Palestinian Voices

Red Spark’s Palestinian Voices series shares statements and materials from the various factions of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation. To counter the distortions and spin promoted by the Australian state – a supporter of Israel – the solidarity movement must understand the reality in Palestine. This means being familiar with the political positions and perspectives of those on the ground.

The United Nations-convened High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, was held in New York between July 28 and 30.

At the session on advancing the two-state solution, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights delivered a keynote address where she condemned the atrocities in Gaza. 

She spoke of “indiscriminate bombardments, forced displacement, and starvation as a weapon of war,” while also denouncing Hamas’s attacks and hostage-taking. She warned that “international norms and standards are being abandoned” and that states must act now to prevent “genocide”.

“It is my personal view that we are seeing an unfolding genocide in Gaza,” she said. Robinson called for the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine, emphasizing it as a “transformative step” that must not be delayed. “Surely this is the moment – because later, it will simply be too late.”

The general debate concluded on July 30 with the adoption of its final document, entitled the “New York Declaration on the  Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and Implementation of the Two-State Solution”. That is being circulated among the national delegations that attended. The UN Conference will reconvene at a later date to take action on the text.

The Australian contribution to the discussion says the “two-state solution remains the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence.” Stating that “the terrorist group Hamas” is a challenge, the Australian speaker wanted a “guarantee [of] the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian governance.” 

The Cuban contribution, in contrast, spoke of Cuba’s consistent “support for the Palestinian people, who have been deprived of the exercise of their rights, including the inalienable right to self-determination, and [Cuba’s denunciation of] the atrocities committed for more than 75 years by Israel.”

The Cuban representative stated: “It is impossible to talk about the situation in Palestine without denouncing the historical complicity of the United States government, which is also responsible for the genocide, by repeatedly using its right of veto in the Security Council to prevent the implementation of a ceasefire that would stop the massacre and enforce the demand of the international community.”

Joint statement by Palestinian resistance organisations

The following joint statement regarding the New York Declaration, which was published by Resistance News Network, was issued on July 31 by the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas, Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) and Vanguards of the Popular Liberation War – Al-Sa’iqa Forces.

The Palestinian factions have followed with interest the proceedings of the high-level United Nations international conference, which recently concluded in New York. This conference came at a dangerous and sensitive stage in the history of our people, as the Zionist occupation continues to commit a war of genocide against our people and our families in the Gaza Strip and practices one of the most heinous starvation campaigns in human history, at a time when the International Criminal Court is demanding the appearance of its leaders for accountability and trial, amid complete international silence.

The conference, and the resulting political declaration, carried important implications related to the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent and fully sovereign state.

In the context of a careful reading of the declaration, we affirm the following:

• We salute the legendary steadfastness of our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, who are facing with patience and perseverance one of the most heinous wars of the modern era, the war of genocide and systematic starvation waged relentlessly by the Zionist occupation.
  
  This great steadfastness, in the face of the machinery of death and destruction, constitutes the fundamental pillar that has thwarted the objectives of the aggression and consolidated our people’s right to life and resistance. We also commend the heroic role played by the resistance in defending our people and strengthening their national will in the midst of an asymmetric war and catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
  
  
• Any international effort to support our Palestinian people and their legitimate rights is appreciated and welcomed and is a natural fruit of the sacrifices and steadfastness of our people over 77 years since the Nakba. It is a direct result of the broadening circle of international solidarity with our people caused by the destructive Zionist war and the resulting increased pressure on the international community. In this context, our people demand unconditional international recognition of their independent state and their inalienable national rights as a political entitlement and historical justice that cannot be negotiated or postponed.
  
  
• The path to a solution begins first with stopping this fascist aggression against our people and halting the crime of genocide and the policy of systematic starvation practiced by the occupation forces. Accordingly, the Palestinian resistance affirms its readiness to resolve the issue of the prisoners it holds within the context of an agreement for a ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the opening of the crossings and the immediate start of reconstruction.
  
  The factions also stress the necessity of moving towards a serious political track, under international and Arab sponsorship, that leads to ending the occupation and achieving our people’s aspirations for the establishment of their independent and fully sovereign state, with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital.
  
  
• We affirm that stopping the war of genocide and starvation against our people in Gaza is a humanitarian and moral duty that cannot be postponed or bartered. It must be done immediately without linking it to any political files, such as our people’s right to their state or the resolution of the prisoner issue, as our people cannot be bargained with over their right to life.
  
  
• The Zionist occupation is the main source of terrorism and instability in the region, and the genocide and systematic starvation it is committing in the Gaza Strip confirm its criminal nature. Accordingly, the Palestinian resistance in all its forms is a natural and legitimate reaction to this occupation, and it is an inherent right guaranteed by international laws and divine ordinances and affirmed by international institutions and bodies that have witnessed the crimes committed against our people.
  
  This resistance will not stop until the occupation is gone and our people’s goals of liberation, the return of refugees and the establishment of their independent and fully sovereign state with Al-Quds as its capital are achieved, as the weapon of the resistance is fundamentally linked to this just national project.
  
  
• The Palestinian scene is an internal affair for our people at home and in the diaspora. On this basis, we call for the implementation of the previous national agreements signed in Cairo, Algiers, Moscow and Beijing, all of which emphasized the necessity of rearranging the Palestinian house, including reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization in a way that enhances its legal and representative status for all Palestinians, alongside holding presidential, legislative and national council elections at home and abroad, on national and democratic foundations and without any preconditions.
  
  In this context, we affirm that the day after the end of the Zionist aggression is a quintessentially Palestinian day, in which all the efforts of our people’s components — national, political and popular — must be combined, side by side with the efforts of building and reconstruction, to restore our national unity and establish a true partnership worthy of the sacrifices and legendary steadfastness of our people.
  
  
• Talk of integrating the Zionist entity into the region is a reward to the enemy for its crimes and a desperate attempt to prolong its existence on our stolen land. Recent developments, especially in recent months, have proven that this entity is a major source of instability, evil and terrorism, not only in our region but throughout the world.

In conclusion, our Palestinian people, like other peoples of the world who have fallen under the yoke of occupation and colonialism, will attain their freedom and independence, no matter how long it takes and how great the challenges, based on the justice of their cause, the steadfastness and resistance of their children and the support of all free people of the world in their legitimate struggle for liberation, return and independence.