THE All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) organised a webinar on May 14, 2021 in solidarity with Palestine, condemning Israeli attacks. Iraklis Tsavdaridis, executive secretary of the World Peace Council (WPC) and Dr Aqel of the Palestinian Peace Committee spoke in the webinar, apart from the leadership of the AIPSO.

Pallab Sengupta, general secretary of the AIPSO presiding over the webinar, briefly reported about the background of the present Israeli attacks on Palestine. He stated that it is the support of the imperialist US that has emboldened Israel to carry out its discriminatory policies and attacks on the Palestinians. He also criticised the Indian government for not outrightly condemning the Israeli government and reiterate its support for the Palestinian cause. Support to Palestine was one of the main issues on which AIPSO was always mobilising public opinion right from its inception, stated Sengupta.

Iraklis Tsavdaridis, executive secretary of the WPC, in his address detailed the support extended by the US administration under Donald Trump to the Israeli government. The so-called ‘Plan of the Century’ mooted by Kushner under Trump administration was not intended to establish peace in the region, but only legalise the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, he stated. He criticised the discriminatory policies pursued by Israel and asked all the countries to accept that it is an apartheid State and should be boycotted. Tsavdaridis, noting the various protest demonstrations taking place around the world against the Israeli attacks, welcomed the initiative of the AIPSO and hoped that it would mobilise people of India too, in solidarity with the Palestinians. He expressed his deep grief on the deaths of thousands of people in India due to the present pandemic and reiterated his solidarity.

Dr Aqel, speaking about the live situation in Palestine, stated that the present resistance against Israeli occupation is special because for the first time all Palestinians, irrespective of where they are living – whether in Occupied Palestinian Territories or Gaza or West Bank or refugee camps or diaspora living in various countries or inside Israel – are all united. He described the situation in Gaza, how the people are living with scarce resources as the Israeli government is denying entry to even essential items. He stated that electricity transmission is deliberately destroyed by Israel. Dr Aqel also talked about the brutal attack carried out by the Israeli armed forces on the Al Aqsa mosque compound. Hundreds of people who were praying in the mosque were injured because of this attack. Palestinians are denied their rightful place in their homeland and are now treated as second class citizens, he stated. He appealed all the people to raise their voice in support of Palestine and condemn Israeli aggression. He expressed hope that Indian people will exert pressure on their government to curtail its relations with Israel and reiterate solidarity with Palestine.

R Arun Kumar, general secretary of the AIPSO stated that expressing solidarity with Palestine is living true to the legacy of Indian freedom struggle. As the true inheritors of anti-colonial legacy, we should stand by the Palestinians in these difficult times and mobilise people in their solidarity. Solidarity with Palestine is part of our struggle against far-right forces in our country too, because both the Zionists and Hindutva forces share similar ideology. He criticised the increasing ties of Indian government with Israeli State and said that we should force our government to rescind its relations with apartheid Israel.

Harchand Bhatt, deputy general secretary of AIPSO also spoke and condemned the present regime in Israel and its attacks on Palestine. Stating that whole families are being killed in the Israeli attacks, he urged all units of AIPSO to mobilise support in solidarity with Palestine.

Pallab Sengupta, concluding the webinar, reported about the decision of the recently concluded AIPSO office bearers meeting to organise an international conference in solidarity with Palestine (if and when pandemic situation in the country permits), during the later half of the year.