Saluting Palestinian People’s Resistance against Israel’s Annexation Plan and Crimes against Humanity

“Write down!
I am an Arab
You have stolen the orchards of my ancestors
And the land which I cultivated
Along with my children
And you left nothing for us
Except for these rocks …
So will the State take them
As it has been said?!

Therefore!
Write down on the top of the first page:
I do not hate people
Nor do I encroach
But if I become hungry
The usurper’s flesh will be my food
Beware …
Beware …
Of my hunger
And my anger!” –

– Identity card, Mahmoud Darwish

The people in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza are facing a new wave of brutal aggression by the Israel apartheid regime. On the night of May 10, 2021, Israeli military forces launched series of airstrikes in Gaza massacring more than 122 people – including 31 children. The youngest victim of this Israeli crime against humanity was 10-years-old. The aggression comes as a further blow to the people in Gaza who are already reeling under devastating humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing land-air-sea blockade and continuous bombings by Israel that has destroyed Gaza’s most vital infrastructures.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned of a full-force attack on Gaza, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz mobilizing thousands of reserve troops. Netanyahu, who is already facing a massive corruption scandal and electoral crisis, had been long unleashing violent acts against Palestinians to woo the country’s right-wing sections in his favour. He had already announced a full-scale plan to annex over 30% of areas of West Bank, particularly in the Jordan Valley. The proposed annexation will mostly be in Area C of the occupied West Bank, where most of the illegal Israeli settlements have been built.

The airstrike comes in the background of growing resistance by Palestinians against Israel’s annexation move in Sheikh Jarrah, a locality in the occupied East Jerusalem. Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood has more than 3,000 Palestinian families who face constant violence by illegal Israeli settlers, and evictions and destruction of property by Israeli forces.

On May 7, worshippers gathered at the al-Aqsa mosque expressed their solidarity with the families who were threatened with eviction in Sheikh Jarrah neighbou rhoods. The Israeli forces stormed the mosque and brutally attacked people who were inside the compound, lobbing tear gas and firing rubber bullets.

Since then, Israeli forces have escalated their violence inside the mosque and against the protests by Palestinians demanding an end to the illegal annexations and military occupation. Armed Israeli settlers have also been given free hand by Israeli military forces to attack Palestinians. More than 700 Palestinians have been injured in Israeli attacks in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem since last Friday. The annexation plan by Israel is a clear act of ethnic cleansing and eliminating the presence of the Palestinian population for their land.

Indian Government Must End Support to Israel’s Apartheid

India had played a crucial role in supporting the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and was one of the first counties to sever trade relations with the apartheid regime and subsequently imposed a wide range of embargo on South Africa. Today, Narendra Modi led Indian government is standing on the wrong side of history by supporting the Israeli apartheid regime. The Indian government continues to expand its relationship with Israel and is importing both Israeli arms and tactics to be used against the people in Kashmir and for repressing the democratic and people’s movement in India.

The need of the hour is that India and the international community must impose a military embargo on Israel’s apartheid regime and stop enabling Israel’s brutal siege of Gaza and mass crimes against Palestinians through their support of Israel’s military industry. As the Palestinians continue to resist the Israeli brutality, apartheid and military occupation, we reiterate our complete solidarity with the people of Palestine and their liberation struggle. We also reiterate our support for strengthening the global Palestinian call of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BSD) against Israel.