The Goldstone Report of September 2009, authored by South AfricanJewish judge and long-time supporter of Israel, Justice RichardGoldstone, condemned the Israeli siege on Gaza for its violation ofinternational law, war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. Itrecommended that the UN end Israel's impunity and "urged the HumanRights Council to take action that would ensure the protection ofvictims, prevent further violence and improve the living conditions ofthe affected people."
At the same time, the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment andsanctions against Israel (BDS) is rapidly gaining in impact and activesupport, both internationally and even within Israel itself.
In response, Israel has increased its repression while the UnitedStates—which funds, promotes and protects Israel —has censoredinformation and boycotted international forums to address Israel'scrimes in Palestine, and Egypt collaborates.
• Israeli military arrests of Palestinian grassroots leaders and activists in the West Bank have escalated, including those of Abdallah Abu Rahmeh, Mohammad Othman, Jamal Juma' and dozens of others.
• The United States rejected the Goldstone report and refuses to allow its review by the United Nations.
• The United States boycotted the World Conference Against Racism and Discrimination in Geneva on the basis that the report from the 2001conference in Durban was up for review and named Israel as an apartheid state—while at the same time silencing any discussion of reparations for its own racist history of genocide and slavery.
• Egypt, colluding with the blockade and defending its brutal regime from its own movement of resistance, the natural allies of the Palestinian struggle, plans to build its own iron wall 20-30 meters deep on their side of the Rafah border.
• Israel and Egypt have together undermined every international effort to provide even the most basic humanitarian aid to Gaza.
One wonders if the real motivation behind Israel's determination tocrush non-violent resistance is to leave violence—however insignificantmeasured against one of the world's best-resourced militaries—as theonly option and thus constructing a pretext for further ethniccleansing and genocide of Palestinian people.
Andnow, Egypt refuses to allow over 1,400 international delegates to joinwith 50,000 people in Gaza for a peaceful march to insist on thedignity and humanity of the people living in Gaza. Thiscollusion with the United States and Israel cannot be justified on anygrounds. Rather, it reflects the repressive interests and actions ofthe Egyptian government, which, in exchange for economic and militarycooperation, continues to be one of the largest recipients of US aid.
On this anniversary of the siege on Gaza, the International JewishAnti-Zionist Network stands with Palestinian people in Gaza, the WestBank, East Jerusalem and Israel, including the Bedouins of the Negevwho continue to struggle for emancipation and self-determination andrefugees. We stand with the activists in Egypt who take inspirationfrom and struggle in solidarity with the Palestinian people and whofight for the labor, voting, economic, housing and political rights,against sexual repression, and for religious freedom in Egypt. We standwith those struggling against racism, State repression, continuedcolonization and environmental destruction in and by any country,beginning with those in which we organize.
On December 31, 2009, IJAN activists will march in Gaza, Israel andacross the world in solidarity with the people of Gaza and to re-affirmour collective humanity and dignity.
