May 11, 2021

UNACpeace.org posted the following statement on May 11.

The removal of Palestinian residents of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem and the escalation of attacks by colonial settlers and Israeli forces are nothing short of ethnic cleansing.  It is reminiscent of the Nakba, when Zionists took half of Palestine for a Jewish state. At that time, they ravaged Palestinian towns, killed and injured many and forced much of the Palestinian population to flee into neighboring counties. Today, the Israeli government is telling the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah that they must leave their homes so that Jewish settlers can take them.

At the same time, they have attacked Muslim worshipers right inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest places in all of Islam.  Israel has also increased attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, which has been called the “world’s largest open-air prison” because Israel prevents people from leaving or coming to Gaza. This means the people cannot escape bombs, drones and rockets from Israel. This is nothing short of a war crime.

Much of the world is condemning these attacks. These condemnations are coming even from countries and people who in the past have been reluctant to condemn Israel. But where is the condemnation from the United States?

The U.S. news media and politicians all use the same lying words. They say the Israeli attacks are in “retaliation” for Palestinian attacks. This is not true. There is a conscious policy by the Israeli government to take Palestinian land and homes, to destroy their culture and religion. This is a genocidal policy that the U.S. government supports and encourages.

In recent years, in violation of international protocol, the U.S. has recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved its embassy there. It has given Israel the green light to further annex Palestinian land and continues to send military and economic aid to Israel. Although some of this was done under the Trump administration, the Biden administration has not reversed any of it. Israel is the greatest supporter of U.S. imperialism’s agenda in the region and has bombed and attacked Iran, Syria and other countries in the furtherance of that agenda.

Therefore, we in the United States have a special obligation to defend the Palestinian people against these attacks.

As these words are written, Gaza is being bombed again.

We must be out in the streets in support of the Palestinian people. Demonstrations are being organized throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world. Join them or organize one in your area.

No U.S. aid to Israel!

Stop the annexation of Palestinian land!

Stop stealing Palestinian homes!

Stop the bombing!

Free Palestine!