REPORT JAN. 12, 2009: ON SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF GAZA

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez

Things to note are (1) a widespread call for a campaign of boycott, divest and sanctions aimed at Israel (2) widespread joy at President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela's decision to expel the Israeli ambassador (3) protests all over South Africa, (4) expansion of the protests to take on massive proportions in Madrid and Barcelona, which indicates that the mass participation has spread beyond the Arab and Muslim communities at least in some of the imperialist countries. Also in Norway, rail workers held a 2-minute job action in solidarity with Gaza.

Kabul, Afghanistan

International Action Center co-director Sara Flounders, on route to the Beirut Forum (Jan. 16-19), spoke at the important Rosa Luxemburg Conference in Berlin Jan. 10 (sponsored by the daily newspaper, Junge Welt). The conference became a de-facto tribunal condemning Israel, along with its backers in the U.S. and the European Union, for war crimes in Gaza. Before 1,000 people, Flounders argued forcefully for the Palestinian right to resist siege and occupation and the need for progressives in the imperialist countries to act in solidarity with this resistance in Palestine as well as in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thanks to Paloma Valverde, Dirk Adriaensens, Bert de Belder, Fausto Schiavetto, Paola Manduca, Jorge Figueiredo, Manuel Raposo, Junge Welt, Jay Hauben, Berta Joubert-Ceci and others whose names are on reports below for sending in or sending around reports and/or photos. Prepared by John Catalinotto.

NORWAY

On Thursday 8 January all trains in the whole of Norway, and all trams and subways in Oslo, stood still for two minutes in protest against the Israeli invasion. The union issued the following information for passengers:

"Because of the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Locomotive Drivers Union in Norway has decided to demonstrate our solidarity with the Palestinian people. This will be organized by adding two more minutes of stoppage at the station. The same action applies to all passenger trains in Norway simultaneously. We demand the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory. Thank you for your understanding".

Also, demonstrations outside Parliament.

SOUTH AFRICA

Media Release: Thousands protest across SA today for a free Gaza, call for sanctions and cutting diplomatic ties

Issued by the Palestine Solidarity Committee

9 January 2009

In Tshwane, Durban and Port Elizabeth, thousands of people protested today (Friday, Jan. 9) against the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel. Some 2,000 people laid siege to the Egyptian Embassy in Tshwane, while thousands marched in Durban, Port Elizabeth witnessed a placard demonstration, and a huge rally was held in Cape Town.

Today's actions follow a week of energetic activity by Palestine solidarity organizations throughout the country. Yesterday, 15,000 people marched in Cape Town and the city also saw placard demonstrations throughout the week.

The messages emerging from the protests and from the spokespersons of the various organizations have been:

· A demand that Israel ceases its 'genocidal campaign' and withdraws its troops from Gaza;

· Calls on the South African government to recall the South African ambassador from Tel Aviv, expel the Israeli ambassador from South Africa, and sever all diplomatic ties with Israel;

· Calls on the South African government to impose sanctions against Israel - as has been called for by more than 200 Palestinian political, social and other organizations representing the vast majority of Palestinian society; and

· A commitment to a sustained campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions.

In addition, speakers at yesterday's march and at today's protests emphasized the right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupation of their lands.

Janet Cherry, in Port Elizabeth, spoke about the 'appalling humanitarian crisis' in Gaza and called on the international community urgently to address the crisis and to force Israel to abide by international humanitarian law.

Speaking in an overflowing Mowbray Town Hall in Cape Town, Rivonia Treason trialist Dennis Goldberg attacked Israeli actions in Gaza, likened Israel to apartheid and supported the call for boycotts, divestment and sanctions. His call was followed by the adopting a set of resolutions, including a call on the South African government to expel the Israeli ambassador and a call for a South African academic boycott of Israeli institutions.

In Tshwane, today, people from across the province protested against the involvement of the Egyptian government in the current massacres in Gaza. Salim Vally, of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, said that in the past 18 months, while the people of Gaza were under siege and no food, fuel or medicines were allowed freely to enter the territory, Egypt had ensured that it kept its border with Gaza - the Rafah Crossing - sealed as well.

Another speaker, Melissa Hoole, said Egypt was complicit with the Israelis and the United States in the oppression of the Palestinian people. She also debunked the myth peddled by Israelis and their apologists that Hamas had 'broken the ceasefire'.

Vally added that Israel had, in fact, contravened the ceasefire from the first week because the agreement had stipulated that Israel would open all six borders between Israel and Gaza but Israel maintained its blockade.

The South African Communist Party's Richard Mamobolo expressed his party's support for a campaign of boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel. Mamobolo echoed the call by the Cosatu - issued in media releases and repeated at last week's protest in Johannesburg, yesterday's march in Cape Town and today's march in Durban - for the South African government to expel the Israeli ambassador and implements sanctions against Israel. The repeated calls for the severing of diplomatic relations with Israel were accompanied by chants of 'Viva Chavez, Viva', in reference to the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Venezuela by that country's president, Hugo Chavez.

Other slogans at the protest included: 'Free, free Palestine', 'Phansi (down with) Mubarak, phansi', and 'Long live the Palestinian resistance'.

A memorandum was handed over to embassy staff, addressed to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

KENYA

Mombasa, Kena

Nairobi - Kenyan police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse hundreds of Muslims who had gathered after Friday prayers in Nairobi to protest against Israel's deadly raids in the Gaza Strip. Close to a thousands demonstrators started chanting slogans in solidarity with the Palestinians outside the capital's Jamea mosque.

"No to shedding innocent blood", "End the massacre in Gaza", "Israel, stop killing innocent people", read some of the placards. "We are supporting our brothers being killed by Israel. We want peace, so why are our brothers dying," said Ahmed Isak, a 45-year-old Kenyan who took part in Friday's protest.

The protestors tried to march towards the Israeli embassy in central Nairobi but were stopped by a heavy security deployment.

Similar protests were held in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya last week.

ITALY

Venezia, Italy

Demonstrations in Rome, Milan, Vicenza, Verona, Venezia, and other cities, totaling in the tens of thousands.

Gaza called, and in various places it has been answered. Here in Italy the gigantic imperialist political block of right and left that hides and covers the Israeli slaughter and it is prepared to cover the inter-imperialist operation of "normalization." In the Veneto we note two demonstrations. Jan. 10, one thousand people marched though practically all Venice from Rome Large square gradually along the New Road Rialto till Saint Stefano and Campo della Margherita. The liveliest and leading group were Arab workers of several communities. Still larger, 2,000 participants to the manifestation of Verona on Jan. 11, where a solid presence of youths and Arab Muslim women from the community could be noticed. Slogans included those against the Olmert and Bush murderers. The community prepares to participate in the national demonstration in Rome on Jan. 17.

FRANCE

As many as 100,000 in Paris, according to organizers. Also protests in dozens of other cities of almost the same, or 200,000+ in France.

POLAND

Warsaw, Poland

Demonstration of 150 in front of Israeli Embassy in Warsaw. See photos at http://pl.indymedia.org/pl/2009/01/41137.shtml

MALAYSIA

The police have arrested 21 people, including Klang MP Charles Santiago and several top leaders of PSM, at an anti-war vigil at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. The vigil was organised by Anti-War Coalition to show support to the victims of war and aggression in Palestine and Sri Lanka.

About 200 people had gathered at about 8pm for the vigil, which was declared illegal by the police who were also present at the venue.

Among those held were Parti Sosialis Malaysia leaders Dr Nasir Hashim and S Arutchelvan, PKR's Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani and several activists from Suaram and Jerit. Nasir is also the Kota Damansara state assemblyperson.

Abolish ISA Movement activist Norlaila Othman was also among those arrested. They are believed to be investigated for illegal assembly. This is the first time the police have acted against an anti-war vigil in recent days.

Yesterday thousands had marched to the US embassy to object the Israeli aggression in Gaza without any police intervention. Similarly another group of protesters in Kampung Baru was also allowed to burn the US and Israeli flags in the middle of the road yesterday afternoon without any police interference.

Ahmadinejad, Chavez Call for World Summit on Gaza

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8710211224

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his

Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez called for organizing a global summit to find a resolution to end Gaza catastrophe.

During their phone talk, the two presidents condemned Israel's slaughter of civilians in Gaza and stressed Palestine's nation will overcome Zionists through resistance and perseverance. The two presidents then emphasized leaders of different countries must hold a summit to find a way that ends the current situation in Gaza, the Iranian students news agency reported.

Iran's President then appreciated Chavez for his revolutionary stances towards Israel and supporting Gazans and asserted through any possible way the Zionists must be prevented from continuing offensives against the Gaza Strip.

http://parti-sosialis.org/

Stop Mass Murder in Gaza!

Hands Off Gaza! Free Palestine!

SPANISH STATE

Soccer Match: Sevilla, Spain

11 January 2009

Today in Madrid more than 250,000 people have demonstrated against Israel. A Palestinian flag has been put in the statue of the Spanish King Carlos III, one of the ancestor of the present king. The national media has echoed the demonstrations. El País entitled the article as "Carlos III becomes Palestinian". This is not just a joke, as this particular king was a favorite of r the people of Madrid, and the meaning is "Madrid IS Palestine." In the demonstration have participated very well known Spanish actors, who have not taken part since the Iraq demonstrations in 2002-2003.

Madrid, Spain

Madrid pictures

http://www.elpais.com/fotogaleria/Marcha/Madrid/favor/Gaza/6107-1/elpgal/

Barcelona

From 50,000 (media) to 200,000 (organizers) demonstrated against the genocide Israel is perpetrating in Gaza. Barcelona pictures:

http://www.elpais.com/recorte/20090111elpcat_1/LCO340/Ies/Manifestacion_Barcelona_ofensiva_israeli_Gaza.jpg

Burgos:

More than one thousand people (in a city of no more than 170,000) have demonstrate in the city during more than one houre and a half. They have shout mottos agains the Israeli aggression and israeli flags has been burnt

The complicity of Arab regimens, such Mubarak; the silence of Obama or the active support of Bush in the genocide of the Gaza people has been repeteadly denounced.The economic boycott to Israel has been claimed by the demonstrators, asking to the Spanish goverment to break up any relationship with Israel.

Malaga in solidarity with the Palestinian people. 2,500 people. Summoned by several associations in support the Palestinians, in the demonstration participants demanded Israeli troops withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

Massive demonstration (200,000?) for Gaza in Barcelona

The march was organised by the Plataforma Aturem la Guerra, the broad anti war movement in the city, and the Palestinian Community of Catalonia, with the support of 300 other organisations.

The attendance overwhelmed the organisers, with people overflowing the square where the march was programmed to start. The square where the march ended filled up rapidly, while many marchers had not even started to move. After the manifesto of the protest had been read, people were asked to move on to allow more demonstrators to enter. In all, the manifesto had to be read four times.

Over the last two weeks, Catalonia —of which Barcelona is the capital— has recovered much of the spirit of the anti war movement of 2003. There have been

In Las Palmas, in the Canaries, between 4,000 and 7,000 —depending on the sources— demonstrated for over two hours. In Malaga, around 2,500 people demonstrated. There were hundreds-strong protests in other cities, such as Avila and Valencia.

One of the demands which is growing amongst the movements is for a boycott of Israel, responding to the call made some time ago by hundreds of Palestinian organisations. The main slogan of the Barcelona march was "Stop the massacre in Gaza: Boycott Israel". The task for the movement now is to continue the protests on the street and combine them with other forms of action, including collective pressure for an effective boycott, and the breaking of commercial relations with the apartheid state of Israel.

David Karvala

Member of the Plataforma Aturem la Guerra

Barcelona, 10 January 2009.

GERMANY

On Saturday ten thousands demonstrated Germany against the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strips. In Berlin, where 8500 people took to the streets, there were some arrests. A great force of police accompanied the protest march, which went from Alexanderplatz through the center of Berlin. "Stop the massacre in Gaza," was on the banners. Throughout Germany the largest demonstration was in Duisburg with more than 10,000 participants, called by the North-Rhine/Westphalian regional federations of the Islamic community.

BELGIUM—70,000 in Brussels

You'll find pics on

http://picasaweb.google.be/martineras/20090111_manif_palestina_sel?feat=email#

The police underestimated the crowd at 30,000, while the organizers (an alliance of 123 civil society organisations, including trade unions, NGOs, movements, networks, political parties) estimated it at 70,000. Raji Sourani, a Palestinian human rights activist, adressed the crowd. Children opened the rally. A large majority of protesters belonged to the Arab community, but they were joined by several thousands of other Belgians, among them several members of parliament. Their main message was for the European Union to suspend the Association Agreement it currently has with Israel, as long as the Israeli massacres in and the blockade of Gaza continue.

Also prominent in the Brussels rally, in the block of the anti-imperialist movement Intal and the Latin America solidarity movement Arlac: Hugo Chavez, on a huge banner, with the slogan "Hugo Chavez, friend of the Palestinian people", in Spanish and in Arabic.

Bert de Belder

-AFP

BRAZIL

About a thousand people they had participated of an impressive public protest on Jan. 8 in the center of Rio de Janeiro in solidarity to the struggle of the Palestinian people. The demonstrators marched up to the door of the Consulate of the United States and put shoes on the walls of the consulate, in a symbolic gesture of repudiation of U.S. imperialism. The flags of the United States and terrorist State of Israel were burned. Image The action gathered many unions, humanitarian organizations, social movements, workers' political parties, etc. Among the unions were Post offices, Bank clerks, SEPE, Sintuff, Sindipetro-RIO DE JANEIRO. The political parties PT, PCdoB, PSTU, PCB, P-SOL. Syndical central offices CUT, Intersyndical, Conlutas and CTB. The Committee of Solidarity with the Struggle of the Palestinian People of Rio De Janeiro led the group, that also counted on the presence of the Muslim Brazilian Society. Since Dec. 27 Brazilians already demonstrated in Florianópolis, Manaus, São Paulo and Salvador and others. Demonstrators demand that Brazil break diplomatic relations with the terrorist State of Israel, consider the cancellation of the Commercial Treaty between Brazil and Israel and begin an international campaign of boycotting the products and Zionistas corporations. Source: Oil agency News(APN) Photographs: Rafael Duarte (Oil Agency of Notice)

ARGENTINA

New material from Barricade Popular News TV on the march at the embassy of the terrorist state of Israel in Buenos Aires on Jan. 6, which drew 25,000 people who expressed their active solidarity with Palestine and demanded to stop to the massacre in Gaza. The short video is by the Group Tupac Amaru coordinated by Insurgent Cinema. To see the video, 8 minutes click here: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=3h4vJp7bWx8

SOUTH KOREA--Update 3

Seoul, South Korea

January 10, some 300 Korean people demonstrated to stop Israel's killing of the people of Gaza, gathering at Jongno St. in Seoul, to protest Israel's attack of the Gaza strip. 75 civil society organizations and unions, progressive parties organized this demonstration.

A photo slide show of the demonstration can be seen at:

http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/sld_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=L0000013519&PAGE_CD

In Solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Jay

TURKEY

Several groups; anti-war and anti-racist movements's activists, socials organizations, non governmental organizations, solidarity committees,trade unions, parties are on the streets and organize daily protests since 28 December in almost every cities of Turkey; Istanbul, Ankara, İznir, Adana. There were protests on the Israeli Embassy and Consulates, demonstration marches on main streets of big cities.

Movement held a mobilization in solidarity with the Palestinian people and reject and condemn the crimes of the Israeli state. Demonstrators showed their solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza and expressed the right to resist of besieged and occupied population. They saw the Israeli state as the direct criminal, the local gendarme acting as an appendage of world imperialism--particularly U.S. imperialism but also that of the European Union.

Demonstrators waving Peace and Palestinian flags, scarves and chanting anti-war, anti-raceist, anti-Israeli and anti-U.S. slogans; "Stop the War", "Stop Israel", "Intifada will overcome", "Israel go home from Gaza","U.S. go home from Middle East". According to international solidarity and decision is called for action. There will be a big demonstration for January 10 in Istanbul. (no report as of Jan. 12—JC)

Niluger Ugur Dalay

Global Peace and Justice Coalition of Turkey

Jan. 6 in Ankara, Turkey, the Israeli basketball team, Bnei Hasharon, had to flee the wrath of what the Associated Press described as "hundreds of fist-pumping, chanting Turkish fans." What exploded was yet another protest against Israel's bombardment of Gaza. The shock here is the setting, a sports arena, and the target, a basketball team.

ENGLAND

Tens of thousands in London demonstrate, police attack them.

SCOTLAND

In Edinburgh, protesters hurled about 300 shoes and red paint at the U.S. consulate in the Scottish capital. Pete Cannell, secretary of the Scottish Stop the War Coalition, said 10,000 attended the event. 'If we'd had a few more days it would've been twice the size,' he said.

IRELAND

A 5,000-strong crowd gathered in the centre of Belfast, in a pro-Palestinian protest event organised by the Irish Congress of Trades Unions. Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Hartley of Sinn Fein said: 'The full-scale military assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people including the slaughter of women and children.

'Our demands today are simple: The war in Gaza must end now.'

Long live working class internationalism!

http://libcom.org/forums/news/train-drivers-political-strike-norway-gaza-working-class-internationalism-10012009

SWEDEN

In Stockholm 10.000 according to some papers and 12.000 according to the organizaing very broad Gaza solidarity Committee participated in a very good and well organized demonstration.

Many demonstrations took place in several Swedish cities.

Sigyn Meder, Stockholm

USA:

New York. Police provoke and arrest protesters

Pack the Court Tomorrow Morning!

9 am

100 Centre St. in Manhattan

January 11--Today, more than 15,000 people rallied in Times Square to protest Israel's ongoing assault against the people of Palestine . The demonstration stretched from 42nd Street south to 38 Street, along 7th Ave , and was followed by a spirited march past the New York Times building to the Time Warner building on 58th Street where CNN's New York office is located.

Organizers reported provocative and hostile police behavior throughout the event. Police massed at the end of the march route began cursing, taunting and attacking protesters. One uniformed cop was reported as yelling, "Why don't you all blow yourselves up?"

Eyewitnesses reported that the police used pepper spray in an unprovoked assault on the protesters including teenagers and children as young as ten years old. Others were pushed and struck by police.

At least 30 people were arrested during the day, and everyone who was arrested was beaten by police, some severely. Most were arrested while simply trying to leave at the end of the march, when police charged and began arresting and beating people.

One provocateur grabbed a Palestinian flag and began trampling on it. When onlookers attempted to retrieve the flag, they were attacked and nine were arrested.

Organizers are reporting that the attacks and arrests clearly targeted Arab youth. Lamis Deek, human rights attorney and co-chair of Al-Awda New York, said, "The systematic pattern of attacks and provocations and the sudden appearance of police amass at the end of the march were clearly a message from City Hall. This police riot was clearly on orders from Mayor Bloomberg, who just returned from Israel where he cheered on the attacks against the people of Gaza , and who is clearly trying to intimidate the mass protests that have taken place here, and will continue to take place. But these tactics will not keep us off the streets. We outnumbered the rally in support of Israel 's crimes by a hundred to one."

In Washington DC, on Jan. 10, over 20,000 took to the streets in the freezing rain to demand, "Let Gaza Live!" Featured speakers included former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who was just on a humanitarian relief mission attempting to bring supplies to Gaza when the boat she was on was intentionally struck by an Israeli military vessel; Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, Muslim American Society Freedom; Rev. Graylan Hagler, National President of Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice; Mounzer Sleiman, Vice Chairman, National Council of Arab Americans; Ralph Nader; Paul Zulkowitz, Jews Against the Occupation; Brian Becker, National Coordinator, ANSWER Coalition; Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, attorney and co-founder, Partnership for Civil Justice; and others.

The spirited march then led to the Washington Post, where demonstrators denounced the paper for its biased pro-Israeli coverage of the massacre and its complete blackout of protest activities in the United States.

That same day, in San Francisco, 10,000 took part in the march and rally. The rally included a huge outpouring from the local Arab community, and energetic participation from Bay Area youth.

A crowd of 2000 demonstrators confronted a heavy police presence in downtown Orlando, Florida, for the "Let Gaza Live: Florida Statewide March for Palestine."

In Los Angeles, 10,000 people participated in a regional mass march and rally to "Let Gaza Live" at the Westwood Federal Building. Hundreds of Palestinian flags and signs reading "Stop bombing Gaza!" and "The real terrorists: U.S./Israel war machine!" lined all sides of the street and the lawn in front of the federal government headquarters.

There were demonstrations in many other U.S. cities on Jan. 10 and/or Jan. 11.

FROM NON-MOVEMENT SOURCES

Athens more than 2,000 (AFP)

[Italy]

Rome a small group (AFP)

Milan, Florence and Venice several thousand (AP)

Milan and Turin thousands (AFP)

[Swiss]

Bern 7,000 (AFP)

[Norwey]

Oslo 1,000 (Aljazeera)

Oslo 5,000 (AFP)

[Sweden]

Stockholm 3,000 to 5,000 (AP)

[Malaysia]

Kuala Lumpur At least 5,000 (Aljazeera)

[Indonesia]

Jakarta about 200 women protested outside the Egyptian embassy (AFP)

Israel protest targets US consulate in Pakistan

By ASHRAF KHAN – 3 hours ago

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Security forces used tear gas and batons to repel anti-Israel protesters who tried to attack a U.S. consulate in Pakistan on Sunday, as tens of thousands in cities across Europe, the Middle East and Asia demonstrated against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Manilla, Philippines

A protest in the Belgian capital that drew 30,000 turned violent as well, with demonstrators overturning cars and smashing shop windows. And in Manila, Philippines, policemen used shields to disperse students protesting outside the U.S. Embassy.

Some 2,000 protesters in the Pakistani port city of Karachi burned U.S. flags and chanted anti-Israel slogans, and several hundred of them marched on the U.S. Consulate, senior police official Ameer Sheikh said.

"They were in a mood to attack," Sheikh said. "They were carrying bricks, stones and clubs."

A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Islamabad, Lou Fintor, said the protesters did not get close to the consulate, which was closed Sunday.

An estimated 2,500 Lebanese and Palestinians meanwhile protested peacefully in downtown Beirut, waving Palestinian flags and calling on the international community to intervene in the Israeli attack.

A convoy of some 15 ambulances from an Islamic medical society sounded their sirens for 20 seconds in solidarity with Gaza medics. Leftist participants set fire to a large Israeli flag, while children taking part in the protest held bloody dolls representing Palestinian children killed in Gaza.

The death of children in the Gaza assault has become an enduring theme at protests.

Children carrying effigies of bloody babies headed the march attended by thousands in Brussels, which later turned violent before police intervened with water cannons and arrested 10 protesters. Belgian lawmaker Richard Miller told Le Soir newspaper that he was hit in the face by a stone thrown by a demonstrator.

In a letter published in Britain's Observer newspaper Sunday, 11 leading British Jews urged Israel to end its Gaza campaign and negotiate a settlement for security reasons.

"We are concerned that rather than bringing security to Israel, a continued military offensive could strengthen extremists, destabilize the region and exacerbate tensions inside Israel with its one million Arab citizens," the letter said.

In Syria, as revolutionary songs blared from loudspeakers, demonstrators accused Arab leaders of being complicit in the Gaza assault. "Down, down with the Arab rulers, the collaborators," the crowd in Damascus shouted.

Separately, activists protesting the Israeli campaign were driving from Turkey to Syria in a convoy of 200 cars, and participants hoped Syrian protesters would join them at the border Monday, according to Nezir Dinler, an activist with the Istanbul-based Solidarity Foundation.

A few thousand people marched in largely peaceful pro-Palestinian rallies in the Italian cities of Rome, Naples and Verona. In Rome, municipal authorities were dispatched to erase graffiti — including Stars of David and swastikas — that had been scrawled on Jewish-owned stores and restaurants overnight.

Associated Press Writers Zeina Karam in Beirut, Lebanon, Aoife White in Brussels, Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, Harold Heckle in Madrid, and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.

SOME STATEMENTS

Statement by PSM in solidarity with the People of Palestine

6 January 2009

1. The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) condemns Israel for its latest massive assault on the Palestinian people.

2. Israel began its latest round of barbaric assault on 27 December 2008, by launching air strikes followed by land offensives, which aimed to destroy every aspect of civilised life in Gaza. The death toll in Gaza has reached over 500, while thousands have been wounded in the barbaric attacks of the Israeli armed forces.

3. The latest massacre has been carefully planned by the Zionist regime of Israel, attempting to destroy Hamas, the organisation that leads the struggle of the Palestinian people against its oppression. Hamas won the Palestinian election in January 2006. The recent assault is not a response to Hamas' rocket attacks as Israel claims, but rather a pre-planned ethnic cleansing to purge Arab Palestinians, and overthrow a democratically elected Hamas administration, with backing from

4. This is not the first time the Zionist apartheid regime of Israel has committed an act of genocide, but this time it has been far more ruthless than before.

5. Israel's economic blockade of Gaza since June 2007 has cut off supplies of the most basic needs, such as food, water and medicine. The continuous blockade has turned Gaza Strip into the largest concentration camp in the world with a 1.5 million starving population imprisoned within its border.

6. Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire with Israel in June 2008 to try to bring humanitarian relief to the population of Gaza. But Israel's refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza, along with its continued attacks on Palestinian, have hampered the process.

7. Israel's new round of slaughter on the Palestinian people has deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza Strip.

8. Fewer than 20 Israelis have been killed by Qassam rocket fired from Gaza since 2001. Nearly 500 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli state violence in just a week, and the death toll is expected to increase as the Israeli offensive continues. Palestinians have chosen to resist with largely home-made rockets, their occupiers who practise apartheid, while the Israeli Zionist state, well-equipped with imperialist killing machines, has responded by collectively punishing the impoverished population of Gaza. Collective punishment is a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV) which Israel has become part of 60 years ago upon its formation.

9. Besides the Zionist Israeli state – a racist state founded on the mass expulsion of the Palestinians, its imperialist ally – the US and other western imperialist powers, are equally responsible for the ongoing slaughter of the Palestinian people. The US government has supplied Israel with the world's most modern weapons including F-16 fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, missiles and bombs which have been used by the Israeli armed forces during the attacks on the people in Gaza. The US government has planned to provide Israel with an average USD 3 billion a year in military aid for the next decade.

10. US support for Israel is part of the imperialist desire to dominate the Middle East region. In the midst of defeats of US in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as its failure to contain Iran, US under the outgoing Bush administration has chosen to back Israel. The recent assault on Gaza would show both Israel and US still possessing the power to bully weaker governments in the region and to warn disobedient governments like Iran and Syria.

11. The question is why does the US President-elect Barack Obama who will be inaugurated on 20 January 2009 seem to be keeping a low profile on the recent slaughter in Gaza. Will the Obama administration makes a difference in the Middle East by breaking away from the US imperialist strategy which was embraced by previous presidents?

12. PSM extends its solidarity to the people of Palestine in their struggle against Israel's apartheid regime and imperialism.

13. PSM demands the following:

i. Israel must immediately end the siege of Gaza, stop its aggression and pull out all its troops from territories of the Palestinian Authority

ii. US must stop all its military aid to Israel and impose arms embargo against Israel

iii. US needs to end its "War on Terror" by immediately withdrawing its military from Iraq and Afghanistan

14. The people of Palestine have the rights to determine their future through democratic process from below.

15. The resistance of the ordinary people of Palestine against the Zionist regime of Israel is a resistance against the barbaric system of global capitalism and a struggle against imperialism. The struggle of the Palestinian people is our struggle.

16. A lasting peace in the Middle East will only prevail if justice is upheld for the Palestinian people and imperialism is defeated. It is only a global mass movement of ordinary people from below that can defeat imperialism.

COMMUNIST MAZDOOR KISSAN PARTY (CMKP)

PAKISTAN

CMKP Condemns Zionist Aggression, Supports Palestinian Resistance

The Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP - Communist Workers and Peasants Party) of Pakistan vehemently condemns the massacre carried out against the Palestinian people by the Zionist State of Israel, in explicit cooperation with US imperialism.

Israel is a racist and colonial settler-State. Given the hostile attitude of the State of Israel towards the Palestinian people for the last 60 years, the people of Palestine have the legitimate moral right to defend themselves against Zionist aggression through armed struggle. The CMKP, therefore, extends full support by all means possible, to the Palestinian resistance.

CMKP also condemns the cowardly reaction from the Arab rulers who side with U.S. imperialism and Zionism against the working people of their own countries. The despicable role played by the Hosni Mubarik in keeping the Rafah border crossing closed to the Palestinian refugees and humanitarian aid has increased manifold the miseries of the Palestinian people. The Arab leaders must know that at present, their silence is no less than complicity.

CMKP salutes the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the leadership of Comrade Ahmed Sa'adat in particular, for remaining steadfast in the face of Zionist aggression. CMKP assures Comrade Sa'adat and PFLP that the oppressed people of the world will continue their struggle against U.S. imperialism and Zionism until the world is liberated from oppression.

The actions of the Zionist Entity and the plight of the Palestinian people remind the oppressed people of the world of their grim colonial past and their own suffering under the colonial system. For this reason, the people of the world will forever share a historic bond with the Palestinian struggle. The Palestinian struggle for independence is an international struggle of the oppressed people of the world, with the people of Palestine in the vanguard, against Imperialism and colonial oppression.

Long live the Palestinian resistance!

Long live the PFLP and the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades!

Long live the revolution!

Death to Zionism!

Death to US imperialism!