Déclarations / 15 août 2014
Aller aux actualitésStatement of the European Left about Gaza: Stop the killing – for peace in Israel and Palestine
Israeli troops, temporarily having pulled back, leave behind devastation and desolation in Gaza.
The actual military actions of Israel already involved thousands of dead Palestinians, most of them civilians. Men, women and children were hit by shells or were buried in bombed houses, where they had been seeking shelter. Even hospitals and UN-buildings are no secure place of refuge anymore.
Everything has been done in order to destroy Gaza vital infrastructures. Most of international NGO and UN representatives present in the area are describing one of the worst humanitarian situations ever known.
On the Israeli side, soldiers and also some civilians were killed, most of them during the operation in Gaza organized by Israel. More than 2,000 rockets of Hamas and other groups were launched from the Gaza strip on Israel. But the war is an asymmetric war, a war with a technically optimal equipped and trained army, with an anti-missile system and bomb shelters for the population in Israel on the one hand. And on the other hand Gaza, densely populated areas without shelter from rockets, where the people don’t know, where to escape.
There will be no perspective of a lasting peace by ongoing military actions. So many human losses and enormous destructions make it even more difficult to find a political solution.
Therefore the right of these two populations to live in their state in safety and peace is the only possible way.
The war that is now conducted in Gaza can only have losers at the end. For the moment there is a fragile ceasefire. It is absolutely necessary that it's going on. Everything has to be done to avoid that hostilities start again. That is why the ceasefire is not sufficient.
A ceasefire is no real solution and it is no solution for the long-standing conflict, but it has to be the first step, followed by an end of the occupation and
an international peace conference.
The European Left demands:
• Immediate ceasefire! – This contains the end of military operations of Israel in Gaza as well as the end of any rocket fire against Israel.
• Immediate and secure access for medical and relief supplies to Gaza!
• Immediate stop of all arms exports into the Middle East!
• End of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and the opening of the crossings to goods and persons, especially allowing the entrance to all food as well as construction supplies.
• The reestablishment of the 20 miles limit for the work of fishermen.
• Freedom for farmers to move and work in all their lands, including the ones, which are in the border areas, without being attacked.
• The Rafah Crossing must be under international supervision.
• The construction of an international seaport and an international airport under the control of the United Nations and neutral countries.
• The release of all Palestinians political prisoners and the improvement of the conditions of the Palestinian prisoners in general.
• The end of administrative detention.
• The commitment by the Israeli regime of not violating Palestinian airspace, nor the maritime space, in addition of not interfering in the Palestinian Government´ and not to hinder national reconciliation.
• A new International Conference for the peace and the creation of a Palestinian State according to United Nation resolutions. – The aim has to be a peaceful two-state-solution.
Original Language / EN
