EFF statement on one year of apartheid Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians
9 October 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) notes that it has been one year since apartheid Israel began its genocidal war against the Palestinian people of Gaza and the West Bank.
Following Hamas' rightful defence of occupied Palestinian land on October 7, 2023, Israel weaponised this resistance as a pretext to initiate one of the most brutal ethnic cleansing operations in modern times. On October 9, 2023 Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant openly described Palestinians as "human animals" while proclaiming a "total siege," a chilling statement that laid bare Israel's genocidal intentions.
The bloodthirsty apartheid Zionist state of Israel, founded on the colonial occupation of Palestinians during the Nakba of 1948, took this legitimate defence of Palestinian land as an excuse to carry out systematic mass murder. Israel has unleashed its military might, deploying high-grade, internationally banned weapons such as white phosphorus, indiscriminately targeting civilians, hospitals, schools, and places of refuge. Some of the oldest churches, libraries, universities and any form of Palestinian history and life have been completely wiped out. This is not collateral damage—this is ethnic cleansing.
Over 900 Palestinian family lines have been wiped out entirely over the past year with victims being mostly women and children; and while the official death count stands at almost 42 000, it is believed to be over 100 000. Even journalists reporting on the atrocities have been murdered in cold blood, while aid workers have also been targeted. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu himself, along with Israeli military leaders, have openly declared their genocidal intentions, describing Palestinians as subhuman, as animals, in an effort to justify their slaughter.
Despite Israel's blatant violations of intemational law, the global response has been a shameful display of complicity. The West, led by the United States and the United Kingdom, has not only turned a blind eye but actively facilitated this genocide. The U.S. has sent billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, fuelling its war machine. This is nothing short of a proxy war, orchestrated by Western imperialist powers to maintain instability in the Middle East for their own economic and geopolitical gain.
The EFF condemns the spineless intemational community for standing idle as Israel commits crimes against humanity. Our movement has been unwavering in its support for the Palestinian cause. We took action last year, marching to the Israeli Embassy on the 23rd of October 2023, demanding justice for Palestine. We also commend South Africa, staying true to its decades long allyship with Palestine, brought Israel's genocidal
campaign to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), forcing the world to recognise these atrocities for what they are: genocide.
However, this is not enough. We will continue to demand the South African govemment to follow through on the approved motion our Commander-in-Chief tabled in Parliament calling for the immediate closure of the Israeli Embassy and for South Africa to cut all diplomatic ties with this genocidal regime.
Furthermore we demand that the International Criminal Court (ICC) follow through with their prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant to be issued for war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister. In fact, this warrant must be extended to all Israeli military leaders and their imperialist ally U.S. President Joe Biden. Both Israel and the U.S. are guilty of war crimes. Biden, through his unconditional support and financing of Israel's war machine, has blood on his hands.
The EFF calls on all revolutionary forces, all those who stand for justice and human dignity, to rise up and demand the dismantling of this apartheid state. We will continue to fight alongside the people of Palestine until the Zionist regime is obliterated and a free, sovereign Palestine is realised. Anything less is a betrayal of humanity. The revolution will not stop until Palestine is free!
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 9 October 2024
