Our warmest greetings to all of you in Israel and Palestine opposing and demonstrating against Israeli occupation on June 9th, 2007, and during this week of protests to mark the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. This is a sad day for Palestinians as well as Israelis, who depend on the resolution of the conflict for a safe and viable future. In particular it has meant the suffering of Palestinians, who are losing their livelihoods through Israeli colonization of their land and the extension of the Wall and the settlements to secure this.
We are told that the ending of Israeli occupation and the creation of a Palestinian state are unrealistic goals. But they are very possible if there is a will among the political decision-makers – the Israeli government in particular. The UN has laid down the conditions for this in UN resolutions 194, 242 and 338. These make clear that there must be a total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories based on the 1967 border and that Palestinian refugees have a right of return.
The Western countries – the USA and the EU in particular – have an important responsibility for the present disastrous situation historically and because of their continuing inaction and uncritical support of the Israeli government. For too long they have failed in their responsibility to help resolve the conflict, lately by not recognizing the new unity government of Palestine and by submitting the Palestinian Authority and people to economic sanctions. Only Norway has recognized the Palestinian unity government. Israelis and Palestinians urgently need the international community to help resolve the conflict.
All the demonstrations around the world on June 9th, 2007, show that at grassroots level there is willingness on the part of the international community to take on a responsibility and pressure for an end to Israeli occupation. Here in Copenhagen there is a demonstration at the Israeli embassy. Your demonstrations in Palestine and Israel during this week of struggle are signs of hope for a different future without Israeli occupation and repression and for a free Palestine.
The National Executive Board of the Red-Green Alliance, Denmark
June 9, 2007