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 election: Left alliance Hadash-Ta’al wins five seats in Knesset

Ayman Odeh (right) with Ta'al leader Ahmad Tibi.

The left-wing joint list Hadash-Ta’al, which is supported by the Communist Party, has received five seats in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) following November 1st legislative election which marked the return of the far-right Netanyahu leadership. The ultra-conservative Likud Party won 32 seats in Knesset and is back in government. 

The eight parties of what might be termed the “anti-Netanyahu bloc” – comprising the outgoing coalition parties, together with Hadash-Ta’al and Arab Balad party — attained near-parity, with 2,330,464 votes. 

Israeli communists and leftists: STOP THE WAR IN GAZA

Following a call by Hadash - the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality - as well as other pro-peace groups and organizations, hundreds of people demonstrated on Tuesday and Wednesday across Israel, demanding an end to the bombing of Gaza. 

In Tel Aviv, under the slogan "Stop the fire", anti-war demonstrators gathered outside the headquarters of Likud party and demanded an immediate ceasefire. In Jerusalem, the protesters marched to Zion Square where police forces forcibly dispersed them and a young woman was arrested. Similar demonstrations took place in Haifa's Ben Gurion boulevard. 

Netanyahu resign! Thousands of demonstrators attend anti-governmental rallies in Israel

Hadash and Communist Party of Israel activists participated in the
demonstration at Jerusalem’s Paris Square. The Arabic and Hebrew banner
reads, “We are the Revolution.” (Photo: Zu Haderech).

Protests against Israel's far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued nationwide on Saturday evening, August 8, with tens of thousands of people gathering outside the Prime Minister’s Residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. 

In addition, approximately 1,000 demonstrators stationed themselves at a main intersection exiting Caesarea, site of Netanyahu’s private residence, to assure that he would have to pass them as he was driven back to Jerusalem on Saturday night. 

Among the protestors in Jerusalem was Joint List MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash) and numerous activists from Hadash, the Communist Party of Israel, and members of the Young Communist League.

Young Israeli Communists against occupation and annexation of Palestinian land

"A nation that occupies other nations cannot be free" says the Young Communist League of Israel (YCLI) on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the 1967 Six-Day War which resulted to the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel. 

In the following interesting interview, the Young Communist League of Israel gives its perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, the warmongering policy of the right-wing Netanyahu government, the fight against fascism and imperialism and the common struggle with the Palestinian people and youth for a lasting peace:

Israel Election: Left-wing Israeli-Arab "Joint List" alliance achieves historic success

Joint List chairman Ayman Odeh (Hadash) declared yesterday (Tuesday, March 3) that the alliance of Hadash, Balad, Ta’al and Ra’am had realized a “huge achievement” in Monday’s Israeli general elections for the Knesset after nearly-final results suggested it won 15 seats in the 120-seat parliament. 

As the Communist Party of Israel reports, the election results showed that more than 530,000 voter, Arabs and Jews, cast their ballots for the Joint List.

Israeli Left and Peace groups denounce Trump-Netanyahu "deal of the century"

Israeli left alliance Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), alongside peace movements, denounce the recently announced by U.S President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu "peace plan" for Palestine. Read below a report including statements by Hadash leader Ayman Odeh and peace activists regarding the so-called "Deal of the Century":

Hadash together with Israeli peace movements will be holding a demonstration against US President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” in Dizengoff Square in central Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, February 1, at 7 pm.

Netanyahu is unwelcome in Greece — PAME

In a statement issued today, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) denounces the policy of  New Democracy (ND) government which strengthens Greece's ties with Israel, refering to the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Athens on January 2nd. Netanyahu visit's main purpose is for the signing of the agreement on the East Med pipeline. 

More specifically the PAME statement points out:

“For the profits of the big energy monopolies that have bloodshed the whole of the Middle East, the ND government continues its “friendship” policy with the state of Israel that is killing the Palestinian people daily, stealing Palestinian land with settlements, killing and imprisoning even small children.

The Greek people have nothing positive to gain from monopoly competitions. The “stability” of the Eastern Mediterranean, the government proclaims, are watered with the blood of Palestinian children.

Israeli Communist Party: The settlements is a war crime endorsed by the United States

The Israeli Communist Party and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Al-Jabha/Hadash) condemn US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement on Monday, November 18, that Israel's settlements in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 do not contravene international law.

This statement plainly reaffirms the US administration's unequivocal support for the policy of the Netanyahu government and the right-wing settlement project to the detriment of the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people, for the recognition of a “united Jerusalem,” for the elimination of the refugee issue, and for the erasure of the Green Line, all within the framework of the “Deal of the Century” and with the complicity of the Arab regimes.

Israeli communists condemn air strikes against Gaza and Damascus - الشيوعي والجبهة يدينان العدوان الإسرائيلي الإجرامي على غزة ودمشق

The Communist Party of Israel and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Al-jabha/Hadash) unequivocally condemn Israel's criminal acts of aggression against both Damascus and Gaza, the latter of which were initiated by the Israeli military beginning at dawn on Tuesday, November 12, resulting in 5 deaths. 

The CPI and Al-jabha/Hadash counsel against the Israel's resumption of targeted assassinations aimed at escalating the situation, as was made so clear today in the statements released by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli military, and the head of the Israel Security Agency ("Shin Bet").

Communist Party of Israel: The Netanyahu Era Must End

Dear comrades, 

This year, 2019, started with dissolving the Knesset already in January, and heading to an early elections on April 2019. The four parties composing the Joint List since 2015, ran in two separate lists, Hadash and AMC received six seats (4 and 2, respectively), the NDA and the Islamic Movement – 4 seats, 2 each. The April elections witnessed the lowest turnout ever amongst the Palestinian population, citizens of Israel (49.5%).

PAME: The SYRIZA government washes its hands in the blood of the children of Palestine

On the occasion of the new strikes of the Israeli military forces against Gaza, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) issued the following statement, strongly condemning the new bombings and accusing the SYRIZA government for being an accomplice in the crime:

PAME condemns the new, murderous raids of Israel against the Palestinian People.

The murderer-State of Israel went on a new escalation of its aggressiveness against Gaza and held dozens of raids the last days, which resulted in dozens killed.

Israel's Communist Party (Maki) reflects on the results of April 9th elections

The results of the election for the 21st Knesset, held on April 9, with a clear victory for the bloc of the right, mark a watershed in the increased threat of a fascist option for the State of Israel. 

At the same time, the founding of the Blue and White political alliance and its electoral success (35 seats in the Knesset, equal to that of the Likud) are proof that the ruling class in Israel is divided. A number of heads of the defense establishment, both past and present, together with sectors among the wealthy, believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, has gone too far in his racist ways.

Israeli Elections: Hands Off Hadash candidates!

Ayman Odeh (Hadash) and Ahmad Tibi (Ta'al Party).

Less than a month before the April 9th General Elections in Israel, the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu tries to put obstacles to the candidacies of Hadash-Ta'al joint list. 

It is characteristic that the chairman of the far-right Yisrael Beytenu Party, Avigdor Lieberman, submitted a petition to the Central Elections Committee, in order to ban a certain candidate from running in the elections. 

Hadash leader: We can topple racism and Netanyahu's far-right government

Joint List leader MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash) vowed to increase his electoral alliance’s power in the next Knesset. 

In a speech before the parliamentary plenum on Wednesday, December 26, before the vote on the law to dissolve the 20th Knesset, Odeh said: “This was a racist and divisive government… When the Joint List increases its power, we will have the numbers to topple this racist, extremist right-wing government.”

Israeli Apartheid: Communist and Left-wing forces condemn racist "nation-state" law

Joint List leader, MP Ayman Odeh, raises a black banner
during the discussion of the bill in Knesset.

Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, approved the controversial nationality bill Thursday declaring Israel a nation-state for the Jewish people and downgrading the status of Arabic from official language to “special status.” It must be noted that Arabs make up 21% of Israel’s population. 

The basic law, approved with 62 votes in favor and 55 against, recognizes the Jewish people in Israel “have an exclusive right to national self-determination." It also includes the declaration of a “united Jerusalem” as the capital of Israel, despite the fact that East Jerusalem is internationally recognized as being under Israeli occupation.

Tsipras' government: Accomplice to the murder of the Palestinian people in Gaza

The new massacre in Gaza, with the murder of over 60 people by the Israeli Armed Forces, bears the signature of two murderous governments: the one of Benjamin Netanyahu and the one of Donald Trump. Israel and the United States are the main culprits of this horrific crime.

However, there are accomplices to the crime. They are the so-called "allies" of the governments of Netanyahu and Trump. They can't hide their responsibilities for the slaughter of the Palestinian people. The European Union, for example, is trying to keep equal distances from both the predator and his victim by suggesting "self-restraint" to both sides. 

Communist Party of Israel: The massacre in Gaza will not halt the Palestinian people’s struggle for Freedom

The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) strongly condemns the crimes of the Israeli Occupation against the unarmed Palestinian protesters in the March of Return rally in Gaza; crimes that killed more than 50 person, including children and people with disabilities. This terrible massacre will not stop the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people for its freedom, an ongoing struggle for the last 70 years.

Massacre in Gaza - Israeli forces kill at least 59 Palestinian protesters in Gaza, while the U.S. moves its embassy to Jerusalem

At least 59 Palestinians were killed on Monday, May 14, in the Gaza Strip and more than 2,400 others were wounded as the Israeli army fired live ammunition and tear gas at protesters assembled at five points along the border fence with Israel.

Monday’s demonstrations, held in the context of the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, were the latest in seven weeks of protests calling for the right of return for Palestinian refugees to the areas they were forcibly expelled from in 1948. Since the protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have killed at least 90 Palestinians in the coastal enclave and wounded close to 10,500.

KKE strongly condemns U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital

In a statement regarding the official transfer of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece points out the following:

"The decision of the Trump government to open its new embassy in Jerusalem thus recognizing the city as the "capital" of Israel, portends new negative developments against the Palestinian people and all the people of the region.