Punish the Zionists for war crimes! No diplomatic relations with Israel!

After over three weeks of relentless bombing and ground attacks on the people and patriotic forces inside the Gaza Strip in Palestine, the Israeli forces finally heeded the calls for a cease–fire which were growing louder with each passing day. The Israeli forces have committed grave war crimes once more during this period.

The chief of the UN humanitarian organisation has stated that he was shocked by the scale and “systematic nature of the destruction” wrecked by the Israeli military forces, giving the lie to the claim of the Israeli government and the US imperialists that the military attacks on the Gaza Strip were to ‘defend’ innocent Israelis. Some of the grave crimes committed by the Zionist forces include bombing of schools run by UN agencies, in which several civilians who had been rendered homeless by the wanton destruction unleashed by the Zionists had taken shelter. The Israeli military was well aware that the buildings in question were in fact schools run by UN agencies as confirmed by UN officials.

Another serious war crime is the use of white phosphorus shells – a weapon sticks to human skin and burns through to the bone, leaving survivors with painful wounds which are slow to heal. White phosphorus is also a well known poison. There is evidence that such shells were fired in crowded civilian areas. The UN said its headquarters were hit by three white phosphorus shells during the offensive, causing a fire destroying much of its aid supplies. The UN special envoy for human rights in the Palestinian territories has said it was clear that Israel had gravely breached the Geneva Conventions during its 22-day campaign and committed war crimes, confirming what millions of people have been saying throughout the world.

Throughout the world, there have been massive demonstrations condemning the war crimes committed by the Zionists, who have the backing of the Anglo – American imperialists. The people of the world have stood as one with the Palestinian people in their resistance, and condemned the Israeli and Anglo-US lie machine that has the gall to portray Israeli aggression as “self-defence”. Such “self-defence” was carried out by the Nazis in their method of “collective punishment”, in their doctrine of pre-emptive attacks, and in their aggression to give them “living space”.

It is clear that the Israeli forces have acted with complete impunity once more. But why is it that it has been allowed to go scot – free on so many occasions in the past? In the first place, it is because of the active support of the Anglo – American imperialists, who connived to set up the fascist Zionist state of Israel in the first place and have supported them in every aggression so far. The Israeli state also has the tacit support of governments such as that of India, and in fact in recent times Israel has become one of the main suppliers of military equipment to India. If history is not to repeat itself even more painfully on another occasion, then the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity must be brought to book and support of any kind to them must be stopped.

Since the time of the Second World War, exemplary punishment of perpetrators of heinous war crimes has been a demand of the people throughout the world. It is thus that the Nazi chieftains were brought to book at the famous Nuremberg trials. In fact, the International Criminal Court which has been specially set up at The Hague in 2002 for the purpose of trying organisations and individuals accused of committing war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The Indian working class fully supports the demand made by justice – loving people all over the world–that the perpetrators of the massacres and war crimes in Gaza, as well as their US imperialist backers, be put on trial here.

The Indian people are also appalled and greatly angered by the strengthening ties between the Indian government and the government of Israel. How is it that our government maintains and advances relations with such a criminal power? The Indian working class demands that all diplomatic relations with the Israeli government country be snapped forthwith, particularly in the light of the war crimes committed recently by its military. 

Punish the Zionists for War Crimes!