- by M Santos & Marcus Browning
- The Guardian
- Issue #2161
The Australian government in its complicity in Israel’s genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip now has as an ally an organisation of fascist thugs. Last weekend white supremacists running a nationalist March-for-Australia event attacked pro-Palestinian protesters at actions in various locations around Australia. The Albanese government now stands with these vicious racists as defenders of Israel’s crimes.
Australia must cut all trade and diplomatic ties with Israel. To say you will recognise a Palestinian state, as important as that is, is not enough. It alone without concrete measures is tantamount to appeasing the genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Contact your MPs, join the pro-Palestinian actions, write letters to the editor, use social media and talkback radio to demand the Australian government take concrete actions.
In an important step toward the economic isolation of Israel due to its genocide in Gaza, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global has decided to divest from yet more Israeli companies.
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is the world’s largest, with total investments in Israel once estimated at US$1.9 billion. The decision to divest was taken gradually but is consistent with the Norwegian government’s growing solidarity with Palestine and rising criticism of Israel.
Taking a leading role along with Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, Norway has been a vocal European critic of the Israeli genocide and man-made famine in Gaza, actively contributing to the International Court of Justice’s investigation into the genocide, and formally recognising the state of Palestine in May 2024.
This diplomatic and legal stance, coupled with its financial divestment, represents a coherent and escalating effort to hold Israel accountable for the ongoing extermination of Palestinians.
FASCISM
In a number of countries of Europe extreme-right political parties are making striking electoral gains. In Hungary, the far-right has taken power. A fascist international is beginning to form.
At the centre of imperialism, and at the purulent heart of the web of fascism, is the US. This is displayed particularly clearly in the regime of Donald Trump. In the heartland of capitalism in its imperialist stage, we see before us the slow but steady march towards fascism. It has not yet consolidated itself into a fully-fledged system, but it is moving by increments.
There is only one way to defeat fascism: All the forces and people’s movements and political parties from the centre to the left, including democratic socialists, social democrats, other left entities, and communists themselves, must put aside their differences and organise themselves into a mass united front to resist, confront and oppose every manifestation of fascism.
This will not be an easy task. Class collaboration and opportunism is rife among the non-communist centre and left, while communist parties throughout the capitalist-imperialist world are still in the slow process of rebuilding their strength and influence following a period of counter-revolution. Still, it is a task which must be done. Fascism must be destroyed.
FAMINE
The descent into a massive famine in Gaza has begun as Israel intensifies its brutal offensive on Gaza City. Hundreds of people, more than one third of them children, have already died of forced starvation or malnutrition, and many more from preventable diseases that are spreading rapidly due to lack of clean water and sanitation.
To say the situation is catastrophic is an understatement. The widespread famine, genocide and ethnic cleansing of occupied Palestine are shaping up to be the crime of the century.
Thirty per cent of children suffer extreme malnutrition. Hundreds of thousands, if they survive, will suffer developmental issues and lifelong mental trauma.
Since March Israel has issued 58 forcible evacuation threats covering 80 per cent of Gaza.
At the same time as these ongoing escalations, humanitarian agencies still can’t get to populations in dire need. Massive numbers of people are being displaced. 1.95 million people (93 per cent of the population) are classified as in crisis or worse by the International Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
MASS ACTIONS
The magnitude of pro-Palestine rallies and sentiments continues to grow, calling on the Albanese government to go beyond its commitment to recognise Palestinian statehood and take meaningful action. In particular, people are demanding that Australia end direct and indirect exports of military equipment and parts to Israel, expel Israel’s diplomatic staff from this country, and recall Australian representatives from Israel.
Globally millions of people are taking to the streets calling for an end to the genocide and action by governments. Some governments have cut off trade ties with Israel.
Australian university students have conducted a nationwide referendum on Gaza, marking the largest coordinated student vote since the anti-apartheid campaigns against South African apartheid. The referendum, held across campuses, called for censuring the government’s role in the Gaza genocide and urged universities to sever ties with Israeli weapons companies.
IMPERIALIST PLANS
At the same time as the genocide and ethnic cleansing was being intensified, meetings were taking place to plan the development of Palestine once it is cleared of Palestinians.
Reports have emerged that former British MP Tony Blair has been working with Israeli business people using financial models developed by the US firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The plans include the creation of a “Trump Riviera” and a manufacturing zone named after Elon Musk.
Last month Blair took part in a White House meeting to discuss the so-called ‘postwar future’ of Gaza. That same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat across from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, pledging the US’s “unwavering commitment” to Israel’s security.
Absent from these and other discussions on the future of Gaza is any Palestinian involvement or inclusion in the plans for their land.
WIDER AGENDA
The Western bloc of nations, under submission to US domination, have China and Russia in their sights, along with Iran, DPRK, Yemen, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, and Belarus.
NATO is at the heart of the US-led military imperialist forces alongside Israel, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea. The aim is to break up China and Russia into smaller states with compliant regimes serving the business interests of Western corporations, in particular those of the US and UK.
China, with its socialist planning, is now the largest and most rapidly developing economy in the world, which the US sees as a threat to its economy interests.
Unlike China, with one foreign base, the US has 902 known US military bases and the UK 145 known military bases. The United States spends 21 times more on its military per person than China does on its military.
For further reading on US imperialism’s aims, check out ‘Hyper-Imperialism: A Dangerous Decadent New Stage,’ Tricontinental Institute for Social Research.
In last 22 months Israel has:
- Murdered tens of thousands of children and babies.
- Murdered more than 270 journalists and media workers in Gaza.
- Murdered more than 600 aid workers.
- Murdered more than 1,580 health workers.
- Destroyed almost all health facilities.
