By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson
International League of Peoples´ Struggle
March 31, 2018
We, the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), condemn in the strongest terms the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) killing at least twelve and wounding more than 500 in a brutal dispersal of a peaceful demonstration in the Gaza Strip. The IDF used drones to drop tear gas, tanks, and around 100 snipers using live rounds and rubber-coated steel pellets to disperse the Palestinian protesters.
The demonstration was to commemorate Land Day to mark the killing of six unarmed Palestinians by the Israeli military on March 30, 1976. It is part of a planned six-week long tent city protest calling for the right of return for refugees on land seized by Israel.
The organizers have estimated that around 100,000 Palestinians would participate in the protest actions. The protests are to culminate on May 15 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the partition of historic Palestine in 1948 that created the state of Israel which the Palestinians call Al Nakba (catastrophe) day.
Around 750,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes in 1948 as a result of the war that created the state of Israel. Palestinian refugees who tried to return to their homes after the war were prevented from doing so by the Israeli government. The descendants of the original refugees would now number around seven million scattered in many countries around the world.
The right of return for Palestinian refugees is a core issue in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The United Nations (UN) from 1948 onwards has time and time again reaffirmed the right of return for Palestinian refugees through various UN General Assembly resolutions. But Israel with the backing of the US has always refused to comply with these UN resolutions.
We condemn the most recent massacre and brutal dispersal of peaceful Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces on Land Day. We condemn the continuing support of the US and other western governments of the Zionist Israeli government in its reign of terror against the Palestinian people. We support the right of return of Palestinian refugees and their right to national and social liberation.
We call on all ILPS member organizations and all people of goodwill around the world to condemn this most recent brutal suppression of the Palestinian people by the Israeli Zionist regime and express solidarity with the Palestinian people in their just struggle for national and social liberation. ###