Solidarity with Gaza!

Submitted by cathy n on 4 August, 2014 - 4:51 Author: Charlotte Zeleus

At the time of writing (11 August) a ceasefire between Hamas in Gaza and the Israeli government is holding up.

That is only a little comfort and relief for Gaza’s population. Nearly 2,000 Palestinians have died since the start of “Operation Protective Edge”. In Gaza City, 20-30% of the housing stock has been damaged. Ten out of 26 of Gaza’s hospitals have been put out of action either by lack of power or lack of medicine and medical equipment. Such damage ot infrastructure in a place that has suffered from acute shortages, the result of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, is a disaster.

The stark difference in the casualties shows the power imbalance — the death toll for Israel is less than 100.

Israel claimed self-defence against Hamas rockets, and it has a right to defend itself. But it’s historical oppression of the Palestinians and the current military campaign against Gaza cannot be legitimately justified as self-defence.

The Palestinians have the right to defend themselves. But launching rockets at civilian areas of Israel is not self-defence, or a viable strategy to make Israel back down; the Israelis can shoot down, not all, but many Palestinian rockets, before they do damage and they are a political gift to the Israeli right.
The fundamental blame for the carnage here is with Israel. Israel has the power to end the blockade and accede to a just political settlement. It has the resources to rebuild Palestinian homes, hospitals and schools.

The current ceasefire may yet collapse. The story of the Gaza strip is one of fundamental political instability. The last Israeli military offensive was in 2012 when 167 Palestinians were killed. In 2008 1,400 Palestinians were killed.

Only a long-term democratic settlement can stop this happening again and again. A peace settlement should be based on the creation of a fully independent Palestinian state alongside Israel and supported by international economic aid, as well as the dismantlement of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

We are a long way from such a settlement. International solidarity, and solidarity between Jewish and Arab workers across the borders, is critical to achieving this aim.
End the blockade!
Two states for two peoples!

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