They are
ruining Palestine. Can we remain silent?
The news of
ongoing massacre of Palestinian people (61 killed in the last
attack to Rafah camp) and destruction of houses (1750 houses completely
demolished) and the destruction of all aspects of livelihood in
this land (including 4 thousand hectares of agricultural land)
has awakened consciousness around the world. Amnesty International,
human rights institutions, and justice seeking people in Israel,
including dissident soldiers (approximately 1600 strong), as well
as angry protesting masses around the world, are all speaking
out against war crimes and crimes against humanity. Because of
this resistance, the ongoing silence is broken and even Yoseph
Lapid, minister of justice in Sharon’s cabinet, seeing the pictures
of ruins of Rafah recalls the crimes of Nazis.
Israel, with unconditional U.S. support, after 37 years of occupying
the West Bank, Gaza and the eastern Jerusalem, and ignoring all
the UN resolutions on Palestine (even the ones bearing Israel’s
signature, resolution n° 194: the right of refugees to return),
has gone beyond limits in isolating and destroying the Palestinian
nationhood; Israel is ridiculing the world.
Palestinians have agreed to recognize the state of Israel in 78%
of the land historically known as Palestine. This, in order to
reach a peace agreement with an enemy that has occupied their
land so that in the remaining 22% (occupied by Israel in 1967)
they could build a sovereign state and achieve the right, respect
and dignity of nationhood like any other nation. But Israel has
set up a 600 kilometer wall to expropriate half of this land and
thereby destroy any peace plan.
The supporters of Israel’s invasion who call themselves the “International
Community” speak of the occupying forces and the ones who have
their land occupied as equals. In order to justify occupation,
they call resistance against state terrorism and occupation terrorism.
Criticism against expansionist policies of Sharon is marked as
anti-Semitic. This is done in order to justify the suffocation
of any cry of protest. In the point of view of “International
Community” there is no difference between one side armed to the
most sophisticated weapons of mass killing, and another who has
no defense but to throw stones and self-sacrifice as a means of
resistance. They see no distinction between Israel, one among
the two most influential powers in the world, and Palestine whose
elected leader Yaser Arafat has been under arrest for two years;
and Bush still talks about the right of Israel to self-defense.
If any other state in the world had committed even one tenth of
what Israel has done, it would have been most probably overthrown
by the United States. But this “International Community”, this
collaborator of Israel, only in words condemns the atrocities
committed by Israel. In action it is supporting Israel in a variety
of ways. The European Union is the number one trade partner in
bilateral agreements with Israel. Against the recommendations
of European Parliament on suspending the bilateral agreements
with Israel, last April, the Council of European Union continued
and extended the agreements. The overwhelming support and collaboration
of the “International Community” has reinforced Israel’s position,
given them a free hand to deny the rights of Palestinians and
impose their racist policies to the point of enforcing capital
punishment against a nation in the 21st century. Israel must be
boycotted as was the apartheid regime in
South Africa.
We are Iranians against the regime of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, exiled because of our commitment to the principals of democracy,
freedom and social justice, and we are following the tragic situation
of Palestine and Iraq with great concern. The self-centred policies
of the United States, Israel and their various allies have replaced
civilization with savagery. This is a threat to the future of
humanity. Destruction of Palestine is not only the tragic annihilation
of a nation but is a threat leading to the undermining of the
whole of humanity. We raise our cries against this wave of “modern
savagery.” Silence amounts to participation in this crime. We
condemn the atrocities of the United States and Israel, including
the occupation of Palestine and Iraq, and praise the resistance
of people in both countries.
People of Palestine have been buried a thousand times but have
never died. They will go on to fight colonialism, imperialism,
and occupation, as if on behalf of other nations too. The battle
between Palestine and Israel reminds us of the Spanish Republic
and the need for International brigades to support it. Any support
of the rights of people of Palestine and Iraq against the reactionary
occupation and savagery is our political and humane obligation.
May 27, 2004
(This declaration was signed by over 400 persons.)
