No. 7

January 26, 2024

Ruling of International Court of Justice in The Hague

Ambiguity Does Not Rule Out Clear Need to Stop Israeli Genocide and Demand Ceasefire Now!

Demonstration outside International Court of Justice stands with Palestine, January 26, 2024

Recent Events

• Strong Palestinian Resistance Achieves Results

• UN Security Council Meets on Palestine

• International Organizations Call for Halt to Weapons
Transfers to Israel

Photo Review -- January 20 to 26

• Worldwide Actions Continue to Stand with Palestine

Ruling of International Court of Justice in The Hague

Ambiguity Does Not Rule Out Clear Need to Stop Israeli Genocide and Demand Cease Fire Now!

On January 26, the International Court of Justice in The Hague issued its ruling in the case of South Africa's charge of genocide against Israel. South Africa's case required the court to order provisional measures to end Israel's assault on Gaza which it is carrying out with impunity. In particular South Africa called for Israel to be ordered to “immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza” and for humanitarian aid to be allowed in.

In brief, the court says it has jurisdiction to rule in the case. The court orders Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip. The court says Israel must prevent and punish incitement to genocide and must allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The court obliges Israel to take more measures to protect Palestinians but does not order it to end military operations in the Gaza Strip.

So what does all this amount to?

It is clear that Israel has suffered a defeat at the hands of the court since it demanded the case be dropped on the grounds that it is not committing genocide in Gaza. The fact that the court says it has jurisdiction in the case means that for some time to come, the determination of the case of genocide will continue.

It is also clear that the ruling is a prime example of ambiguity. What is ambiguity? Ambiguity does not mean that the problem is unclear. It is very very clear that Israel is assassinating the Palestinian people with impunity. It is very very clear that it has created the conditions of famine and the deadly spread of disease. Further, it is clear that it denies that it is committing genocide or interfering with the entry of humanitarian aid since it blames Hamas for everything. Blaming the resistance to oppression, to impunity, to slavery, to persecution and all injustice is nothing new. It is the narrative of every oppressor throughout history.

It is furthermore very clear that Israel's denial that it is engaged in genocide or has the intent to commit genocide means that it is up to the entire world to stop Israel.

In fact, far from stopping, Israel continues to step up its genocidal assault against the Palestinian people with the clear intention of wiping them out from all the territory of Palestine before it is stopped -- either as a result of the withdrawal of support of the U.S. and major powers, or because the people within Israel effectively rise up against the criminal government of Netanyahu and other war criminals which comprise it, or because it can no longer sustain the losses of personnel and military equipment it is suffering at the hands of the resistance, or because the Occupation Forces en masse refuse to serve. It is putting facts on the ground as fast as possible in the hopes that they become irreversible. Beginning with flattening the Gaza Strip in its entirety and wiping out its population. It has gone so far as to bomb the refugee camps in places it ordered the people to evacuate to and to deliberately create the conditions for starvation and famine and the deadly spread of disease, besides the massive losses incurred to human beings and the human psyche.

So, if all this is clear, wherein lies the ambiguity of the ruling if not in the argument over alternatives? At the moment, everything is framed within false alternatives that either Israel stops because the court ordered it to stop, or Israel stops because the peoples of the world count on the U.S. and "Genocide Joe" to order them to stop. In fact, the alternative is the success of the resistance movement and the peoples of the world who are speaking in their own names upholding the right to be of the Palestinian people and their right of return, and demanding that their governments withdraw their support for genocide. Such support is provided under the guise that it is not clear that Israel is committing genocide, that its murderous campaign against those it alleges are terrorists is legitimate, that those who oppose what Israel is doing are engaged in hate, are anti-semites, terrorists, fanatics and so on.

The absence of any mention of a ceasefire by the ICJ reinforces that fact that it is the Palestinian people and peoples of the world, using their voice, making their demands and working out what is needed to defend Palestine and stop Israel that will be decisive.

For the Palestinian Resistance and the peoples of the world, the ruling of the International Court of Justice is very clear: fight to win. Keep speaking up in our own name in support of the Palestinian people's right to be and their right of return. Do not permit the agenda of the discussion to be set by the imperialist countries and their media, their pundits and apologists. Let the peoples of the world present their arguments from their vantage point which is the one which helps sort out this state of affairs in a manner which favours the Palestinian people. They will decide the outcome of this turning point in the history of humankind.

At this historical juncture, it is crucial to hit at the heart of the usurpation of power by Israel, the governments of the U.S., Canada and others, which is to keep us in the ambiguity which tricks us into discussing the agenda they put forward. It is to keep us in the ambiguity so that we do not look at the human relations which exist where it is the peoples of the world who have their own agenda and their own voice to speak in their own name.

We say:

Stop the Genocide! Ceasefire Now!
Long Live the Palestinian Resistance!
From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free!

For an account of the ruling of the International Court of Justice click here.

For the response of certain concerned parties, click here.

Recent Events

Strong Palestinian Resistance Achieves Results

The Palestine Chronicle reported on Day 108 of fighting that "even by the standards of the strong Palestinian Resistance, as displayed in 108 days of fighting, what is currently taking place in Khan Yunis can only be described as extraordinary. [...] [N]ews from the front indicates that the casualties among Israeli soldiers are possibly as high or even higher than their casualties in the Shejaiya neighborhood that led to the retreat of the Golani Brigade from the Gaza battlefield." Al-Jazeera reports violent clashes broke out southwest of Gaza City following an attempt by the Israeli occupation forces to advance.

Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas) documented the fierce resistance, saying its fighters were able to target a Zionist infantry force with an anti-personnel shell, causing deaths and injuries to Zionist troops west of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip -- hitting a Zionist Merkava tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell and destroying a second Zionist tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell, setting it on fire. Al-Qassam Brigades targeted a building where Zionist forces were holed up hitting it with an anti-fortification TBG shell which resulted in more dead and wounded Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Palestinian snipers were active too with at least one confirmed kill of a Zionist soldier. Al-Qassam also reported that "after targeting the tank and destroying it, a Zionist rescue force attempted to pull the tank from the site of the attack, but our fighters confronted them and prevented them from advancing towards the vehicle, so the warplanes targeted the tank with several missiles, completely crushing it along with everyone inside."

Al-Quds (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) liberation fighters also reported that they had targeted a Zionist military vehicle with a rocket-propelled grenade in the center of Khan Yunis; bombarded with mortar shells a position of enemy soldiers east of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City; struck a gathering of Zionist enemy soldiers with a Badr-1 rocket, east of Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip; and engaged in fierce clashes using machine guns and anti-tank missiles with soldiers and vehicles of the Zionist enemy on the axes of advance of the city of Khan Yunis.

Joint operations by fighters of Saraya Al-Quds and Al-Qassam Brigades bombed a supply line and route for the Zionist enemy's vehicles east of Jabaliya with a barrage of mortar shells as well as gatherings of enemy soldiers and vehicles on the axes of advance in the city of Khan Yunis. They also targeted a group of enemy soldiers with machine guns inside tents set up near a watchtower in the vicinity of the Eastern Cemetery east of Jabaliya, while in Khan Yunis, they struck a Zionist tank and a D9 military bulldozer with tandem and RPG shells.

From Lebanon, Hezbollah reported that "In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance" targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers near the Al-Rahib site with appropriate weapons, achieving a direct hit; scored another direct hit an hour later on Israeli military gatherings in the Abu Dajaj Heights; targeted the Al-Samaqa site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with rocket weapons as well as a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Even Menachem settlement, again, achieving direct hits.

Hamas also announced on January 21 that nearly 60 Israeli prisoners had been killed since October 7 due to the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

All of it indicates that in the face of IOF heavy losses, U.S. and Israeli claims of the effectiveness of their operations are laughable. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on January 21 talked about a "classified report compiled earlier this month" by the U.S. State Department which estimated Hamas had between 25,000 and 30,000 fighters in Gaza before the war, claiming to base its estimates on intercepted communications, drone surveillance, and Israeli intelligence. The "classified report" estimated between 5,000 and 9,000 Palestinian resistance fighters had been killed and another 10,500 to 11,700 Hamas fighters wounded since the start of Israeli ground and aerial operations against Gaza. To add a real sense of authenticity, WSJ cited the musings of retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel that "the remaining fighters are likely doing "two or three jobs," having assumed the responsibilities of their fallen comrades."

Not to be outdone, Israeli military intelligence put the number at 10,000 Palestinian liberation fighters killed since October 7 and 16,000 wounded. The absurdity of these claims by U.S. and Israeli "intelligence" is evident in the reliable UN and Gaza Health Ministry calculations of roughly 25,000 Palestinians killed since October 7, more than 10,000 of whom are children, a figure which has increased dramatically in the past week.

UN Security Council Meets on Palestine

The UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting January 23 heard from more than 60 speakers, including many government ministers, who discussed the need for a humanitarian ceasefire, the urgency with which aid delivery needed to be scaled up, the importance of pursuing a two-state solution and the imperative to avoid further regional escalation.

It began with a briefing by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, who demanded an immediate end to the "collective punishment of the Palestinian people" which he attributed as a response to what he called "horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas" in which "more than 1,200 Israelis and others were killed and over 250 taken hostage." Guterres chose to focus on the latter: "Nothing can justify such barbaric attacks" he stressed, demanding immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

In opening this way, the Secretary General completely ignored the failure of the UN to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people since the UN Partition Resolution of November 29, 1947 that led to the creation of Israel and its failure to enforce numerous UN resolutions and reports by UN bodies detailing violations of international law and of the rights of the Palestinian people with impunity. That reality however was not overlooked by many who spoke, except for the U.S. and other backers and apologists of the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Cuba's First Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Peñalver, addressing the UNSC on January 24 said, "It is time to halt Israel's genocide over the Palestinian people. We reiterate our unequivocal demand for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the conflict." Cuba demanded that the U.S. stop obstructing the Security Council from fulfilling its mandate to put an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Cuba supported the call to admit Palestine as a permanent member of the UN, as well as the initiative to urgently call for a peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations, focused on preserving the inalienable rights of Palestine. Peñalver reiterated Cuba's proposal to urgently send an international protection mission to Gaza, authorized by the UN General Assembly, to guarantee safety and protection for civilians and facilitate the delivery of emergency humanitarian aid. He demanded the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights and all occupied Arab territories, the cessation of aggression against Syria and strongly condemned the military attacks by U.S. and allies on Yemen, in violation of international law.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said, "The Security Council has been unable to formulate an appropriate response to this crucial challenge. As you know, the reason for this is the stance of the United States, which is blocking all attempts and initiatives to halt the bloodshed in the occupied territories. We are shocked by the deviousness of U.S. diplomats, who veto ceasefire resolutions and then demand a reduction in the intensity of fighting in Gaza. This obviously gives them carte blanche to continue with the collective punishment of the Palestinians. [...] Our Council's failure to take comprehensive measures has resulted in a situation where the current escalation of the conflict in Palestine has metastasized throughout the region. Once again, this is happening with the pernicious involvement of the United States and its allies, whose military presence in the Middle East, as in other parts of the Eurasian continent, is creating new and unacceptable risks to international security. We strongly condemn the completely unjustified aggression against Yemen, which was launched without the UN Security Council's sanction and with Washington and London playing a leading role. The actions carried out by the Anglo-Saxons pose a direct threat to international peace and undermine the world order based on the supremacy of universal international law and the central role of the United Nations, not on the 'rules' of their own making. We also condemn the Israeli bombing attacks on Syria, including strikes deliberately targeting organizations that are legally present in the country at the invitation of its legitimate government. Political assassinations must be stopped. An explosive situation exists on the border between Lebanon and Israel."

Lavrov said Russia "strongly condemned the attacks on civilians in Israel on October 7, 2023" while rejecting calls "from Western representatives, for us to shift our focus away from the present time and onto the day after the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as if escalation in Gaza has stopped and the situation there no longer calls for the Security Council's attention." When we do get to "the day after" discussion, he said, first and foremost Palestine's future is the making of the Palestinians. "They themselves must decide what their future will be like, who will rule them and how they will do it. I believe our Western colleagues describe this as democracy. The enforcement of external decisions and social engineering' solutions, which our Western colleagues like so much, are absolutely unacceptable in this case." "The second key factor," Lavrov said, "is the inviolability of the two-State formula for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement and the imperative of its early implementation. [...] The goal of any international mediation is not to interfere in these processes, not to turn the region into a platform for geopolitical rivalry, but to create the most favourable external conditions for restoring trust between the parties involved. [...] At the next stage, an international conference on the Middle East settlement will need to be convened. The goal is to proclaim a Palestinian state, and work out measures to ensure the reliable security of Israel and the normalization of its relations with all Arab and Muslim countries in general. [...] Not only is it important for the UN Security Council to reaffirm that there is no alternative to the existing international legal framework for this most pressing issue, but it is also necessary for it to outline specific ways and deadlines for taking action. These are not just obligations arising from UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, the Madrid Principles and other decisions. This is the moral imperative of the international community, and we call for it to be fulfilled."

Ahmed Attaf, Minister for Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of Algeria, warned that Israel is trying to build a greater presence on the ruins of the Palestinian national project and called for the convening of an international peace conference to achieve a definitive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict based on a two-state formula.

Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and in the region to ensure the protection of civilians. Only a ceasefire will enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance at the scale required as well as provide for creating the conditions for the safe return of displaced people. Deploring the statements by Israeli officials proposing the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, she expressed deep concern about the living conditions of the internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza, adding that "people are forced to flee again and again, being pushed to safe zones which are later bombed."

Zhang Jun, the representative of China, said the tragedy in Gaza violates the conscience of humankind and the bottom line of international law. "There is no justification for this and it absolutely should not continue," he stressed, highlighting the consensus in the international community on an immediate ceasefire. Strong will, vigorous initiatives and effective actions from the United Nations, including the Security Council, are needed to halt the flames of war and restore peace. He further emphasized that an immediate ceasefire should be the highest priority and called on Israel to immediately reverse its course and cease indiscriminate military attacks on Gaza. The two-state solution is the only viable path for achieving peace between Palestine and Israel, he said, expressing grave concern over recent Israeli leadership statements rejecting this solution. Palestinian statehood must be an irreversible process, he said, expressing support for the full membership of Palestine in the United Nations.

Ayman H. Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan, said, "Israel is making a mockery of international law," while the Security Council has yet to demand a ceasefire. Further, the organ has yet to enforce its own resolution demanding that food get to the starved, medicine to the ill and wounded, and anaesthesia to children undergoing surgery to treat injuries caused by indiscriminate Israeli shelling of homes, schools, hospitals and shelters. He underscored: "Stop this massacre."

Hakan Fidan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, said "it is a shame that the international community is still unable to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank." He stressed, "The argument that the current war is about providing security for Israel is far from being convincing," adding that the situation in Gaza and the West Bank clearly demonstrates who needs security and the right to self-defence most. He welcomed the application before the International Court of Justice concerning Israel's violations of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. "It is a timely attempt to protect the Palestinian people against further harm."

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, said that the council's inability to address the crimes of the Israeli regime, and to hold it accountable, is unacceptable. He also pointed out that the U.S. is obstructing the council from preventing the ongoing genocide in Gaza and establishing a ceasefire. He urged the council to adopt a decisive resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza. Underscoring the need to lift the blockade of Gaza and facilitate the return of Gazans to their homes, he also urged accountability for the war crimes committed by Israel.

Abdallah Bou Habib, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon, underscored that 75 years after the establishment of Israel on Palestinian land, displacing half its population to neighbouring countries, temporary solutions are still being sought when conflict resurfaces, as was most recently the case on October 7. Only a solution to the Palestinian question will open the door to security, he said, calling on the international community to prevail on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian land, in line with relevant resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. Today, Israel threatens to continue its "reckless war" without a vision for sustainable peace, turning Gaza into ashes to eliminate Hamas, he said, deploring the carte blanche given to Israel for the killing of Palestinian civilians and the blindness of the West to it.

Retno Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, noting that the council is mandated to maintain international peace, not to tolerate wars and genocide, urged the organ to stop the horrors faced by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Warning of the threat of a full-blown war in the Middle East, she demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Palestine must be granted full membership in the United Nations, she underscored, noting that this will lay the groundwork for fair and balanced work on the two-state solution. The flow of arms to Israel must stop, while it must also be held accountable for its actions, she said, adding that "no nation is above the law."

Mohamad Hasan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, said that Gaza is on the brink of a human-made famine. Starvation is a method of warfare and a war crime. Israel has made sure that no one is safe, not even children. He demanded an immediate ceasefire and accountability for Israel's clear violations of international law. There should be no reduction in Palestinian territory. Any attempt to grab their land violates international law and further undermines the prospect of peaceful coexistence, he said, noting that the State of Israel was born from the horrors of the Second World War, and yet, for the past 75 years, it has been inflicting the same deliberate destruction on the Palestinian people. Now it is pursuing its premeditated end. This illegal and immoral pogrom of total annihilation should bring UNSC members to a single decision to recognize what Israel has been doing as genocide. It is time to accept the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.

Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, observed that tensions in the Middle East are increasing as the Israeli war machine continues its attacks on hospitals, homes and places of worship in the Gaza Strip. Noting that 30,000 Palestinians have perished because of the ongoing military escalation, he asked: "How can this tragedy continue with no measure to halt the carnage and collective punishment of defenceless civilians?" The situation's repercussions on regional security must be contained, as must operations in the Red Sea, he said. Underscoring the need for a lasting solution to tackle the root causes of the crisis, he called on the council to act to ensure a ceasefire and restore peace. He recalled the General Assembly resolution calling for a ceasefire adding that the Council must oblige Israel to respect international law and end the suffering, he said, underscoring the need for a credible path towards an independent Palestinian State, allowing security and stability for all.

Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, said the main reason for the conflict is the existence of an occupation that has no prospects of ending. For sustainable peace and security to be realized, the issue must be resolved under the agreed references and internationally legitimate resolutions, especially the relevant Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. He welcomed the step taken by South Africa in submitting a case before the International Court of Justice against Israel for committing genocide against the Palestinian people. The international community must reject any attempts to displace the Palestinian people and exacerbate the issue of refugees whose rights must be fulfilled. "The passage of time and waves of forced displacement cannot deprive the brotherly Palestinian people of the right to return to their homeland," he said.

The representative of the United Arab Emirates called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, adding that it is time for the minority view to cease obstructing its implementation.

The Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States noted that, at the Security Council meeting requested by Algeria on behalf of the League of Arab States on January 12, council members were unanimous in their rejection of Israel's declared intention to forcibly transfer internally displaced persons to countries in the region. Nevertheless, the council has not taken any practical measures to stop these plans. Looking forward to the council adopting – as soon as possible – a clear resolution that calls for an immediate ceasefire and includes specific measures to stop the forcible transfer of Palestinians, he also urged the organ to confront any Israeli attempts to destroy a two-state solution.

The representative of Bahrain, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, strongly rejected Israel's policy of collective punishment imposed on the people in Gaza, rejecting any attempt for forced displacement of Palestinians from their land. He also condemned Israel's illegal practices in the West Bank, which only exacerbate tensions in the region, and its repeated aggression on Syrian and Lebanese territories. He stressed the urgent need to ensure the independence of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and noted that Palestine should be given full membership at the UN. He underscored that peace in the Middle East requires the withdrawal by Israel from all occupied Arab territories, including the occupied Syrian Golan.

The representative of Mexico called on member states to redouble efforts to restrict veto use in situations of mass atrocities. She urged states that have not yet done so to join the France-Mexico initiative on the voluntary restriction of such power. It has already garnered the support of 106 States. Further, she expressed her support for the organization of an international conference for comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

The representative of South Africa said, "All of us must insist on a comprehensive ceasefire," noting that Israel's collective punishment of Palestinians has persisted for decades without effective action to safeguard Palestinian lives. International law must be uniformly applied for it to be credible, he observed, highlighting South Africa's presentation of a case before the International Court of Justice on January 11 to pursue justice for the people of Palestine. The request seeks provisional measures, including an order for Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza, he noted.

The representative of Pakistan said that the past three months marked the most brutal slaughter of civilians in the 21st century, adding that such indiscriminate killing of innocents and the suffering imposed on the population amounted to genocide, as South Africa's case has asserted at the International Court of Justice. Despite two General Assembly resolutions and near-unanimous votes of the Security Council, the international community has failed to stop the ongoing genocide. Unless the war machine is stopped, the conflict threatens to engulf many nations in the region, he warned. Israel's extremist leaders are continuing their brutal war and rejecting a Palestinian State, consigning the Middle East to perpetual conflict, he said, calling on the council to consider measures to reverse a "wanton rejection of peace" and to adopt a resolution bringing about a cessation of hostilities. If Israel's leadership refuses peace, the council and the General Assembly must take steps to hold them accountable, he said, noting precedents to persuade member states to comply with decisions of the council and General Assembly.

The representative of Libya, noting Israel's criticism of the United Nations, wondered why that country even participates in sessions like today's, and why it does not withdraw from the organization. The General Assembly recently adopted a resolution with an overwhelming majority to reach a ceasefire. The council has also adopted a resolution on coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the results are nil. "Where's your conscience?" he asked, noting that history registers all these failures. Those who remained silent before these massacres also remained silent before the deliberate killing of women and children. "This is a disgrace for humanity," he said.

The representative of Egypt, aligning himself with the Arab Group, said that the war in Gaza has resulted in atrocities not witnessed by humankind for centuries. It has spared nobody – not even the dead, whose tombs were defaced and bodies exhumed. Calling for an immediate end to the war, which risks spilling over, he added that the situation in the Red Sea cannot be addressed separately from the war in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He therefore reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire and for the implementation of resolution 2720 (2023) that calls for increased aid to Gaza. Those who believed that occupation was viable and that security concerns could be addressed through military means alone were misled, he said, underscoring the need for the "sole solution" to be revisited: the establishment of a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. He added that there is international consensus around this solution, and only one dissenting voice – Israel's.

The representative of Viet Nam stated that the staggering toll of the conflict in Gaza, which has killed 25,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, underscored the need for an immediate ceasefire. Voicing alarm over substantial damage to civilian infrastructure, the displacement of the majority of the population and acute shortages of basic necessities, he condemned all indiscriminate attacks against civilians and essential infrastructure. Against this backdrop, he said the council's response has been insufficient, adding that the resolutions it had adopted had not stemmed the tide of destruction and suffering. He urged the council to urgently address the crisis by protecting civilians and ensuring the provision of humanitarian assistance. He underscored the need to maintain regional stability and reiterated his country's support for a two-state solution, as a cornerstone of sustainable peace in the Middle East.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi, speaking in Türkiye on January 24 called for the reform of the United Nations and other global bodies, adding that international organizations have failed the test of Gaza and showed they're no longer effective. "It is a great tragedy that the U.S. officially backs the Zionist regime. In fact, it is the United States that commits these crimes, and it is more unfortunate that the unions, international organizations, and the United Nations have lost their effectiveness and are unable to prevent the crimes that have become clear to everyone." He said the Israeli occupation must end and Israelis must compensate for 75 years of crimes against Palestinians.

International Organizations Call for Halt to Weapons Transfers to Israel

On January 24, 16 leading international humanitarian organizations issued a joint call for all UN member states to halt arms transfers to Israel as the Tel Aviv regime presses ahead with its genocidal campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip. The organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Amnesty International, the American Friends Service Committee made the appeal in a joint statement on Wednesday. "We demand an immediate ceasefire and call on all states to halt the transfer of weapons that can be used to commit violations of international humanitarian and human rights law," the statement read. "All states have the obligation to prevent atrocity crimes and promote adherence to norms that protect civilians. The international community is long overdue to live up to these commitments," they added. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has already approved $14 billion military aid for Israel. The Biden administration approved the delivery of 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition for almost $106 million at the beginning of December, after he bypassed Congress.

Photo Review -- January 20 to 26

Worldwide Actions Continue to
Stand with Palestine

Sana'a, Yemen, January 26

CANADA

National Capital Region

More than 1,000 people gathered at the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa on Sunday, January 21, braving the cold to march for Gaza after 107 days of ongoing genocide and war crimes against the Palestinian people.

One speaker gave an update of the tragic situation in Gaza. Four per cent of the population of Gaza is either murdered, injured, or missing, over 25,000 people have been killed, 62,000 injured and 7,000 missing. Sixty per cent of Gaza houses have been destroyed. All universities in Gaza have been destroyed and 70 per cent of schools have also been destroyed. There have been 1.9 million Palestinians displaced in Gaza. These people are threatened by famine, by the cold winter of Gaza, by diseases, and by bombardments from the terrorist IDF.

He said: "We are appalled to see that Canada is still standing with apartheid, after 107 days plus 75 years of terrorism against the Palestinians, and to see the Canadian government standing in a coalition with the U.S. and other countries bombarding Yemen. We're still here, 107 days later, 15 weeks later, still demanding a ceasefire, still asking the Canadian government to stop funding genocide, to stop supporting wars in the Middle East and to condemn Israel for its terrorist crimes against the Palestinians. We are calling for emergency aid to be allowed through every border into Gaza immediately. We've also seen parts of the world finally taking stands on Gaza after 107 days, the latest being Chile and Mexico, who are requesting an investigation from the International Criminal Court into Israel's crimes against the people in Gaza."

The march then headed directly to the U.S. embassy where it stopped to denounce U.S. support and direct financing of Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people as well as the U.S. bombing of Yemen. People then marched through the Byward Market as they have done for the past 15 weekends, no matter what, to demand an immediate end to this genocide.

January 21

Iqaluit

January 21

Halifax

January 24

Quebec

Rimouski

Montreal

During the afternoon of January 21, the coldest day so far this year, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Montreal, as they have for the past fifteen weeks, with Palestinian flags, placards and banners.

Speaker after speaker reaffirmed the call of the peoples of the world for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people.

One of the youth from the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) said: "From the river to the sea. We are here, a hundred and six days into the genocide. And we know that this war will end and our people will rebuild Gaza. We know that our people will ultimately be victorious. Every day since the beginning of this war has shattered the image and the illusion of Israel and the western world.

"When we show up here in Montreal, it is not just to send a message to our brothers and sisters in Gaza that we will never abandon them. It is also to send a message to the occupation and everyone that sustains the occupation. And to say that we will continue to expose the lies and hypocrisy of this global war machine wherever we are.

"To our steadfast people in Gaza, we thank you for opening the eyes of the entire world. And we will continue to fight right here from the belly of the empire until the entire world is free of Zionism. And we salute the brave people in Lebanon and Yemen, who confront the occupation and protect the cradle of liberation.

"We will keep fighting until justice prevails and until Palestine is free. Viva, Viva, Palestina! Viva Gaza!"

Another spokesperson from PYM also said to the crowd, "On the 106th day of the Zionist regime's genocide against our people in Gaza, we mobilize for our people, our lands, our prisoners and our martyrs."

"Since October 7, over 24,000 Palestinians have ascended to martyrdom, with thousands more wounded, missing or trapped under the rubble. Despite this, our journalists, doctors, teachers, rescuers, parents and righteous resistance offer this message to us and to the world: 'Gaza will live! Gaza will live under the will of our people! Gaza will live under the strength of the resistance! Gaza will live!'

"And it is not thanks to the corrupt politicians, state officials and corporations who turn a blind eye to its genocide that is televised in front of our eyes. The elected officials of Montreal, of Quebec and of Canada are perpetrators of this genocide and occupation. This country is a partner in the genocide of the Palestinian people, a genocide that has been going on for 75 years.

"The Western world and Canada are the engine of this genocide machine and its economy drips blood. Every year the Canadian government continues to funnel billions of dollars of our tax money in weapons deals to Israel and its Zionist entity. These are weapons manufacturered in our backyard by companies such as Lockheed Martin, that profit from the deaths of the Palestinian martyrs. Their bombs, tanks and fighter jets are the same ones used to ruthlessly bombard our people in Gaza. Just last week, the occupation used these weapons to bomb the Nasser Medical Complex Hospital in Khan Yunis, the only remaining fully functional hospital in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians seeking treatment and shelter were taking cover."

"Friends and comrades, that is why we are here in the cold, because we refuse to continue fueling Canada's war machine, or any economy that accumulates its wealth by selling weapons of destruction and death to the Zionist entity. Day after day, we will continue to disrupt the flow of profits for those who get rich out of the blood of our martyrs. We know that Zionism is a global project and our role in the struggle is to strike it directly from the belly of the beast."

"It is important for us to continue speaking out in support of Palestine and to never back down in fear of repression and intimidation. We must continue showing up in the streets, organizing locally, educating ourselves, building political accountability schools, boycotts, calling for divestment and refusing to tolerate the status quo until Palestine is free. And when we show up week after week, despite the cold, despite the passage of time, we too are confronting the occupation. We too are becoming part of the movement to liberate Palestine from the river to the sea. Glory to our martyrs and onward to victory! Long live Palestine!"

She was followed by the last speaker, a Palestinian refugee who has a sister living in Palestine.

"So today is the 15th week," she said. "And the genocide is still ongoing against our people in Gaza. And you can see the pain. If I tell you that every hour while we are standing here, 14 civilians of our people are killed. Every 20 minutes a mother or sister is killed. Every 15 minutes the occupation is breaking the hearts of parents by killing a child. As we are demonstrating today for around three hours, we are talking about 12 children that will be killed by the end of this march.

"We are talking about nine sisters, nine women that will be killed by the end of this demonstration. But the spirit you have, brothers, sisters, and friends, is really motivating us to keep going. Our people are fighting on behalf of us for the sake of dignity that every human being has the right to live free. And we are here, from our location, and we will keep going on to be the voice of the truth.

"Our role here is not easy. We have duties towards them, duties to act. We have to keep moving. No time to rest after the amount of sacrifice, the amount of burdened people over there. No time to have a break. The pain is ongoing and it's high and not easy. The amount of pain we are going through, we are living through, cannot be forgotten at all. So we have that duty to keep going on and keep raising awareness about what's going on.

"Imagine with the suffering they have, our people over there, where there's no food, no water, no medication, no fuel, no electricity. If a child asks his mother to have a sip of water to drink, the mother will whisper in his ear that 'you as a Palestinian, they are conducting war crimes against you by blocking the water, the food, the medicine, the electricity. You, as a Palestinian, there should be international laws to secure this life for you, but in reality the world will not give you an answer because if you ask, it will not answer.[...]' Now, the mother will tell her child that 'you have to raise your voice and go to fight for your right to live with integrity.'

"Today, we are standing here in weather of minus 17 degrees Celsius. I have kids. We have sisters. We have babies. And we're still carrying on for 15 weeks regardless of the cold, regardless of the weather, regardless of the struggle.

"Still, this spirit is showing that we are really human and we are standing for the right of people to resist. We are standing for the right of people to live with their right to dignity. Palestine has now become a symbol. They tried to erase us from the land. They tried to erase the spirit of Gaza from the land. But I can assure you by watching you, brothers, sisters, and friends, from my heart to your heart, Palestine now is in the heart of each one of us. Palestine became a symbol of freedom everywhere. It's never been easy for us to continue [...] We are doing this not because they need us. We are doing this because we need to do it to stay alive as human beings. Free, Free Palestine! Free, Free Palestine!"

Afterwards, participants took to the streets, chanting slogans as they marched downtown. Loud cheers resonated from the crowd every time people from their balconies waved Palestinian flags from their residential buildings. The march carried on for another hour and a half, ending in front of the U.S. Consulate, from where more chants of Free, Free Palestine!, From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free!, From the Sea to the River, Palestine Will Live Forever! and We're Not Tired, We Have Gaza to Liberate! echoed on the busy commercial street.

January 21

Ontario

Toronto

Thousands of people took part in the rally and march held in Toronto on January 21, part of the ongoing weekly actions to demand a ceasefire and an end to the U.S./Israel genocide against the people of Gaza and the West Bank. At the rally which began outside of Union Station, the organizers from the Palestinian Youth Movement began by thanking everyone for their steadfast support, coming week after week, in the bitter cold to support the Palestinians. They thanked the people of Yemen for fearlessly opposing the U.S. and Britain in order to stand with their Palestinian neighbours. They thanked the people of Iran, Lebanon and other Arab countries for their support. They paid tribute to South Africa for their support and bringing Israel before the International Court of Justice on the charge of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. The organizers also acknowledged and celebrated their close ties with the oppressed peoples including the Indigenous Peoples and others who are facing the same imperialist global system.

Following vigorous chanting of slogans such as Ceasefire Now! From the River to the Sea Palestine Will Soon Be Free! Gaza, Gaza Don't You Cry, Palestine Will Never Die! and others, the march moved northward, stopping at various locations such as in front of the Scotia Bank and other supporters of the Israel regime before returning to the starting point. The organizers thanked everyone and called on everyone to inform their friends, co-workers and others and have them join in the actions in the coming days and weeks.

January 21

Earlier the same day Toronto police stopped a demonstration on the Roncesvalles pedestrian overpass over the Gardiner Expressway. For weeks protesters with flags and banners have lined the overpass to be seen by motorists entering and leaving the city. Similar actions have taken place on overpasses around the city. Police, who outnumbered the protesters, threatened them with arrest, saying that they were acting on orders of Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw, and that no protests on overpasses were being permitted, citing safety reasons.

The previous Saturday Toronto police had arrested three protesters on the Avenue Road/401 bridge after Toronto Police Chief announced, on January 11, that all protests in that location were banned. That action followed a visit to Chief Demkiw by Prime Minister Trudeau on January 10 during which, according to the Prime Minister’s X account, "They discussed the recent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Toronto and spoke about their shared commitment to keeping people safe across the city."

Windsor

January 21

Alberta

Calgary

The moderator for the rally began by saying that South Africa had "presented the most compelling and powerful voice [that Israel is committing] genocide that we would witness in our lifetime. Also a shout out to the comrades in Yemen, teaching the world the meaning of true solidarity through their humanitarian intervention to call for an end to the genocide in the Gaza Strip. In fact it has been Yemen that perhaps has played the most pivotal role outside of the territory of occupied Palestine. They are the people who have been blockaded and starved for seven years in what was until the aftermath of Israel’s attack on Gaza the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. They have decided to flip the tables on the hegemons of the world, and enforce their own blockade in reaction to U.S. Israel policy -- starving the people of Gaza.”

“Statements issued by Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly state that Canada does not support the premise of South Africa’s case," he continued. “They are unable to identify any arguments in South Africa’s case they disagree with, and are refusing to respond or address the substance of the case,” he said.

“Let’s be clear. South Africa is alleging with compelling evidence that Israel’s actions constitute genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and that Israel’s political and military leaders have expressed genocidal intent and that provisional measures are necessary to stop Israel’s actions. It seems the abandonment of Canada’s responsibility under the genocide convention is taking place. No country is exempt from the prohibition on genocide. We call on Canada to put its full support behind the South Africa application,” he said. “So on day 107 our demands are still; ceasefire, food, water, fuel, medical supplies, full withdrawal from the occupied territory, and the right of return. Canada amongst others cannot dictate who represents the Palestinians.”

A spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices referred to countries which defended Israel’s claim of self defence at the recent International Court of Justice, that he would not let Germany or the U.S. tell him what genocide was -- Germany where genocide was committed against Jews and the U.S. which rejected thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. "I would not let Canada tell me what genocide is when they are still committing genocide on this territory and allow entire Indigenous nations to have no drinkable water, and to live in utterly contemptible conditions."

A member of the Calgary Palestine Council (CPC) spoke to the rally. He informed that in 107 days there have been 500 murders of people with family members in the city of Calgary. “Three years ago Calgarians marched for one person, as did people all over the U.S and the world -- for months on end because of state violence. His name was George Floyd. Two years later we marched in Calgary for the 215 children that were found buried in the grounds of a residential school for our Indigenous brothers and sisters. What makes you think that we wouldn’t march for 10,000 children that they have killed in the last three months. What makes you think that we are going to go home? We are not going home until every single Palestinian can go home... We are not going home until not only the people of Gaza go home, we are not going home until we get every single Palestinian [displaced] for the last 75 years to go home as well. Six million Palestinians have lived all across the world because of Israeli genocide."

He concluded by stating that we stand with the free people of Yemen. To the mothers of Gaza, our message is that your children are the generation of liberation.

The spokesperson for Justice for Palestinians went into detail about all the work being done by Justice for Palestinians and other organizations standing with Palestine -- for example banner drops, the New Year's Eve countdown2ceasefire action at the Peace Bridge, so many actions, including one woman who sponsored several letter-writing sessions, where 1,850 letters were written. She said, people are speaking up fearlessly, and called on people to keep on marching and to keep up all the actions because every ripple combined can become a tsunami. Everyone then marched to the Federal building and back to City Hall for another lively open mic session.