This statement was issued by the Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, The People’s Forum, ANSWER Coalition, and the International People’s Assembly
The steadfast resilience and resistance of the Palestinian people has delivered a 4-day pause in the ongoing genocide while securing the imminent release of 150 Palestinian political prisoners.
The global movement for Palestinian liberation has played a large role in creating and sustaining the global pressure against the Zionist régime — pressure that has temporarily forced [the neocolony’s] hand. Nevertheless, a pause is just that: a pause. At a time of unprecedented global outrage and awareness of the genocide against the Palestinian people, the upcoming weeks are critical. We must intensify our commitment and efforts until every single one of our demands is fulfilled: a permanent ceasefire, an end to the siege on Gaza, and an end to all US, Canadian, and European aid to [neocolonialism].
[The neocolony] delayed this deal to continue its depraved and genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. With the murder of over 14,000 civilians since October 7, the scale and depth of the apartheid régime’s murderous campaign demonstrate that it has every full intent of continuing its rampage once the pause ends.
The call to action continues this Friday at Shut It Down for Palestine actions across the world, and Saturday at the National March on Ottawa, Canada. Join us and remain with us in the weeks and months ahead, as we continue to push our demands forward.
Our fight for liberation transcends any temporary pause or humanitarian concessions. We call on people of conscience everywhere to Shut it Down on November 24th and to continue protesting, planning and implementing direct actions, and drive campaigns focused on our primary demands. We vow to remain steadfast until every single Palestinian is free, and Palestine is again ours, from the river to the sea.
(Taken from an email sent to me by the ANSWER Coalition. Emphasis original.)
Thanks! My question was rhetorical (and not personally directed!), though. Neither call for permanent ceasefire. Both are actually agitating for overall escalation and a condemnation of Israel and their sponsor, the US. Ceasefire rhetoric will eventually lead to being fully at odds with what resistance fighters want and need. When we depart from what on-the-ground organizers want and need, it should be carefully justified, as there is a long history of failures of solidarity with colonized peoples through Western socialists outsmarting themselves.
Basically… I’m disappointed in the liberal anti-war rather than pro-justice stances I see many Western socialist organizations adopting.
I think that we’re reluctant to talk about extreme measures here because somebody could be watching us… I’ll just say that violent resistance is inevitable and that such resistors should preferably be unjudged for their resort.