Condemnation of the genocide against the Palestinian people
Just like CLACSO Working Group on Indigenous Peoples and Epistemic-Territorial Disputes We stand in solidarity and express our condemnation of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the State of Israel, which must be investigated and prosecuted by the International Criminal Court. The Palestinian people have been victims of systematic violence and injustices for 75 years, which violate their dignity and fundamental human rights. Tolerance of the systematic violence and ethnic cleansing being carried out by the State of Israel is unacceptable.
We also condemn the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1.400 deaths and 242 hostages. These actions have caused immense suffering within the Jewish community, inciting hate crimes and human rights violations against a significant number of innocent civilians. They have also threatened the peace and security of the region. However, this situation does not justify the disproportionate response of the State of Israel in the Gaza Strip, whose military offensive has resulted in the deaths of more than 9000 Palestinian civilians since October 7, including at least 3.760 children and 2.326 women. Nearly 32.000 people have been injured, and the meager humanitarian aid provided has created one of the worst catastrophes in recent history.
Any attempt to excuse war crimes and crimes against humanity by invoking the “right of the Israeli people to self-defense” is indefensible. Likewise, using armed force against innocent civilians in Gaza as a means to pressure for the release of Israeli hostages is unacceptable, as it simultaneously endangers the lives of those abducted. It is imperative to remember that these military actions based on the “Dahiya Doctrine” are deliberate strategies of “collective punishment,” acknowledged by Israeli General Gadi Eisenkot in 2008, and denounced by international human rights bodies.
It is essential that the international community take concrete steps to demand a ceasefire, establish humanitarian corridors, and resume negotiations to end the Israeli occupation. It is important to highlight the State of Israel's repeated violations of international resolutions and agreements. We recall that Israel has been violating UN Resolutions 242 and 338 of 1967 and 1973, respectively, which stipulate that it must withdraw from the occupied territories and advocate for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Palestinian people. We also demand the release of the 242 hostages held by Hamas, most of whom are civilian victims.
It is important to emphasize that current criticisms and denunciations of war crimes and repression perpetrated by the State of Israel should not be labeled as expressions of “anti-Semitism.” We recognize the existence of “anti-Semitism” and Judeophobia as a structural problem of racism that must be categorically denounced. However, we reject the political instrumentalization of the phenomenon of “anti-Semitism” to discredit the common sense of humanity and the collective outrage provoked by the genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the State of Israel. The use of “anti-Semitism” in favor of Israel has triggered various forms of repression and criminalization of legitimate expressions of solidarity in the face of the barbarity committed by Israeli military action in Gaza.
We must unite our voices and resources to demand an end to these war crimes and the constant spread of hate speech, racism, and the dehumanization of the victims. We also call upon Indigenous organizations, social collectives, peasant, environmental, and grassroots movements in Abya Yala to join our voices in denouncing the ongoing massacre of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Solidarity and expressions of support are crucial at this time when hegemonic Western propaganda attempts to silence voices and end lives, trivializing the constant aggressions and human rights violations through racist rhetoric and hate speech.
November 5th 2023
CLACSO Working Group
Indigenous Peoples and Epistemic-Territorial Disputes
This text expresses the position of the aforementioned Working Group and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
