Left parties condemn Israeli military aggression in Gaza, demand change in India's stand

Hindustan Times

a day ago

New Delhi, The Left parties on Tuesday issued a joint statement condemning Israel's military actions in Gaza, and announced to observe June 17 as 'National Day of Solidarity with Palestine'.
The joint statement was issued by the CPI, CPI , CPI Liberation, All India Forward Bloc , and the Revolutionary Socialist Party .
'We strongly condemn the ongoing genocidal war being waged by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people in Gaza. For over 20 months now, Israel's relentless bombardment and military aggression have killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, a vast majority of them women and children,' the Left parties said in the statement.
Essential infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and refugee shelters have been deliberately targeted, pushing the people of Gaza into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, the statement said.
"This is nothing short of genocide. Most inhumanely, Israel is even denying the entry of aid into Gaza,' it added.
The Left parties also condemned Israel's attack on the humanitarian ship Madleen of the Freedom Flotilla Gaza in international waters, and urged the Government of India to demand the release of all the detained international volunteers.
'We urge the Indian government to demand the release of all the detained international volunteers, ensure unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza, and call for an immediate end to the inhuman siege,' they said.
According to the statement, despite growing global outrage, including from the UN and the International Court of Justice, 'the Netanyahu government in Israel continues its brutal campaign with impunity, backed by the United States and a few of its allies'.
'The recent attack on Rafah, displacing hundreds of thousands of already displaced Palestinians yet again, shows the Israeli government's utter disregard for international law, human rights, and basic humanity.
'The latest instance of the Freedom Flotilla being hijacked from the international waters is evoking widespread protest," the statement said.
The Left parties said it is "deeply disturbing" that the Government of India, instead of standing firmly with the Palestinian cause, which India has historically supported, has 'increasingly adopted a stance of equivocation and appeasement of the Israeli aggressor'.
'This marks a shameful deviation from India's long-standing foreign policy rooted in anti-colonial solidarity and support for national liberation movements,' they said.
The Left parties also called upon all peace-loving, democratic, and secular forces to join the National Day of Solidarity with Palestine on June 17 throughout the country.
A demonstration will be held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on that day, they said.
The Left parties said the protest will 'condemn the genocide and war crimes committed by the Israeli government, express solidarity with the people of Palestine in their just struggle for nationhood, dignity and freedom, demand that the Government of India take a principled stand, consistent with our historical support to the Palestinian cause, and immediately stop all military and security cooperation with Israel'.
'We urge widespread participation in the solidarity demonstration to raise the voice of India's people against genocide, apartheid, and occupation,' they added.