The Plight Of Palestine Continues!
The recent formation of the Palestinian Unity Government has taken place against a backdrop of ongoing Israeli aggression and provocation. These acts, which have included kidnappings, indiscriminate shootings and bombings, demonstrate to the world Israel’s complete disregard for Palestinian human rights and sovereignty as well as international law. They also stand in direct contrast to the actions of the leadership of the Palestinian people in their attempts to steer a course through the Israeli-inspired chaos that is the occupied territories. The plight of Palestine continues…
In a 4 month period from November 2006 – February 2007 the Israeli military killed 132 Palestinian men, women and children, a sickening rate of more than 1 a day. This included the wholesale slaughter of 80 Palestinians in a single week in November.
During the months of March and April, the slaughtered has lessened, with other forms of aggression, including house demolition, land-grabbing and kidnapping predominating.
The early hours of Monday, March 12th, provided just one example. Acting under the ironically titled ‘counter terrorist operations’ Israeli military personnel raided and ransacked several homes in Qabatya south of Jenin city, kidnapping three young men. Similar style attacks have occurred in the cities of Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron, Kufer Qadom and Ramallah in the West Bank. Most recently, in a three day period between April 18-20, Israeli occupation forces kidnapped more than 10 civilians in Hebron, Taqua and Bethlehem.
In each of these cases, eyewitnesses have claimed that the Israeli military have used heavy military vehicles (compliments of Israel’s US allies) to smash through homes and then opened fire with live rounds and sound bombs before kidnapping the young men. In addition, there is also ample evidence to suggest that Israeli forces are still using children as “human shields”, most recently during military incursions in to the West bank town of Nablus.
In response to Israel’s ongoing military bombardment, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign has renewed calls for a boycott of Israeli goods. A similar boycott formed part of the international solidarity which was instrumental in bringing down the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Commenting on recent events Éirígí spokesperson Daithi Mac Mháistír commended the campaign and added “the international community can no longer allow Israel to enact apartheid measures and uncontrolled aggression against the Palestinian nation. As Socialist Republicans we extend solidarity to those who are fighting imperialist occupation and injustice. We recognise the Palestinians as a distinct, sovereign people and understand that any long-term settlement in the region must be based upon the creation of a viable, independent Palestinian state.”