CPA response to massacre of the peace flotilla

Communist Party of Australia (CPA)

June 01, 2010

http://www.cpa.org.au, cpa@cpa.org.au  

Condemn Israel’s massacre, End the siege of Gaza

By Dr Hannah Middleton, CPA General Secretary

We are appalled, we are outraged, we are grieving. Israeli military forces have not only prevented six ships from taking humanitarian aid to the 1.5 million people in Gaza who are living under an Israeli-imposed siege, but they have killed and wounded dozens of these brave humanitarian activists.

Commandos trained in lethal force were deliberately used to punish and deter future Gaza aid convoys or flotillas.

Choosing darkness and using electronic jamming technology Israel tried to hide its crimes from the news media.

Israel is calling the men and women on the flotilla “terrorists”. The world knows they were peaceful, unarmed, humanitarian activists. Their murder is a b reach of international law and flouts all humanitarian norms.

Israel has shown once again that it is prepared to defy international law and human decency with impunity.

Lift the siege of Gaza

Those who were murdered by Israel gave their lives trying to break the illegal and inhuman siege of Gaza.

Nobel Laureates from Nelson Mandela to Jimmy Carter have condemned Israel's brutal action.

World governments have condemned Israel’s high seas piracy and murder of peaceful, unarmed humanitarian aid activists from 50 countries comprising lawyers, doctors, journalists, parliamentarians and at least one Jewish Auschwitz survivor.

Where is the Australian Government?

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith’s mealy mouthed regret for the loss of life and call for calm is shameful and totally unacceptable.

The Australian government must denounce Israel’s crimes and to condemn the siege of Gaza which denies 1.5 million people drugs, wheelchairs, school books, water purification units and building materials.

The government must act forcfefully to get the sige lifted, must break military ties with Israel and stop any military aid going to Israel (arms trade). 

Deliver the aid

The 10,000 tonnes of aid on the flotilla must be delivered to Gaza.

There must be a transparent investigation into this act of piracy and murder in international waters. And it must be conducted by an international agency, not by Israel itself.

Take action!

All Communist Party of Australia members and supporters must take action!

Send protest emails to the Australian Foreign Minister and the Israeli Ambassador in Australia. Stephen.Smith.MP@aph.gov.au and ambassadorsec@canberra.mfa.gov.il

Get your friends, your union, your community organisation and others to do the same.

Attend the protest actions. If there is not a protest near you, organise one.

Turn this article into a leaflet to hand out and pin it up on noticeboards.  Sell the Guardians with this on the front page!

Contact your local MP and Senator about this; put the demands to them and publicise their answers with letters to your local papers.

Use talk back radio.

Unforgiveable

The Goldstone Report details the cold-blooded killing of unarmed civilians including children in Gaza, the deliberate bombing of the UN Works and Relief Agency warehouse and the destruction of schools, homes, water purification plants and electricity sub-stations in Operation Cast Lead.

So perhaps we should not be surprised by Monday night’s massacre – but we should never excuse it or forgive it. Such criminal acts cannot be allowed to continue and cannot go unanswered.