D. Koutsoumbas: On the military conflict between Israel and Palestine and the developments in the region

By Dimitris Koutsoumbas*

Israel’s ground offensive on the Gaza Strip will trigger a general conflagration in the region, and more generally, on a global scale. This issue was rightly addressed by the recent plenary meeting of the CC of the KKE. The CC reaffirmed the public positions of the Party, as they were reflected in press releases of the Press Office, in the interventions of its MPs in the Greek and the European Parliaments, as well as its actions in the mass movement.

Α. The regional and international powers–capitalist states involved in the conflict in the Middle East 

Mass demonstration in support of Palestine in Athens — مظاهرة ضخمة مؤيدة لفلسطين في أثينا

On Sunday 29/10, a mass demonstration in support of Palestine took place in Athens, following a call by the All Workers’ Militant Front (PAME). 

 

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy and then marched to the Israeli embassy.

Addressing the rally, the trade union representatives demanded an end to the massacre of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and to the Israeli occupation. 

The Palestinian people between Zionism and Hamas

By Nikos Mottas

In these critical hours, the only right side of history is one: With the suffering people of Palestine!

With the civilians, children, women and all those who have become the target of the barbaric Israeli military raid in Gaza. With all those who, for 75 years, have been refugees in their own land, trapped and packed in a few square miles.

Any support, direct or indirect, to the Israeli state and its imperialist, genocidal policy constitutes complicity in the ongoing crime against the Palestinian people.  

Grover Furr — Paul Robeson's Meeting with Itzik Fefer, June 1949

By Grover Furr

In 1981 Paul Robeson’s son, Paul Robeson Jr, claimed that his father had told him privately that in June 1949 he, Paul Sr, learned about the persecution of some prominent Jews in the Soviet Union, but had never publicly revealed this fact and had asked his son to promise not to reveal it during his, Paul Sr’s, lifetime. In later years Paul Jr repeatedly confirmed this story. In the present article I check this story against the evidence that is now available. I conclude that Paul Jr’s story is untrue. 

Plan of Action of the 23rd International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, Izmir, Turkey

The Communist and Workers' Parties participating at the 23rd IMCWP in İzmir, declare their will and determination, until the next meeting, to engage in joint and convergent actions on the following main issues:

1. Opposing imperialist wars, the arms race, including nuclear weapons, foreign military bases and rejecting all the practices of NATO; in this context, increasing class-based propaganda and mobilization against NATO’s expansion and aggression all over the world, standing against the involvement of NATO and its allies in the war in Ukraine and in Israel’s brutal aggression against the Palestinian people; strengthening the struggle for disengagement from NATO and its dissolution, organizing anti-imperialist, anti-war events on September 21, “World Peace Day”supporting the efforts of the World Peace Council.

The war in Gaza and the stance of the communists

By Nikos Mottas.

The slaughter in the Middle East didn't begin on October 7. Last weeks' developments have been in gestation in the womb of a colossal injustice experienced by an entire people. The Palestinian people.

The reality is one and indisputable: The occupation of Palestinian territories by the Israeli state and the absence of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state are the source of the evil, which has been perpetuated since 1948, thus leading to millions of victims and displaced people. 

KKE: Mitsotakis’ visit to Israel constitutes a provocation and complicity in the crime

The Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement on the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to Israel:

“At a time when the state of Israel is escalating its attacks against the Palestinian people, resulting in thousands of dead and wounded, the visit of Mr. Mitsotakis to Jerusalem and his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu constitutes a provocation and complicity in the crime.

 

Israelis and Palestinians should live in security and peace, says Hadash lawmaker Ofer Cassif

“I have to condemn totally, with no reservation the terrible slaughter that Hamas carried out against innocent civilians in the south of Israel. There was no justification for such a massacre,” MK Ofer Cassif, (Hadash) told “As It Happens” host Nil Köksal broadcasted by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). “Having been saying that, there’s no justification for the carnage that Israel carries out at the moment. Because those who are harmed, assaulted and killed [are] mostly innocent civilians.” The following is an excerpt from his conversation with Köksal:

 

Intensification of the struggle to end the Israeli occupation – Solidarity with the Palestinian people - Disengagement of Greece from US-NATO plans

Intensification of the struggle to end the Israeli occupation – Solidarity with the Palestinian people - Disengagement of Greece from US-NATO plans

Right now in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip, yet another imperialist crime is being committed. The State of Israel and the far-right Netanyahu government in the form of a "national unity" government is carrying on the massacres of previous years, striking the people with its massive military machine, civilians, children, killing thousands.  It has imposed a total blockade, depriving the inhabitants of water, food, medicine, medical supplies and electricity, readying a land invasion and genocide.

The 23rd International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties kicks off in Izmir, Turkey

The 23rd International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties (IMCWP) begins today in Izmir, Turkey, hosted by the country's Communist Party (TKP). 

The Meeting is held between 20-22 October, under the following subject: "The political and ideological battles to confront capitalists and imperialism. The tasks of communists to inform and mobilize the working class, youth, women, and intellectuals in the struggle against exploitation, oppression, imperialist lies and historical revisionism; for the social and democratic rights of workers and peoples; against militarism and war, for peace and socialism."

Six communists were elected mayors in Greece's local elections — Significant reinforcement of the KKE

On 15/10/23 the 2nd round of local elections took place in Greece. Based on the result of both rounds, the lists supported by the KKE were voted for by thousands of popular forces, recording over 10% nationwide (from 6.86% in the 2019 regional elections).

A communist mayor was elected from the 1st round on the island of Ikaria, while the communist mayor in the country’s 3rd largest city, Patras, won over 41% in the first and 56% in the second round, and was therefore reelected. 

Who Understands Civilization — Xi's CPC or Working People?

 By Charles Andrews*

Xi Jinping, chairman of the Communist Party of China (CPC), asks, “Without the 5,000-year-long Chinese civilization, how could we have Chinese characteristics?"(i) 

When Donald Trump visited Beijing in 2017, Xi told him, “The only continuous civilization to continue onwards is China.”(ii)

KKE: No involvement of Greece in the NATO-USA-Israel massacre in Gaza

The Press Office of the CC of the KKE issued the following statement on the deployment of the Greek frigate "Psara" in the Southeastern Mediterranean:

"The dispatch of the Greek frigate "Psara" —with a crew and security team of more than 200 people in total— to the South-Eastern Mediterranean, to join a NATO force operating in the region, is a very dangerous development, at a time when the conflict in the Middle East is a breath away from further escalation and a generalized military engagement.

 

War in Israel: Statements by Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world

Following the rapid escalation of the military confrontation between the Israeli Armed Forces and Hamas, numerous Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world issued statements, supporting the undeniable right of the Palestinian people to have their own sovereign state. 

Read here the statement of the Communist Party of Israel (MAKI):

Statements were also issued by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP): 

Bloodshed in Palestine: Statements by the World Peace Council and the World Federation of Trade Unions

The World Peace Council expresses its deep concern about the circle of bloodshed in Palestine and Israel which has led already to the loss of lives of hundreds of civilians on both sides along with thousands of injuries. 

 

As WPC we state clearly that the root cause for this escalation is and remains the decades’ long Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands, the policies of settlements, land robbing, the separation wall in the West Bank and the daily humiliation, harassment and killings of Palestinians by the regime of occupation, the thousands of Palestinian prisoners, the road blocks, the discrimination and deprivation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to their own state.

Greece local elections: Significant reinforcement of the KKE in all regions and large municipalities

On 8 October 2023, the first round of the regional and municipal elections took place throughout Greece. 

 

The KKE participated in the elections in all 13 regions of the country, as well as in 262 municipalities, with the ballot paper under the name “People’s Rallying”. Based on the results, “People’s Rallying” gained over 10% in the 13 regions nationwide, up from 6.86% in the 2019 regional elections and 7.69% won by the KKE in the parliamentary elections last June.

 

Communist Party of Turkey: "The rightful resistance of the Palestinian people will win!"

"No one should act as if they have just discovered the violence in the region", says the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) in a statement about the ongoing war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas. 

More specifically, the statement issued by the CC of the TKP reads:

"Following the operation launched against Israel from Gaza yesterday, there is no shortage of propaganda in favor of the Israeli government in the bourgeois media and anti-violence messages of hypocritical imperialist centers and statements of solidarity with Israel are coming one after another.

KKE: "The Palestinian people have the right to defend their rights, need greater support and solidarity"

"The Palestinian people have the right to defend their rights and needs greater popular support", stresses out a statement issued by the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), on the occasion of the recent military confrontation between the Israeli Armed Forces and Hamas.

The full statement, published in 902 portal, is the following:

Communist Party of Israel and Hadash: "Netanyahu's fascist government bears full responsibility for the dangerous escalation"

In a statement concerning today's rapid escalation of military confrontation between Hamas and Israeli forces, the Communist Party of Israel (MAKI) and Hadash blame the criminal occupation policy of the far-right Netanyahu government, underlining the grave dangers that it poses for the peace in the region. 

"The fascist right-wing government's crimes to perpetuate the occupation are leading to a regional war that must be stopped. Even in difficult days like this - we repeat and voice an unequivocal condemnation of any harm to innocent civilians, and call for their removal from the bloodshed. We send our condolences to all the families of the victims of the occupation, Arabs and Jews alike", the statement reads. 

Canada has welcomed fascists, collaborators and war criminals since 1946

In a statement concerning Canadian Parliament's standing ovation for Waffen SS war criminal Yaroslav Hunka, the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Canada, stresses out:

"While Parliament seeks to wash its hands of the spectacle of its two standing ovations for a Nazi collaborator whose Waffen SS Division murdered hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Poles from 1943 to 1945, the truth is that thousands of fascist troops were brought to live in Canada, the US, and the UK as part of the Cold War. In Canada, welcoming Nazis, war criminals, and collaborators was Canadian government policy.

Koutsoumbas: Join forces with the KKE in all struggles and in local elections!

The activity of the party organizations of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) throughout the country is culminating ahead of the municipal and regional elections that will take place on Sunday 8 October. The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, is participating in the pre-election rallies in many cities across the country, such as Thessaloniki, Lamia, Larissa, Nea Ionia (Athens), Nikaia (Piraeus), etc.

At the rally in the city of Larissa on Tuesday 3 October, he stated the following:

Good news from Russia: Monuments dedicated to Stalin are on the rise

By Nikos Mottas

At least 110 monuments dedicated to Soviet leader and architect of the Great Antifascist Victory of the Peoples, Joseph Stalin, have been erected in Russia. 

According to “Mozem Obyasnit”, 95 monuments of Stalin,  including 22 full-scale statues, have been installed in various regions of the country during the last 24 years. 

10th anniversary of the founding of the Party of Labour of Austria to be celebrated in Vienna

In October, the Party of Labour of Austria celebrates the tenth anniversary of its foundation. On 12 October 2013, the Party of Labour of Austria was founded as the Marxist-Leninist party of the Austrian working class.

To mark this occasion, the Party organizes an event in Vienna on 7 October and calls fraternal parties, comrades and friends to send greeting messages.

Communist Party of Sweden: "Gang crime" is a problem of capitalism — No to the militarization of society

In a joint statement, the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) and its youth wing, SKU, comment on the recent rise of gang crime in the country and the government's plan to deploy the armed forces in order to deal with the situation. 

More specifically, the statement, which was published in the Party's official site "Riktpunkt", points out:

"Since the Swedish army fired upon and killed communist workers, who spearheaded the demonstration in Ådalen 1931, Swedish military has not been used for police purposes. This is about to change. Through a broad unity, ranging from the Social Democrats to the Sweden Democrats, the politicians now want the military to again patrol our streets.