Statement of the Central Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran in solidarity with the tormented people of Palestine:Stop War and Killing in the Middle East!
Along with other peace-loving and progressive forces around the world, the Tudeh Party of Iran believes that no reason or excuse can justify the kidnapping and horrendous murder of the three Israeli teenagers and, naturally, all those who committed this crime must be brought to justice. At the same time, we strongly condemn Israel’s action in the mass punishment of a nation by committing atrocious crimes such as bombarding a village and killing 18 women and children and other Palestinian civilians.
Last week, with the continuing bombardment of the Gaza Strip by Israel and the launching of rockets by Hamas, the flames of a new uneven war in the Middle East grew to very concerning dimensions. Together with all the other peace-loving and progressive forces of the world, the Tudeh Party of Iran is extremely concerned that at a time when the Middle East is entangled in the devastating and bloody adventure of reactionary forces and their imperialist supporters in Syrian and Iraq, and is experiencing the consequences of such adventures, the continuation and expansion of these conflicts will aggravate the current tensions and conflicts. Last week the reactionary leaders of the Israeli state blatantly threatened that, in order to create safe margins around Israeli cities and Jewish settlements in the occupied territories in the West Bank, they will expand its repressive crackdown operations. International bodies have expressed their grave concern about the disastrous consequences of the entrance of Israeli military units into the Gaza Strip and the Occupied Territories. The claimed excuse of the government of Israel for aggression against Gaza and other Palestinian regions- during which hundreds of innocent people were killed and injured and city facilities and infrastructures were destructed as a result of aerial and marine military attacks and non-stop bombarding of residential areas in recent days- is retaliation against the horrendous murder of three Israeli teenagers living in one of the Jewish settlements. Along with other peace-loving and progressive forces around the world, the Tudeh Party of Iran believes that no reason or excuse can justify the kidnapping and horrendous murder of the three Israeli teenagers and, naturally, all those who committed this crime must be brought to justice. At the same time, we strongly condemn Israel’s action in the mass punishment of a nation by committing atrocious crimes such as bombarding a village and killing 18 women and children and other Palestinian civilians. By committing such crimes and violating the fundamental rights of Palestinians to a peaceful life, which have so enraged the people of the world, the government of Israel cannot claim that it is seeking justice for Israeli citizens. Many analysts believe that the real reasons that Israel is enacting such repressive policies are related to the political developments in Palestine and other regions of the Middle East. Benjamin Netanyahu, the right-wing and reactionary Prime Minister of Israel, is very troubled that in recent months the Palestinian factions have succeeded in putting their age-old differences aside and form a united autonomous administration governing both the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Benjamin Netanyahu and his reactionary right-wing extremist collaborators are also very worried about the significant possibility of the rearrangement of elements of US foreign policy in the Middle East around collaboration with the ruling Islamists in Iran, the growing role and influence of Iran in Iraq and Afghanistan and the easing of tension between Iran and the US, and are trying to create tension and friction in the region. It is no accident that the Israeli government in its propaganda in recent days has tried to portray the theocratic regime of Iran as the main culprit in relation to the events in Palestine. The Tudeh Party of Iran condemns the continuation of recent conflicts, the military attack of the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip and the killing of innocent people and civilians, and expresses its solidarity with all the innocent victims of these conflicts and calls for a cease fire and the ending of all military action on both sides. In our view, the fundamental solution for the Palestine issue and the establishment of peace in the region is to create a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to implement the resolutions of the UN and its Security Council regarding the right of Palestinian refugees who are living in the refugee camps in neighboring countries to return to their homeland. In unison and together with all peace-seeking forces of the world, including the World Peace Council, the Tudeh Party of Iran condemns the continuation of war and military operations and calls upon the United Nations to immediately take clear and effective action towards putting out the flames of this devastating war and to establish peace.
The Central Committee of Tudeh Party of Iran
July 12th 2014
