December 29, 2008

Socialist Alliance (Australia) statement

Israel’s killing must stop! Stand up for the people of Gaza! End ties with the racist Israeli state!

The Socialist Alliance condemns the Israeli massacre in the Gaza strip, which has left at least 280 people dead and 800 more injured. We call on the Rudd government to also condemn this slaughter and to break Australian economic, diplomatic, military and cultural ties with the Israeli apartheid state.

While Israel claimed that it targeted “terrorists”, the 100 bombs were mostly aimed at police stations in the middle of densely populated civilian areas. The attack, which was carefully planned at least several days in advance, also took place at the same time as children were going home from school, leaving many dead or injured.

The massacre comes on the back of two years of blockade imposed by Israel in an attempt to topple the democratically elected Hamas government. Many Gazans have already died due to lack of basic medical treatment, food, clean water and electricity.

The killing looks set to continue with large numbers of Israeli armored vehicles massing on the border of Gaza. Israel has called up 6500 reservists and has announced that it will call up more over the next few days.

If the massacres are to stop international public opinion needs to let Israel know that its actions are unacceptable. In particular, Israel’s traditional supporters , who have clearly sanctioned this bloody operation, must be forced to withdraw their support.

The Australian people need to stand up for the people of Gaza by making the Rudd government end its support for Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Socialist Alliance urges its members and supporters to join all emergency protests that are being organised around the country against this latest crime of the Israeli state.

People before profits, planet before profits

www.socialist-alliance.org

The Socialist Alliance’s policy on Palestine

Adopted at the Sixth National Conference, December 6-7, 2008

The Socialist Alliance condemns the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by the state of Israel. This oppression takes different forms—the occupation of the Palestinian Territories, the siege of Gaza, the breaking up of the West Bank into isolated ghettos, systematic violence and discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel or exile as refugees.

The Socialist Alliance supports:

The Palestinian right to self determination.

Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Territories

Equal civil and democratic rights for all inhabitants of historic Palestine.

Right of return for Palestinian refugees.

An end to Israeli aggression against other countries in the region.

An end to the restriction of movement of people and supplies (including medical supplies) around Palestine and between Palestine and Israel.

The Socialist Alliance recognises the essential role that international (including Australian) imperialism plays in supporting the Israeli system of apartheid and occupation through massive political, economic and military aid.

Therefore, the Socialist Alliance supports the International campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israeli Apartheid.