Folks,

            Here's a basis-statement to build a unified public
statement by the US Left on the fascist/genocidal actions currently
underway in Palestine. Constructive comments should be sent to
Dave Silver <[log in to unmask]>. Send this draft out to other
listservs you are on....

            It is hoped that US Left organizations and individuals
sign on to a statement that shows our solidarity with the Palestinian
People and our committment to fight for them insides the belly
of the Masterbeast.

            In Struggle,

            Sam Anderson


            00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT; STATEMENT TO THE BROAD U.S.
LEFT
            March 23, 2002
            Dave Silver ([log in to unmask])


            The U.S. brokered Madrid Accords in 1991 through
Oslo in 1993 and the Wye Plantation agreement of 1998 all had
two features in common; to maintain de facto control of the Occupied
Territories of Gaza and the West Bank and prevent the “sovereignty,
territorial integrity and political independence of every state
in the area” as called for in Security Council Resolution 242,
adopted unanimously in November of 1967. We witness the 35 year
Israeli occupation, the longest in modern history, billions of
U.S. dollars for F-16s, Apache helicopters, Merkava tanks which
according to Edward Said destroys people, houses, olive groves
and fields on a daily basis. In this manner the Israeli Defense
Forces (IDF) maintain 220 ghettos of Palestinians and Arabs,
Apartheid style.

            To make sure that the “Jewish State” keeps its hegemony
in the area, the U.S. helps Israel to develop and manufacture
weapons of mass destruction so that it can protect the economic
and geo-political interests of its imperialist benefactor. Using
the tragedy of the European Holocaust, a racist Zionist ideology
(we are “chosen” and unique) was used to justify the expulsion
of well over a million Palestinians and Arabs. After 1967 the
Jewish state controlled all of the land which the international
community at one time sought to carve out as a state for Jews
and a state for the Palestinians.

            Given the opportunist and corrupt Arafat who can’t
even leave his office in Ramallah without permission, assassination
of Palestinian leaders and unemployment and poverty at about
50% in the Territories on the one hand and the wantonly barbaric
civilian suicide bombings which increase the state terrorism
of the IDF on the other, what kind of solidarity should we on
the Left advocate for a truly secular, sovereign Palestinian
State?

            Brother Edward Said thinks we ought to support a
new independent secular nationalist current (of which he is a
part) which is now emerging but yet to attain the status of a
Party or a bloc, which includes functioning labor, health, educational
and other organizations. In mid December the group issued a collective
statement (ignored in the U.S.) calling for Palestinian Unity
and Resistance and the unconditional end to the Israeli military
occupation.

            In addition, we in the belly of the beast must demand
an immediate halt to all military aid, the Right of Return of
refugees who wish to do so, the dismantling of all Settlements
and compensation for destroyed homes, Jerusalem as an international
city and for massive international assistance to rebuild and
develop the economy where the leaders of a new Palestine and
not transnationals, I.M.F. or World Bank determines how, when
and where the assistance shall be used. Achieving these goals
are crucial to the liberation of the Palestinian people.