November 28th, 2023.
In the spirit of those who struggled and were victorious against foreign domination in Kenya, The Pan African Socialist Alliance – Kenya condemns and expresses our horror at the ongoing massacre and dehumanization of Palestinians by the Zionist and apartheid state of Israel.
Over the past month, we have seen the heartbreaking and terrible war of the indiscriminate ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Israel has imposed a collective punishment of Palestinians through the use of a genocidal strategy of weaponization of food, medical supplies, water, electricity, and fuel supplies.
For decades, the West has not only materially supported Israel which is maintained on ethnic cleansing, land dispossession, and the denial of inalienable rights and sovereignty of Palestinian people, but also turned a blind eye to countless human rights violations inflicted on innocent civilians. Israel has continued to use violence to inculcate fear intended to coerce and intimidate Palestinians resisting structural colonial violence.
We also condemn ongoing media propaganda against the Palestinian people. Framing this heroic and historic struggle for liberation as “terrorist” is meant to tilt public opinion and moralize the indiscriminate killing happening. This is a well-known tactic of the oppressor, the Mau Mau, ANC, SWAPO, MPLA, and other liberation movements were branded “terrorist organizations” for demanding an end to colonial domination. The right to resist illegal occupation is enshrined in the Geneva Convention.
Additionally, we refuse the media deception that the question of Palestine is a religious one. This is beyond religious beliefs, this is humanity, it’s about a people fighting for their right to exist. Israel continues to indiscriminately target mosques, churches, schools, and hospitals, no matter which religion is under the roof. We honor and admire the courage and resistance of Palestinians, their profound love for their historic land, and their refusal to be erased despite Israel’s horrific genocidal acts of violence. We believe that however protracted and difficult this liberation struggle may be, a just struggle ultimately triumphs. We reiterate that however strong the Israeli military appears; it will not rob Palestinians of their freedom and right to their ancestral land.
We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle against settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing, we restate that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of Palestinians. In light of this, we condemn the manner in which the Kenyan state has continued to suppress any form of activity in. solidarity with Palestine.
Continually we urgently call on the Kenyan Government to:
- Issue an unequivocal condemnation of Israel’s colonial and genocidal occupation of Palestine.
- Indefinitely suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel.
- Order the closure of the Israeli Embassy in Kenya.
- Order the closure of Kenya’s Embassy in Israel.
- Present a parliamentary motion condemning the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
- Advocate at the African Union and United Nations for:
Immediate and unrestricted access to Gaza for humanitarian aid.
- UN protection for the 2.3 million Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
- An end to the siege on Gaza and a rejection of ethnic cleansing.
- A swift investigation by the International Criminal Court into war crimes and crimes against humanity, as per the relevant UN and international laws.
- Activation of UN mechanisms to end and punish crimes against humanity, holding perpetrators and enablers accountable.
- A comprehensive military embargo on Israel.
Furthermore, we invoke the principles of the United Nations that grant the right to occupied people to resist occupation by any means necessary. We highlight the ongoing carpet bombing of Gaza as a violation of these principles and call for immediate action. We also draw attention to the Nuremberg Principles on war crimes and the Mandela Principles on the right of Palestinian political prisoners illegally held in Israeli prisons. The Kenyan Government is urged to address these violations in alignment with international law. From the river to the Sea, Palestine shall be Free.
