We join the majority of the United Nations and the peoples
of the world in campaigning for peace and in calling for an immediate ceasefire
to the armed conflict in Gaza to pave the way for a negotiated, internationally
brokered political solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
By means of war, Israel has dispossessed the Palestinians of
their right to existence as a free nation, with their territories effectively
occupied and ghettoized by Israeli forces since the Nakba of 1948. This
horrific condition suffered continuously by the Palestinian people was made
possible with the imposition of unimaginable forms of repression, including
killings and an unjust economic embargo, while the Israeli government continues
to enjoy massive military and economic assistance from the US and other Western
powers.
The retaliatory campaign by Israel to completely siege Gaza
by cutting off food, water, and electricity supplies to annihilate “subhuman”
Palestinians is not simply out of bounds but is downright genocide that needs
to be opposed to avert a colossal humanitarian crisis.
We continue to emphasize that the only solution we see for
peace to finally reign in this region is for the peoples of the world, along
with institutions such as the United Nations, to campaign for an end to
Israel’s occupation and continued land grabbing in Palestinian territories, and
to guarantee the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.
The Philippines maintains diplomatic relations with
Palestine since 1989, thus working for freedom and peace and preserving mutual
respect with each other as independent nations will work better than being torn
apart by geo-political alignments and other relations dictated by big powers.
However, we find the vote of abstention to the UN ceasefire
resolution by the Philippine government politically reprehensible since a “no
position” stand in the face of a glaring state of genocide and humanitarian
crisis in Gaza works in favor of imperialist powers who seek for the total
extermination of any Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.
We therefore demand that the Philippine government reverse
its stand in favor of the UN ceasefire resolution as this is the most urgent
need at the moment to stop further loss of lives and destruction, facilitate
global humanitarian aid to Gaza, and formulate a workable and just solution to
end the war.
We likewise call on the Philippine government to exert all
efforts to determine the actual condition and secure the safe release and
repatriation of Filipinos who reportedly went missing or have been killed in
the October 7 attack by Hamas. At least 30,000 Filipinos live in Israel, and
100 live in Gaza Strip, according to reports.
STOP THE WAR ON GAZA!
CEASEFIRE AND HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA!
END ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF GAZA AND WESTBANK!
FREEDOM FOR PALESTINE!
November 4, 2023
Partido Manggagawa
