Solidarity with the Struggle of the

People of Palestine

The 17th Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the repeated attacks by the Israeli armed forces on the people of Palestine in utter violation of the UN Resolutions the agreements reached in the past with the PLO, as well as all international human rights conventions. Backed by the USA, the Sharon government is utilizing the post-September 11 situation to indulge in brutal aggression, killing hundreds of unarmed men, women and children. Totally ignoring world public opinion, the government of Israel is carrying out these atrocities and crippling the economic life of the people through siege and blockade of Palestinian territories. Israeli armed forces have been bombarding the offices of Yassar Arafat, the President of the Palestinian Authority. By early March of 2002, the official death toll of the second Intifada was nearly 1250 Palestinians, nearly 30,000 had been injured including nearly 5000 were permanently crippled. The figure has gone up in the last two weeks further accompanied by widespread destruction of all public utilities like schools, hospitals etc. While fully supporting the struggle of the people of Palestine for self-determination, the 17th Congress of the CPI(M) demands that the government of India should give up its policy of prevarication and render all assistance to the people of Palestine and condemn Israel’s barbarities on the Palestinian people. The CPI(M) 17th Congress while fully endorsing the demand of the Palestinian national council for immediate withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory and other parts of Arab territory by Israeli forces, completely implementing the charter of United Nations and its resolutions recognizing the national rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to return, right of self-determination, independence, sovereignty and statehood over the territory of the Palestinian homeland. Israel as a State can live in peace and harmony with its neighbours only when it goes back to the pre-1967 borders and allows an independent State of Palestine to exist. The CPI(M) calls upon the international community to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people through the deployment of international observers. The CPI(M) calls upon the people of India to organize all over the country massive campaign against the State-sponsored terrorism of Israel and to express firm solidarity to the valiant people of Palestine till they achieve complete independence from the yoke of Israel.