Activists protest US
support of Israeli atrocities in Gaza
Press release
January 16, 2009
As Israeli military operations in Gaza continued, activists from the
multisectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) trooped today to
the US embassy in Manila to protest the American government’s support for
Israel.
For almost three weeks now, Israel has been carrying out bombing raids
followed by ground assault on Gaza. The death toll is estimated to have
now passed 1,000 Palestinians while the number of wounded in the attacks
is nearing 5,000. At least 400 of the casualties are civilians, including
women and children.
“We condemn the US government for its continued political and military
support for Israel. For decades now, US government has encouraged and
supported Israel’s occupation of Palestine and its armed aggression
against the Palestinian people”, Bayan chairperson Dr. Carol
Pagaduan-Araullo said.
The Bayan leader noted that Israel remains the single biggest recipient of
US aid getting a hefty $3 billion annually. A country of only 6 million
people, it is currently receiving more US aid than all of Africa, Latin
America and the Caribbean taking out Egypt and Colombia. The US has also
derailed initial efforts at the United Nations (UN) Security Council to
issue a resolution calling for a ceasefire.
“It is clear that Israel will not be able to carry out its current
military offensives in Gaza and its past atrocities against the
Palestinian people without its ‘Big Brother’ providing resources and
hardware”, Araullo said.
Araullo added that the so-called War on Terror campaign launched by the
Bush administration in the aftermath of 9/11 is also being used as a
pretext to the massacre of innocent people in Gaza. Outgoing US President
George Bush Jr. has called the Hamas, the legitimate and duly elected
government of Gaza, a “terrorist group supported by Iran and Syria”.
Araullo pointed out that the conflict is certainly not about Israel and
Palestine alone. “It is about oil and who controls the Middle East. It is
about the US drive for world domination behind the guise of a war on
terror”.
Bayan challenged US President-elect Barack Obama to go beyond expressing
“deep concern” over the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and initiate an
actual and substantial shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East and
the rest of the world. Araullo said that Obama should back his words with
actions including immediately stopping US military aid to Israel and
condemning Israeli atrocities in Gaza. (END)
Burning 2 flags
PRESS STATEMENT
15 January 2009
For Reference:REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
Francis Uyanguren (Public Information Officer) 0920-3155747
STATEMENT OF GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY ON THE INTENSIFIED US-BACKED
ISRAEL AGGRESSION IN GAZA
Gabriela Women's Party fervently denounces the intensified US-backed
Israel war of aggression in Gaza that has resulted to the genocide of the
Palestinians, massive human rights violations, and destruction of
livelihood and properties. These fierce attacks staged by Israel have
seriously violated the International Humanitarian law as set forth in the
Geneva Conventions since it has been targeting the defenseless civilian
areas.
This ongoing aggression has clearly killed and injured the civilians
especially the women and children of Palestine. Israel's military
aggression on Gaza has resulted to mass murder and terroristic crimes
against humanity.
The Gabriela Women's Party stands in solidarity with the rest of the
international community in calling for the immediate stop of this
aggression. Right from the start, we have been condemning the inhumane
attacks that have indiscriminately targeted the innocent civilians. We
cannot simply allow this unjust war to continue killing the women and
children of Gaza.
The bloodbath of the Palestinian people has only compounded the sixty long
years of brutality and hostility of the Israel occupation. These recent
attacks have only shown the monstrosity of these aggressors who have not
been satisfied in imposing a two-year food blockade upon Gaza resulting to
severe food shortages and medical supplies.
We condemn the shameless support of the US government to Israel in its
aggression to push its vested interests and clout in the Middle East. The
US government's immense role in supplying all the necessary resources to
Israel to wage aggression over and over again against the Palestinian
people, occupy their land and drive millions of Palestinians away from
their homeland is deplorable.
Not only should this unjust war be ceased but its aggressors should also
be punished and made accountable to all the crimes committed against the
people of Palestine.
The recent statement of Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
Esteban Conejos Jr. restricting the entry of Palestinian nationals in
the country, including those who have Filipino families, is reflective
of the height of Philippines' puppetry to the US, that it kowtows
support for the Israeli aggression and its bigotry against the people
of Palestine. The Philippine government does not have the right to
issue this virtual death sentence against Palestinians by restricting
their freedom of movement by imposing this discriminatory restriction.
Finally, the Gabriela Women's Party vows to strengthen its call for an end
to the Israeli occupation which has subjected the Palestinians to decades
of brutality and sufferings. The people of Palestine have long struggled
against these worse conditions and have fought for their freedom and
self-determination. More than ever, we express our strongest support to
their call for justice and peace.
Burning Bush
Speaking out against the US-backed Israeli aggression in Gaza
Dr. Carol Araullo of BAYAN
Elmer Labog of KMU
Rita Baua of BAYAN's
international section
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Spokesperson from the Moro
Christian Peoples Alliance (MCPA)
Cristina Guevarra of the
Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
Alphonse Rivera of SALINLAHI
SCM Philippines statement
on Israel attacks on Gaza
We in the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines vehemently condemn
the recent episode of Israel's atrocities in Gaza, a part of the occupied
territories. We condemn the continuous indiscriminate attacks on civilians
and civilian installations like schools, houses, temples and other public
domain creating massive abuses and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Israel has to stop its massacre of Gaza and flagrant violations of
International laws committed with impunity in the name of "security" and
self defense. Over 1,025 Palestinians have been reportedly killed, and
half of them civilians including almost 300 children and youth.
The onslaught brought by the unabated rolling tanks, airstrikes and land
artillery shelling by the Israel Defense Force indiscriminately directed
against the Gaza people, is a blatant display of arrogance and might of
the Zionist Israel state against the Palestinian people it has
long-subjugated.
We join the international clamor for the immediate pull-out of Israeli
forces out of Gaza and stop its attacks, as we join the demand that the
United States stop its blanket support which has emboldened the Israel
state in its oppression and military control of the Palestine. The US
funnels to the Zionist Israel a hefty US$ 6 billion aid yearly, taken from
its taxpayers' money in order to safeguard its control of oil and other
gas resources in the Middle-East. It has bolstered Israel's defiance to
the calls of the international community to end the occupation in
Palestine. In effect, US is blocking just resolutions via a UN-mediated
just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We join the international community in the growing call to press charges
for the crimes against humanity committed by the Zionist state of Israel.
In whatever way the Israel Zionist state portrays itself as a meek lamb,
in this instance attacked by the wolf, it can not bury the truth that the
Israeli state has been forcefully built at the expense of blood and
oppression of the Palestinians.
Until the oppressive clutches of Israel and its superpower supporters are
maintained in Palestine, there can never be a just-peace in this part of
the world.
Stop the US-backed Israel attacks on Gaza!
Free Palestine, End the Israel Occupation of Palestine!
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!
Solidarity to the Heroic people of Palestine!
Statement released during the Rally in front of the US Embassy in Manila
on January 16, 2009
ILPS Message of Solidarity to
the Beirut International Forum
for Resistance, Anti-imperialism, Solidarity Between Peoples
and Alternatives
Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson
International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples’ Struggle
16 January 2009
On behalf of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), I
convey the warmest and most militant greetings of solidarity to the
organizers and participants of the Beirut International Forum for
Resistance, Anti-imperialism, Solidarity Between Peoples and
Alternatives to be held on January 16-18, 2009.
You are holding this forum at a most propitious time. The US-instigated
policies of “neoliberal globalization” and “war on terror” are
unraveling. The financial and economic crisis of monopoly capitalism is
deepening and generating social and political turmoil on a global scale.
Today, the worst of economic conditions since the Great Depression have
arisen. The broad masses of the people of the world, especially those
living in Asia, Africa and Latin America, are suffering from this global
crisis.
The US-instigated global war of terror has escalated the oppression of
the people of the world. It has generated repression and fascism by
imperialist and puppet states, acts of military intervention and massive
wars of aggression as in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In this war of terror, the US
has blacklisted and subjected to various
forms of attack states invoking national independence, national
liberation movements, revolutionary communist parties and progressive
organizations and leaders. These attacks include economic sanctions,
subversion, nuclear blackmail, bombardments and wars of aggression.
However, the US aggressors, their imperialist allies and puppets find
themselves sinking in quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US-backed
Zionist state of Israel which is currently carrying out a barbaric war
in Gaza is facing the determined resistance of the Palestinian people
and vigorous condemnation by the entire people of the world.
The grave problems faced by the imperialists and their puppets and the
growing resistance of the people are excellent conditions for
strengthening the anti-imperialist and progressive democratic movement
the world over. The people are clamoring for revolutionary change. They
are fighting for a new and better world.
The Beirut International Forum for Resistance, Anti-imperialism,
Solidarity Between Peoples and Alternatives offers an excellent
opportunity for strengthening the unity of all forces that are fighting
imperialism and all forms of reaction. ILPS salutes the organizers and
participants of this very important gathering of anti-imperialists and
progressive democrats from around the world and wishes them great success.
Down with imperialism and all reaction!
Advance the peoples’ struggles for freedom, democracy and social
liberation!
Long live international solidarity!
March to the US embassy
◄◄◄ This video
details the US military aid to Israel
Key Facts on US aid to
Israel
■ Total direct aid to Israel, 1948-2003 $89.9 billion
(uncorrected for inflation)
■ Since 1976 Israel has been the largest annual recipient of US aid.
It is the largest cumulative recipient since World War II.
■ REGULAR US GRANT AID in FY 2003
$2.76 billion military aid
grant
$2.1 billion economic support funds
$600 million refugee resettlement grant
■ COMMERCIAL LOAN GUARANTEES IN FY 2003: $2 billion
■ BUSH ADMINISTRATION
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST FOR FY 2003
Military aid grant $1 billion
Commercial loan guarantees $9 billion
Arrow missile development $60 million
■ TOTAL AID FOR FY 2003 $14.82 billion
■ Percentage of U.S.
foreign aid that goes to Israel -- 30%
SOURCES: Clyde R. Mark, ?Israel: U.S. Foreign Assistance, Congressional
Research Service, updated April 1, 2003; Clyde R. Mark, Middle East: U.S.
Foreign Assistance, FY 2001, FY 2002, FY 2003 Congressional Research
Service, March 28, 2002
Street
sweepers at the Plaza Salamanca where the rallyists assembled before
marching to the US embassy. Cleaning up the plaza can tell us something
about cleaning up the mess created by the US and its allies in the Middle
East and elsewhere.
Press
photographers had a field day capturing into their camera's memory cards
images of Palestinian colors and placards of condemnation of the US-backed
Israeli aggression in Gaza
