NGO calls for boycott and sanctions against Israel

The Palestine Solidarity Network urged the Maltese government to take a clear stand against Israeli human rights abuses and colonisation of Palestinian land.

The NGO strongly condemned the spate of Israeli state aggressions, kidnappings, restriction of movement and home demolitions in occupied Palestine over the last months. 

 “In the current situation, statements calling for end to violence from both sides are hollow since they ignore the fact that Palestinians are being subjected to structural violence and occupation by Israel. We also believe that a boycott of, and sanctions against, Israel are absolutely necessary.

“As most of the world boycotted and sanctioned countries like Apartheid South Africa or Nazi Germany, the same should be done to the apartheid state of Israel committing acts of ethnic-cleansing on the Palestinian population.”

In a solidarity event organised in Valletta, the NGO called on all actors on the international stage to pile pressure on Israel to end its occupation and apartheid policies and reaffirmed its conviction that Palestinians have an inalienable right to resist Israeli oppression.

“The current Palestinian uprising has its roots in 67 years of being forcibly and brutally pushed out of their lands and homes,” the organisation said.

Three months ago, Israeli illegal settlers burned down a Palestinian home in Duma in the occupied West Bank, killing an infant and his parents.

The incident was followed by an increased Israeli military and settler presence around the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

Under orders from the far-right Israeli administration, parts of the mosque were burned and destroyed.

The Palestine Solidarity Network - Malta said Israeli claims of access to worshiping sites are often a first step for more colonisation of land and are inevitably met by a wave of rejection and anger.

“More than 70 Palestinians have been killed in the last month by the Israeli military and armed settlers, many of them civilians who were not involved in violent attacks.”

 The Palestine Solidarity Network added that Israel is an apartheid state where the people in the territory it administers are divided on the basis of their ethnicity.

“Palestinians are denied access to water, are subjected to regular arbitrary arrest and detention, have their movement severely restricted, suffer frequent home demolitions and are encircled by a massive Separation Wall.”

It also noted that Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank and armed settlers harass Palestinians daily through practices such as burning their centuries-old olive trees and randomly shooting on Palestinian villages.

Moreover, Gaza has been completely besieged by Israel for the last nine years and has become an open-air prison, completely destroyed through successive military aggressions.

“All this is the continuation of the Zionist ideology that seeks to colonize that land and eliminate as many Palestinians as possible.”

The Palestine Solidarity Network – Malta is committed to informing the public about what is happening in Palestine. Today it held an awareness-raising activity in Valletta and in the coming week it will have a stand at the University of Malta with information related to the issue. 

It will also hold three talks, on 18 and 25 November and 2 December on the history of Palestine and the current conflict at 67, Strait Street, Valletta.