Initiative of the KKE for the recognition of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state

The KKE, through the decision of the PB of the CC of the party, has decided to strengthen the struggle for the recognition of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state.

Within this framework, Aleka Papariga, the GS of the CC of the KKE, through her letter to the Greek Prime Minister, G. Papandreou, called on the Greek government to support the demand for the recognition of a Palestinian state with the 1967 borders, with as its capital East Jerusalem, as a member-state of the UN.

In addition, a delegation of the KKE, headed by Giorgos Marinos, member of the PB of the CC of the KKE, visited the embassies of the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon and Syria in Athens and conveyed the positions of the KKE on this issue.

On Wednesday and Thursday (6 and 7 July) a delegation of the KKE will visit Palestine, where it will have meetings with representatives of the Palestinian leadership and the political forces of Palestine. Comrades G. Marinos, member of the PB of the CC and member of the national parliament, G. Toussas, member of the CC of the KKE, MEP and responsible for the Section of European policy of the KKE, E. Vagenas, member of the CC and responsible for the International Relations Section of the CC and O. Maita, cadre of the KKE will participate in this delegation.

The KKE calls on the other communist and workers’ parties to undertake similar initiatives and to escalate the intervention in their countries and internationally up until September, when the issue of the recognition of the Palestinian state is expected to be posed.

International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE

The text of the Decision of the Polit Bureau of the Central Committee of the KKE is the following:

Initiative of the KKE concerning the Palestinian issue

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) continues and escalates its activity for the resolution of the Palestinian problem, with this new initiative for the recognition of the Palestinian state- an initiative which takes account of the more general developments and is incorporated into the stable anti-imperialist struggle of the KKE.

It is a fact that serious developments are taking place in our region, which are connected to the intensity of the working class and popular forces in North Africa and the Middle East for social and democratic rights, but also with the efforts to modernise the bourgeois regimes in this region. Developments in which the competition between the imperialist forces, unions and allies is entangled.

Assessment of the situation

The KKE follows firmly the path of solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people, developing multi-faceted activity both in Greece and abroad, and at the same time expressing its opposition to the agreements which have been promoted under pressure from imperialism.

Today we can assess with certainty, that the results demonstrate that the logic on which the Oslo Accords (1993) has been discredited, the same logic which prevailed at Camp David (2000), or at the Annapolis Summit (2007)-the logic of the well-known “Road Map”.

The results demonstrate that the historic problems concerning the formation and recognition of the Palestinian state remain, the occupation of territories seized by Israel in the 6 Day War in 1967 continues, the question of the return of the refugees remains unresolved, the colonies are on the increase, and the wall which was constructed by Israel remains in place. We have witnesses the organised attacks by Israel in the West bank and in the Gaza Strip-which remains blockaded.

On the basis of these developments, the situation becomes ever more complex and dangerous.

The multiform intervention of the imperialist powers in Palestine has as its main aim to suffocate the resistance movement against the occupation and to strengthen forces which will agree to a complete compromise and a negative stance in relation to the struggle for an independent, sovereign and viable state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The USA and the EU talk about two states (Israel and Palestine), but they hide the essence of the matter. And the essence is that when they speak of a Palestinian state they do not mean a sovereign state, organised for the future which will be decided on by its people. All this has been confirmed by the recent much-publicised initiatives of Obama. The USA aim a “settlement” which will place a tombstone on the right of a sovereign state, with borders, with the right to self-defence, with the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for the return of the refugees.

The KKE on the Palestinian issue

The KKE supports the struggle of the Palestinian people and its resistance against the occupation forces. We denounce the pressures in the Palestinian Authority for the imposition of a solution which will be against the will, the interests and rights of the Palestinian people.

We follow with interest the activity of organisations which oppose the occupation and the imperialist interventions, we hold discussions with them and utilise their experience.

Our relationship with the Palestinian people allows us to reiterate that we need to assess matters in a strict way, because initiatives which are presented as “ friendly” to the Palestinian people, sometimes are not! The competition of the bourgeois classes of the region and the wider plans which serve their interests are concealed behind them.

The KKE fought and fights against the political line which equates the victim with the persecutor, which the imperialist European Union follows, as well as the political forces of social-democracy and the European Left Party (ELP).

The KKE denounced the murderous assault of Israel against the solidarity mission to the residents of the Gaza Strip in May 2010, which led to dozens of injuries and fatalities.

We fought and continue to fight against the efforts to incriminate the resistance movement and its activity in the name of “terrorism” and stress that the real terrorist against the peoples is imperialism. The peoples are obliged to utilise all the necessary forms of struggle, including armed struggle, against the occupiers, against the tyrants, for national and social liberation, for the prospect of resolving the problem of power in favour of the people.

Every people, including the Palestinian people, must have the sovereign right to decide on its governance and future.

Based on these analyses we repeat the position of the KKE on the Palestinian issue

We support the struggle for the creation of an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, with the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, next to Israel. We demand the liberation of the Palestinian people from the barbarity of the occupation forces, the Israeli army.

We demand the recognition of the Palestinian state, as a member-state of the UN.

We also demand:

• The end of the settlements and withdrawal of the all the settlers which have been set up beyond the 1967 borders
• The demolition of the unacceptable wall which divides Jerusalem and the West Bank
• The right of return of all the Palestinian refugees to their homes, based on the relevant UN decisions
• The lifting of every blockade against the Palestinians, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
• The immediate release of all Palestinian and other political prisoners who are being detained in Israeli prisons
• Withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied territories of 1967, including the Golan Heights and the Sebaa region in South Lebanon.

The KKE demands that the Greek government cancels the military cooperation of our country with Israel and that it directly supports moves for the recognition of the Palestinian state. To this end, the KKE will undertake initiatives and will organise interventions inside and outside parliament. It will operate along the same lines in the European parliament and in the other EU bodies.

June 27, 2011

The Polit Bureau of the CC of KKE

The Government supports the crimes of Israel

Comment of the Press Office of the CC of the Party

It should be noted that on Friday 1/7, the Press Office of the CC of the KKE commented in relation to the prohibition of the departure of the ships to Gaza: “ The decision of the Greek government to prohibit the departure of the ships carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza is unacceptable. It is one more act in support of and in cooperation with the Israeli government which continues and escalates its criminal policies against the Palestinian people. The inhuman blockade of Gaza must stop right now, the Greek people must condemn the support which is provided by the Greek government and other governments of the EU to the state of Israel. The working class-popular movement must strengthen its struggle against the imperialist interventions and Greek participation.”

5/7/2011