The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) acknowledges the ceasefire in Gaza, implemented yesterday, but sees this is far from the resolution Palestinians need and deserve.
Israel’s deliberate delay in agreeing to the ceasefire, its continued massacring of Palestinians right up until the moment the deal was struck, underscores the fact that Israel is not seeking justice or peace. Instead, it remains committed to its campaign of genocide, apartheid and illegal occupation of Palestine.
While the ceasefire may bring much-needed respite for Palestinians in Gaza, it does not address the root causes of Israel’s genocide. Nor does it absolve us on this continent of our responsibility to continue advocating for an end to this rogue state’s apartheid regime, illegal occupation and decades of unrelenting and violent oppression of Palestinians.
In both word and action, Israel has demonstrated its intent that this ceasefire be little more than a temporary pause in its ongoing genocidal campaign. Both Israel and the United States seem intent on allowing Israel to disregard the ceasefire at will, and continue its violence unchecked.
This is not the end. As long as Australia maintains ties with Israel, it is complicit in this destruction. As long as the Australian government fails to call out and act upon Israel’s genocide, apartheid and illegal occupation – crimes it is legally bound to address – it tacitly approves of these violations of international law.
The struggle for justice, accountability and liberation for Palestine continues. Our advocacy, our work, our protests will not cease until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea.
Comments attributed to APAN President Nasser Mashni:
“Our protests, which take many forms, continue unabated, because this ceasefire is not the end – it is a pause in Israel’s ongoing genocidal violence, doing nothing to change the lived reality for Palestinians who continue to live under illegal Israeli occupation and apartheid.
“People of good conscience across this continent will continue protesting until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea.
“We have a lot of work ahead to hold our own government accountable. As long as Australia maintains its military, economic and diplomatic ties with Israel, it remains complicit in Israel’s violence.
“The Australian government must act – cut military ties, impose sanctions and meet its international legal obligations to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.
“Our fight for Palestinian liberation is far from over.”