The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 15th December 2023
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 15th December 2023
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
The United Nations has overwhelmingly called for a humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. On the streets in the Gaza Strip Palestinian commandos are fighting to stop the Israeli advance as a relentless barrage Israeli missiles and bombs spread death and destruction throughout the besieged Palestinian enclave. And in Rome Pope Francis renewed his call for an “immediate” ceasefire and pleaded for an end to suffering for both Israelis and Palestinians.
This week 153 countries voted in favour of an end to the fighting at an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly called at the request of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The resolution called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and urged all parties to “comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law”. Tabled at the special meeting at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the motion was opposed by Israel and the Americans. But only eight of the most craven vassals of US imperialism backed them. Twenty-three other US allies, including Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Ukraine, abstained.
Some US partners in the vital Asia-Pacific region also backed the call for the ceasefire, including India, Japan and south Korea. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, who all voted for the motion, issued a rare joint statement calling for an end to hostilities and expressing alarm “at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza”. The Americans and Austrians moved amendments condemning the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October but both attempts to politicise the vote failed.
The Israeli envoy, Gilad Erdan, ranted against calls for a ceasefire, calling the UN a “moral stain” on humanity. But Egypt’s UN Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek said the resolution that was “balanced and neutral” called for the protection of civilians on both sides and the release of all captives, while the Palestinian representative said he hoped the vote would send a message to Washington and all the others “protecting and shielding” Israel.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour said the USA cannot continue to ignore calls for ceasefire, and that protests across the world calling for a ceasefire, including demonstrations outside the UN headquarters, must be heard.
Mansour said the “massive power” of protests culminated in the General Assembly resolution that was overwhelmingly approved earlier and stressed that Washington cannot overlook the will of billions of people across the world. “We hope in a few days – God willing a few hours – that the United States [will] come to the conclusion to force Israel to stop this aggression against our people.”
More than two months of Israeli bombardment on Gaza has killed about 18,200 Palestinians, including 7,729 children, and displaced 90 per cent of its population. Humanitarian aid officials warn of a collapsing health system and “apocalyptic” conditions in the small pocket of southern Gaza, where most Palestinians are now crammed.
Meanwhile a 28-year old British-Palestinian hunger-striker is demanding that the Sunak government act to stop Israel’s months-long bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Arafat, 28, stopped eating and drinking on 22nd October after learning that his sister and her four children had been killed in an Israeli air raid in Gaza. He plans to continue his hunger strike until the British government backs a ceasefire.
“I want the UK government to do something, and I want the Israeli government to stop killing people,” he said. “I know I might die. I know something could happen to my health,” Arafat said from a hospital in Bath where he is being treated. “I don’t want to die. I’m doing this for my own people who are suffering. Every person in Gaza is my brother and sister.”