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.

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.

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. 

Communist and Workers' Parties denounce detention and expulsion of Soha Bechara by Greek authorities

On Wednesday 12 July 2023,  Lebanese militant Soha Bechara, who has spent 10 years in Israeli prisons and considered a heroine of the liberation of South Lebanon from the Israeli occupation, was detained by the Greek authorities at Athens' International Airport and denied entry to Greece. She currently holds Lebanese and Swiss nationality.

Thanasis Pafilis, member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and parliamentary spokesperson, protested to the Ministry of Citizen Protection against the detention of Bechara. 

Israeli Communist Party, Hadash-Ta'al condemn IDF's military attack in Jenin

On Sunday night, the Israeli army launched an attack in the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin, north of the occupied West Bank, which has so far resulted in the death of 10 Palestinians and the injury of, at least, 103. 

The military attack began with an aerial attack on the city's refugee camp, "as part of an effort to thwart the widespread threat of terrorism in Judea and Samaria," as the IDF spokesman said. 

Israeli Police Forces raids Communist Party's premises in Nazareth

A large force of Israeli Police and its gendarmerie, the "Israel Border Police", raided, Wednesday afternoon, the headquarters of the Communist Party, demanding to take down the Palestinian flag.

Comrades of Nazareth confronted the police forces and refused them access to the building. The Police did not possess any warrant, and called for backup, climbed walls, removed the Palestinian flag and the red flags, and confiscated them, all while arresting the secretary of the party in Nazareth.

Statement of the KKE on the Day of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons

In a statement on the Day of Palestinian political prisoners in Israel, the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses out:

“This year’s Day of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons (17/4) coincides with the escalation of the aggression of the Israeli state against Palestinians and in general, which is taking on dangerous dimensions.

The KKE expresses its solidarity with the struggling Palestinian people and the thousands of political prisoners in Israeli prisons.

What is going on in Israel? Far-Right Government in Crisis, General Strike and Mass Protests

Beset by three months of unprecedented protests against his nationalist-religious coalition's signature plan to overhaul the judiciary, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday hit the pause button and called for compromise negotiations.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities across Israel in a spontaneous outburst of anger on Sunday after Netanyahu fired his defense minister for challenging his judicial overhaul plan.

Israel: Communists protested against new Gaza attack

Photo: Zo Haderech.

Protests were held in several locations across Israel last Saturday 6 August against the Israel Defense Forces’ deadly operation ongoing in Gaza, launched a day earlier. 

 

Protests were held in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Shefa-amr, Umm el-Fahm, Sakhnin, Rahat, Kufr Yasif, Jaffa, Taibe and opposite the house of Prime Minister Yair Lapid in Tel Aviv.

At a protest in Haifa, Joint List chairman MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash) said: “A round [of fighting] brings another round, more killing and more resistance. The circle of horror needs to stop. We came out to protest together for the only way that will benefit both nations – real negotiations to end the occupation, founding a Palestinian state alongside Israel and a just peace.”

Joint statement of Communist Parties on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Joint statement by the Palestinian People's Party (PPP) and the Communist Party of Israel, co-signed by many Communist and Workers' Parties, on the International Day for Solidarity with the Palestinian People:

Joint Statement of Communist and Workers parties on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 

Israel's Communist Party re-elects Adel Amer as its leader

Adel Amer, CPI General Secretary. Photo: Al-Ittihad

During last month’s 28th Congress of the Communist Party of Israel (CPI), the delegates unanimously reelected Adel Amer as the party’s General Secretary. 

 

Having in 2015 initially succeeded the previous General Secretary Mohammed Nafa’h (1940-2021), the renowned Arab-Palestinian Druze writer from the Galilee, Amer is a well known educator and journalist from Kafr Kassem in the center of the country.

Communists back Tel Aviv SlutWalk against sexual violence

About 2,000 participants marched in a SlutWalk in Tel Aviv on Friday, October 15, protesting sexual violence, discrimination and victim-blaming.  

 

Participants, among them members of the Young Communist League of Israel, shouted slogans such as: “I believe you,” while carrying signs with pictures of sex offenders and major streets across the city were blocked as demonstrators made their way to the main rally at Habima Square.

Israel's Communist Party to hold its 28th Congress

The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) is currently winding up its preparations for the party’s 28th Congress to be held between October 7th and 9th in the Arab city of Shefa-Amr (Shfar’am) in the Galilee.

The Congress will be taking place during a period of turbulent developments in the Middle East, with popular movements protesting for democracy and social justice in countries throughout the region, while the forces of Imperialism maneuver to take advantage of events for their own interests. Israel’s new Bennet government, which enjoys the backing of US Imperialism, repeatedly threatens to launch a new war of aggression, in particular against Iran. Such aggression would have grave consequences for the peoples of the region, with especially disastrous results for the people in Israel.