some of the largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations in its history, with hundreds of thousands in the streets despite attempts at criminalization by the “progressive” Labour Party government. In France, tens of thousands faced police bans on marching. In Spain, solidarity exploded with the participation of workers’ and youth organizations. In Italy, a general strike for Palestine took place on September 22, called by various trade unions with more than 80 demonstrations throughout the country.
In Jordan and Egypt there were mass rallies that overflowed the squares, in Morocco thousands defied repression to march against normalization with Israel, and in Lebanon and Tunisia there were constant actions. These mobilizations, strikes and solidarity actions, which are repeated on all continents, show another face of reality, human and in solidarity.
The contribution of the flotilla
It is in this context of global mobilization that the GSF mission is taking place, sailing to Gaza, denouncing the genocide and transporting food to break the blockade on humanitarian aid. The flotilla, made up of old and small boats, with activists, trade unionists, parliamentarians and social leaders, faces constant harassment: drone overflights, threats of boarding and of being imprisoned in Israel for long periods of time, under the false accusation of being “terrorists”. They want to intimidate them from delivering food to the besieged people. GSF does what governments do not do and helps to make the criminal nature of the siege of Gaza visible to world public opinion.
The above are just a few examples of actions that directly expose and challenge governments. The diplomatic scene at the UN cannot be separated from this context.
The UN and Palestine
At the General Assembly, several countries and authorities spoke about the genocide, advocated a cease-fire, the lifting of the blockade of humanitarian aid and, in some way, pronounced the need to move towards the recognition of a Palestinian state. Among them were the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra, Malta and Monaco. Even the reactionary Spanish monarchy pronounced itself in the same sense with the words of King Felipe VI.
However, these pronouncements are limited and do not question the existence of the State of Israel or its occupation policy. They are diplomatic gestures aimed at calming international pressure without committing to any really forceful concrete action.
Israeli and US reaction: arrogance and impunity
For his part, Netanyahu’s speech was a compendium of cynicism. In a provocative tone, he defended the military offensive, insulted the governments and movements that show solidarity with Palestine and accused them of “rewarding murderers of Jews”. His words prompted dozens of delegations to leave the room as a gesture of rejection. He also said that there will be no Palestinian state, because his intention is to wipe Palestine off the map, occupy its territories and expel its people.
For his part, US President Donald Trump ratified his unconditional support for Israel and blocked any attempt at a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli aggression. His attitude reflects the complicity of imperialism with Zionism.
No freedom of expression, with disciplinary sanctions
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, pointed out that a point has been reached in which “diplomacy is useless”, that the UN compound is “a mute witness and accomplice of a genocide” and proposed the formation of an armed force of different countries to defend the Palestinian people, among other proposals. Outside the compound he called on US soldiers to “not point their rifles at humanity” and to disobey Trump’s orders.
Beyond the differences we have with Petro, he expressed one of the most categorical speeches in support of Palestine to which the State Department responded by sanctioning him with the revocation of his U.S. visa. It is one more sign that with Trump, freedom of speech is limited to allowing only words that are complimentary to him.
Post-war” proposals on the table
While the bombardments continue and the land occupation advances, Israel and its allies are already planning the “post-war”. The objective is to administer with an external control that guarantees the security of the colonialists and the subordination of the Palestinian population. In this context, the proposal to appoint Tony Blair to lead a political transition in Gaza towards the disappearance of Palestine was announced.
Yesterday and today, the existence of the State of Israel cannot be explained without the betrayals and capitulations of the Arab governments of the Middle East, of the dictatorships and monarchies that normalize the coexistence with a colonialist State and imperialism’s gendarme against the peoples of the region.
ANP: new betrayal in progress
Mahmoud Abbas is the president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) with jurisdiction in the West Bank, a leader of the Fatah party and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). At the UN, Abbas pledged to move toward a “Palestinian unity government,” excluding Hamas and demanding that it disarm.
While we do not share Hamas’ policy, methods, or strategy of an Islamic fundamentalist state, we point out the ongoing new surrender by Abbas to install a puppet administration that puts him in direct line with the false “two-state solution”.
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It is a scheme that takes the fragmentation of Palestine to the extreme, wrests control of its territory from it and makes it completely dependent on the approval of Israel and the Western powers. It is not a novel plan, but an attempt to reissue the betrayal of Yasser Arafat (PLO) when he signed the Oslo Accords (1993). The result is plain to see, it was the strengthening of Israel and the advance towards total occupation.
With Palestine and the flotilla at their turning points
From the International Socialist League (ISL) we call to multiply the momentum of mobilizations, strikes and actions to stop the genocide, ethnic cleansing and total occupation of Palestine. In the face of the cynical pronouncements and limited measures of the imperialist governments and powers, we demand that they immediately break with the State of Israel, that they stop sending them arms and economic support.
We repudiate the recognition of the State of Israel, an enclave of imperialism against Palestine and the peoples of the Middle East. Recognition can only be towards a single, secular, non-racist, democratic and socialist Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, with the borders prior to 1948.
And while the Global Flotilla is on the decisive journey of its mission to break the blockade on food aid to Gaza, it is essential to follow its journey minute by minute, to give a forceful response if it is boarded, attacked and/or activists are arrested. From now on, it is necessary to prepare mobilizations and quick actions, like those already called in Buenos Aires, Barcelona and other important cities of the world in the face of the imminence of an Israeli aggression.
Let us multiply the pressure so that governments and the EU, in addition to making a formal statement, make themselves available to defend the ships in person and effectively, not only in European waters, nor their nationals, but all the activists, throughout the journey to Gaza and back to the ports of origin.
You may also be interested in: Heading for Gaza VII: Answering a desperate call: Stop the genocide now!
