ISRAEL on Tuesday completed the withdrawal of its troops from Gaza, as a 72-hour humanitarian truce took effect, and made preparations to take part in peace talks in Cairo, sitting across the table from Hamas, as part of a united Palestinian delegation. Oh how the would-be mighty have been humbled!
A senior official in Egypt said on Monday night: ‘Egypt’s contacts with relevant parties have achieved a commitment for a 72-hour truce in Gaza starting from 0500 GMT tomorrow morning, and an agreement for the rest of the relevant delegations to come to Cairo to conduct further negotiations,’ The Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt today.
Hamas and the Palestinian masses have won a big victory. This victory cost the lives of more than 1,800 Palestinians, including up to 300 children. The whole Palestinian population acted with great heroism. It withstood barbarism of a type that has not been seen since the German armies invaded eastern Europe and Russia.
Sixty-six Israeli soldiers were killed in the invasion – a huge blow against Israel. They were victims of Netanyahu’s decision not to negotiate with the Palestinians, but to repeat the experience that they had with Hezbollah in 2006, and once again come to grief as they were continually attacked by Hamas fighters whose tunnel warfare gave them much more mobility, particularly to strike the enemy when it least expected it.
Another feature of this campaign was the way that the workers of the world rallied to the Palestinian cause and marched and demonstrated to the point where not only was the myth of the invincibility of the Israeli army exposed for all to see, but Israel’s allies abroad suffered equally heavy casualties.
In Britain, the resignation of Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi, because of PM Cameron’s refusal to condemn the mass murder being carried out by Israel, has shaken the Tory Party to its foundations.
In her letter of resignation Warski wrote: ‘My view has been that our policy in relation to the Middle East Peace Process generally, but more recently our approach and language during the current crisis in Gaza, is morally indefensible, is not in Britain’s national interest and will have a long-term detrimental impact on our reputation internationally and domestically.’
She adds: ‘Particularly as the Minister with responsibility for the United Nations, The International Criminal Court and Human Rights I believe our approach in relation to the current conflict is neither consistent with our values, specifically our commitment to the rule of law and our long history of support for International Justice. In many ways the absence of the experience and expertise of colleagues like Ken Clarke and Dominic Grieve has over the last few weeks become very apparent.’
A key ally of Israel, the Tory government is now in a deep and a desperate crisis after Warsi’s statement. She concluded: ‘I always said that long after life in politics I must be able to live with myself for the decisions I took or the decisions I supported. By staying in government at this time I do not feel I can be sure of that.
‘It is therefore with regret that I am writing to resign.’
In fact, there have been huge demonstrations all over the world in support of the Palestinians and they have had a profound impact on even the most reactionary governments, with the declaration of the Spanish government that it will no longer supply arms to Israel.
However the Leopard will never change its spots.
Obama has just signed off over $200m to enhance Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’ programme, and the UK continues to arm and finance Israel.
The Palestinian masses and the workers of the world must now march forward arm in arm, to demand the end of the occupation of Palestine, the recognition of the national unity government, and the ending of the arming and supplying of the Israel military. Gaza and the West Bank must be free!
Workers and their trade unions in the UK must now act to bring down the discredited Cameron government and to replace it with a workers government that will carry out socialist policies at home and abroad.
Forward to Palestine! Forward with the world socialist revolution!
