In a provocative, irresponsible measure that goes against all of the democratic and progressive forces’ efforts for a fair political solution to the situation in Palestine – where a people faces heroically one century of colonization and five decades of Israeli military occupation – the US opened up its Embassy in Jerusalem on the 14th of May, as ordered by President Donald Trump.

The unilateral step is a blatant violation of international law and of UN resolutions. Hence, only the US has arbitrarily recognized the historical city, which Israel occupied and illegitimately annexed by force, as this country’s capital, running over the principles put forth in successive negotiations for the conflict’s solution, one which would have a shared Jerusalem.

With fair reason, Palestinians have responded with intense protest, to which the Israeli occupation forces reacted with the usual brutality. The Israeli armed forces’ attacks have already killed at least 55 people and wounded thousands this Monday, the 14th, alone. The US provocation of establishing its Embassy in Jerusalem and the Palestinians’ massacre by the Israeli armed forces constitute a revolting affront to all the peace-loving peoples.

For over one month the Palestinians have been protesting, especially in the Gaza Strip, against colonialism and occupation, reaffirming the Palestinian refugees’ right of return, after 70 years in exile, of dispossession and genocide. Since then, the Israeli forces have been shooting to kill unarmed demonstrators and journalists reporting on the protests, alleging that they are protecting the borders. There are over 100 fatal victims during this round of protests.

The UN estimates that around 70% of Gaza’s population is comprised of refugees from the villages destroyed or occupied by Israel during its creation, seven decades ago. On the 15th of May, a day after Israel celebrates its establishment, the Palestinians mark the Nakba, the catastrophe, the genocide, the massacre of 15,000 people, the destruction of over 500 villages and the expulsion of 750,000 people that became refugees (a population today estimated at around five and seven million people scattered throughout the world).

We must reaffirm, with renewed vehemence, the complete rejection of the persistent colonization and military occupation of Palestine by Israel. While we denounce, with indignation, another episode of Israel’s massacre of the Palestinian people, we do not loose sight of the fact that this is a strategy of the Zionist aggressive, racist and criminal leadership of that country, which persecutes even those who inside Israel dare to oppose such a genocidal policy.

As the World Peace Council has repeatedly done, we express, therefore, our unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and all the peace forces that, in Palestine, in Israel and all over the world, struggle for a just solution to the question of Palestine.

We reaffirm the urgency of the two-state solution that the Zionist policy and the imperialist complicity try to bury, fulfilling the Palestinian people’s right of self-determination and the establishment of the State of Palestine within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital; for the refugees’ right of return and for the liberation of over 6,000 Palestinian political prisoners in the occupation’s cells!

We demand accountability for the Israeli leadership for the persistent crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Palestinian people, beginning with the apartheid regime itself, going through the systematic and grave violations of the Palestinian people’s human rights.

For an end to the siege of the Gaza Strip and of the Israeli repression!

For an end to the Zionist colonization and the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, now!

Long live a Free Palestine!

Socorro Gomes
President of the World Peace Council