Israeli and Greek Communist Parties Condemn Assault on Gaza

Israel: Demonstrations against deadly military operation in Gaza

Communist Party of Israel - Thursday Nov 15, 2012  

Hundreds gathered in protest outside Defense Minister Ehud Barak's Tel Aviv apartment complex on Wednesday night, following the Israeli deadly operation in Gaza. Another demonstration was held in Jerusalem, near the Prime minister's house. The activists among them several Hadash (the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel) members chanted slogans such as: "Israel, Palestine, two states for two peoples," "Money for welfare, not war," "No war for tycoons," and "Defense minister, defense minister, how many kids did you kill today?" One of the placards waved at the protest referred to Barak as Israel's "No. 1 terrorist," while others called for an immediate cease-fire and an end to the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip.

 
Amit Ashkenazi, a spokesman for Hadash's election campaign who participated in the demonstration, accused the government of taking a cynical step to raise support for the right wing ahead of the January 22 election. "This will only bring death to Palestinians and Israelis, and we call on everybody who is able to come stand by our side and fight against this step before civilians and soldiers on both sides are killed," he told the press. More protests were planned for Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa on Thursday, the Hadash spokesman said. On Wednesday, MK Dov Khenin (Hadash), strongly condemned the operation "The Netanyahu administration insists on not learning from experience," he said. "Assassinating leaders is never a solution. Leaders were assassinated in the past, and others came to replace them, and in the meantime a new round of blood and fire just began." He called for "serious negotiations" with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, alongside "a genuine, two-sided ceasefire agreement in the south."

Communist Party of Israel website (English):

http://maki.org.il/en/index.php

The Murderous Operations of Israel in The Gaza Strip 

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) - Thursday Nov 15, 2012

The KKE condemns the murderous military operations of Israel in the Gaza Strip. Operations, which are related to the effort to generalise the imperialist intervention and war at the expense of Syria and Iran, which the staffs of the USA, NATO, the EU and Israel have drawn up and are promoting, with the active assistance of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar.  

The KKE supports the struggle of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation. For an independent, viable, sovereign Palestinian state in the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. We still demand: The cessation of the settlements and the withdrawal of all the settlers who reside beyond the borders of 1967. The tearing down of the unacceptable wall. The right of return of all the Palestinian refugees to their homes, based on the related UN decisions. The lifting of every blockade of the Palestinians, on the West Bank and the Gaza strip. The immediate release of all the Palestinians and other political prisoners who are being held in Israeli gaols. The withdrawal of the Israeli army from all the occupied territories of 1967, including the Golan Heights and the Shebaa region in Southern Lebanon. 

 The KKE demands that the Greek government immediately cancel the military cooperation of our country with Israel. That the base at Suda close and more generally that the territory, ports and airspace of Greece not be provided for a war against Syria and Iran, which will lead to a great deal of bloodshed and destruction for the people of Greece and the other peoples of our region. 
The press office of the KKE CC



*Bolding of text by RY blog editors