BAP on the release of Leonard Peltier + the fighting in eastern DR Congo + a teach-in on "regime change" February 6th

From UNAC:

"What is regime change, and how has the US used it to target nations like Libya, Iraq, and Syria that resist Western dominance? This event will explore how sanctions, propaganda, and military intervention are wielded as tools of imperialism, plunging nations into chaos under the guise of "human rights" rhetoric.

Join us to analyze the devastating consequences of US-led interventions and corporate media propaganda.

Questions? Email us at thenewschoolsjp[at gmail]"

                                                      "The US’ Role in Regime Change

UNAC is a co-sponsor of this online and in-person event

Thursday, February 6, 7 PM

At the New School in New York City and online

Click here to register for the online event

                Click here to register for the in-person event "

Originally posted January 31st at:  blackallianceforpeace.com/bapstatements/imperialism-responsible-for-congo-turmoil  Slightly edited.

See also:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_23_Movement  Last week the BBC interviewed both Rwandan and Congolese officials about the fighting, while I only heard an interview with the Congolese foreign minister (?) on NPR (on Morning Edition February 1st). The BBC clearly has preferences, but they still allowed both governments to air their views on the conflict.  But the BBC hardly ever admits that there are two sides in the wars in the Middle East or Ukraine.  Palestinian and other civilians are often interviewed, but the BBC hardly ever interviews an acknowledged member of a Resistance group, junior or senior, or an Iranian or Ba'athist Syrian government official.  Occasionally they interview an academic in Tehran who gives a strong showing against "Western" imperialism (thus they rarely have him on?).  I think he is sometimes interviewed on The Electronic Intifada's livestream.  The BBC frequently interviews "right" to "far right" Israeli politicians, who frequently make little effort to hide their desire to mistreat, starve, torture, and kill the Palestinian civilian population, until Israel can annex every bit of territory "from the River to the Sea" for "settlements."  The BBC hardly ever interviews Russian officials on the war in Eastern Europe.  I don't recall the BBC ever interviewing a Russian separatist militant or official in Ukraine or a civilian victim of western Ukraine, other than maybe Russian civilians from near Kursk, on pre-war Russian territory.  The BBC lets Israelis officials and politicians openly talk, for several minutes, like we're in the 1940's and they face no risk of being arrested for war crimes, while rarely or never interviewing officials from Hamas, Ansar Allah, Hezbollah, the Russian government, Belarusian government, the Venezuelan government, etc.  Surely they could find someone official to interview?  The BBC does sometimes play clips of Putin or have Steve Rosenberg shout questions at him at events, etc., but they hardly ever interview an official from an "adversary" government, though they must often talk to such officials, 'off camera.'  I think they did let a young Chinese influencer effusively praise China's "AI" (?) or social media recently.  

\

Even US officials usually try to avoid talking like a Likud official on an open mic.  [Maybe I was mainly thinking of "Jewish Power" (Otzma Yehudit); the BBC gives the Israeli right and "far right" 'precious' air time, though they use it to offend or outrage world public opinion:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otzma_Yehudit  Described as "fascist."  The BBC rarely lets Hamas, the Russian government, the Nicaraguan government, etc. air their views and grievances in an extended interview.  I'm not even sure they let AMLO's government in Mexico explain its judicial reform plan, right or not.] [I think that parties such as the Religious Zionist Party and Jewish Home have also been given air time on the BBC recently:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Zionist_Party and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewish_Home[I think that officials from parties such as the Religious Zionist Party and Jewish Home have also been given air time on the BBC recently:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Zionist_Party and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewish_Home On Likud:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likud  Similar to how senior US officials spoke, publicly, under George W Bush and Dick Cheney?]

Despite the BAP's view below, I've wondered in general if events in the DRC or elsewhere could be related to a loss of US international power or focused attention, in the same way that conflict followed the destruction of the USSR and Yugoslavia, or an increase in the independence of smaller regional powers in a "multi-polar" world.  I'm not saying that Trump is an "isolationist."  Biden was what the mainstream media calls an "internationalist," yet events seemed to be out of US control during the Biden-Harris administration, assuming that the government wasn't just lying about its intentions.  Maybe Biden was too elderly to govern effectively.  Netanyahu made the Biden-Harris administration look weak if not humiliated, and he might be preparing the same treatment for Trump-Vance this year.  The US couldn't stop the civil war in Sudan, which also involves the UAE and other powers.  The US failed to overthrow the governments of Venezuela, Iran, or Cuba, and it failed to weaken Russia and drive it out of Ukraine.  Supposedly Turkey not the US was behind the "rebel" coup that achieved the elites' long-standing dream of toppling Syria.  They appeared unable to control mass migration caused in part by their "kinetic" and economic warfare waged around the world and a changed climate.  Maybe inflation in the USA also related to the government's wars; the EU's economy suffered because they were cut off from Russian resources.  The US also wants the EU and others to be 'on side' against China, perhaps again costing the EU economically.  Trump talks violently, but what if it achieves little, or other countries stand up to his threats?  People aren't willing to go to war for capitalist economic reasons again so soon after the "War on Terror," or there isn't enough money for a new war?  There is a limit to what the government can achieve through Bill Clinton-style aerial wars.

[From Nicaragua:  diario-octubre.com/2025/02/04/el-ku-klux-klan-esta-en-washington/

On the fighting in DR Congo:  diario-octubre.com/2025/02/04/ruanda-invade-el-este-de-congo-y-desancadena-una-guerra-civil/ ]

[ covertactionmagazine.com/2025/01/30/rwanda-invades-drc-on-behalf-of-the-corporate-critical-minerals-supply-chains/ ]

[ covertactionmagazine.com/2025/02/03/keith-harmon-snow-was-a-courageous-investigative-journalist-who-exposed-lies-regarding-the-rwandan-genocide/ ]

[ covertactionmagazine.com/2025/02/01/american-indian-movement-leader-leonard-peltier-finally-freed-from-prison-in-last-minute-move-by-biden-administration/ ]

U.S.-led Imperialism Is Directly Responsible for Turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team (BAP) and U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) stands in unwavering solidarity with the Congolese People as they endure yet another chapter of violence, exploitation, and masked imperialist aggression in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The ongoing conflict, fueled by Rwanda’s role as an imperialist foot soldier, is not merely a regional dispute but a manifestation of global capitalism’s insatiable desire for Africa’s resources. As the transnational capitalist class fight for dominance in the global clean energy, artificial intelligence, and technology markets, the Congo has been and stands to remain the battleground as a cornerstone of systemic plunder for over a century.

Rwanda, backed by Western powers such as the United States, the European Union (EU), Canada, Israel, etc, has consistently acted as a destabilizing force in the region, providing material support to proxy militias like the M23 to undermine Congolese sovereignty and facilitate the extraction of resources. Much like the sub-imperialist relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Sudan, Rwanda has no significant mineral reserves of its own yet has become one of the world’s leading exporters of critical minerals like coltan. The recent escalation in Goma, where Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) and M23 have seized strategic areas, is a direct result of this imperialist agenda.

The Congolese People, however, continue to resist valiantly, with the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and Wazalendo self-defense groups reclaiming critical infrastructure like the Congolese National Radio and Television station (RTNC). The responsibility of those outside of the DRC is to heed the acts of the People reflecting the unheard, to unconditionally support their path toward self-determination and right to defend their land and sovereignty. This is the only way to sustainable peace in the Congo.

The conflict in the DRC is not an isolated event but a direct consequence of the global capitalist system in crisis. The so-called “Green Corridor” initiative, promoted by President Felix Tshisekedi at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is a stark example of how imperialist powers and their local compradors, seek to legitimize their pillaging under the guise of development. This initiative, funded primarily by the United States and EU, aims to secure access to the Congo’s cobalt, copper, and lithium — resources essential for the global transition to renewable energy and digital technologies. Yet, this so-called “development” comes at the direct expense of the Congolese People, who continue to suffer from violence, displacement, and poverty. 

The recent attacks on the embassies of Belgium, France, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United States, chanting “down with imperialism” and widespread protests across the DRC, from Goma to Kinshasa, make clear the frustration of the Congolese with a government that has failed to protect them, and a global system that exploits them. The uprising reflects a growing consciousness among the Congolese masses, who are demanding accountability, liberation, and an end to decades of suffering. The Black Alliance for Peace recognizes these protests as part of a broader struggle across the African continent. As Che Guevara said, “all free people of the world be prepared to avenge the crime of the Congo.” 

We understand that the liberation of the Congo is inseparable from the liberation of Africa as a whole. The Congo’s land, energy, and resources have fueled the wealth of imperialist powers for generations, while its people have been subjected to unimaginable violence and exploitation. The current crisis is a stark reminder that the struggle for African sovereignty is a struggle against the global capitalist system. We must reject the false narratives that frame this conflict as a regional or ethnic issue and instead recognize it as a fight against imperialism and for self-determination. 

The Black Alliance for Peace calls on all progressive forces, both within the African continent and around the world, to stand in solidarity with the Congolese People. Demand an immediate end to Rwanda’s aggression and the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the DRC. We call for Congo’s resources to be under the democratic control of its People. We call on all anti-imperialist forces across the world to expose the puppeteer role of the U.S.-EU-NATO Axis of Domination in fueling this crisis and to support the Congolese People’s right to life.

The struggle of the Congolese People is our struggle. Their victory is our victory . Let us unite in solidarity to end the centuries-long suffering in the Congo and to build a world free from imperialism, capitalism, and exploitation. The Congo is not for sale—it belongs to its People.

Free the Congo! 

Patrice Lumumba Lives!

Unite Africa under Socialism!

No Compromise!

No Retreat!

Originally posted January 28th at:  blackallianceforpeace.com/bapstatements/welcome-home-leonard-peltier  See also:  durhamspark.blogspot.com/2025/01/samidoun-free-ahmad-saadat-and-all.html

The Black Alliance for Peace Welcomes the Release of Leonard Peltier and Demands Unrestricted Release of all U.S. Political Prisoners

The immoral life sentence of American Indian Movement freedom fighter, political prisoner and prisoner of war, Leonard Peltier was commuted by the U.S. President Joe Biden, only moments before Biden’s term in office ended. Now 80 years old, Peltier languished for over 50 years in prison after being unjustly convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975 during a terror raid of the Pine Ridge Reservation by agents of the U.S. government.

Biden’s clemency order for Peltier was a vulgar, narcissistic attempt to fabricate a benevolent legacy for himself. Falling far short of an exoneration, the Biden administration insinuated the act was one of compassion for a decidedly “guilty” FBI agent killer. The ailing elder Peltier won’t be released until February 18th, and will still have to remain confined to house arrest for the rest of his life under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons that can rescind his release if they decide he has violated his parole. At least he will be surrounded and cared for by loved ones.

While the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) welcomes the long overdue release of Leonard Peltier, we hold that he should never have been imprisoned and that his imprisonment reflects the ongoing institutional expression of settler-colonialism that defines the U.S. Even though all evidence in the case of Peltier points to his innocence, BAP’s commitment to an authentic process of decolonization in every sense of that term supports the right of American Indian, First Nation people to defend themselves and resist their colonialist domination by any means necessary.

Neither Biden nor the U.S. government deserves credit or gratitude for commuting Peltier's sentence. All credit belongs to the activists, international human rights leaders, and legal advocates led by the Indigenous people who fought for decades for Leonard Peltier’s release. Peltier’s case is but one in a long and decadent history of U.S. political imprisonment and repression, with a present record that includes the contemporary cases of the Uhuru 3, the nearly five dozen “Stop Cop City” activists indicted on RICO charges, and activists targeted in the Free Palestine movement.

BAP holds the U.S. setter state in contempt for continuing to hold political prisoners and we remain “committed to working against all forms of state and domestic repression, including the issues of political prisoners and prisoners of war in the United States.”

No Compromise!

No Retreat!

The Free Leonard Peltier Ad Hoc Committee is raising funds for expenses related to retaining independent medical experts, accommodations, travel, materials, and other expenditures related to Leonard's medical care. Please contribute what you can. You can also donate via Cash App to: $PeltierOfficialComm

PSL: "Free Palestine, free all Palestinian political prisoners, end all US aid to the Israeli apartheid regime" and other statements about the October 7th al-Aqsa Flood/Deluge/Storm

Other articles: 

A statement from Hamas is supposed to be here, but it won't open, though that could just be a problem on my end:  hamas.ps/en/post/4969/Hamas-chief-Operation-Aqsa-Flood-is-a-strategic-track-to-respond-to-continued-Israeli-crimes?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email  It might be blocked on Twitter, but there are images here:  twitter.com/decensorednews/status/1710834568423506393?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email  Would Blogger/Google do something if I typed it up here?

redphoenixnews.com/2023/10/07/breaking-palestinian-resistance-launches-surprise-offensive-against-israel/

cpcml.ca/cpcmlarticle2310071947/

informationclearinghouse.blog/2023/10/07/israel-pounds-gaza-after-palestinian-resistance-seize-israelis-in-major-attack/#

informationclearinghouse.blog/2023/10/07/palestinian-resistance-in-gaza-launches-unprecedented-surprise-attack-on-israel/

Take action:

www.answercoalition.org/join_a_protest_near_you_free_palestine?  Most of the demonstrations were today, Sunday, October 8th, including one in Raleigh, NC's Moore Square at 4pm, but a few will be later in the week [There were demonstrations in Raleigh at 4pm and in Charlotte at 2pm on the 15th, and Hamas called for demonstrations on the 13th; I expect that there will be demonstrations the weekend of the 20th as well.]  I am surprised that the NPR news headlines October 8th mentioned any, given that they usually ignore anti-war protests, but maybe they wanted to mention the denunciation by the governor of New York.  October 7th they reported something about LA sending police to guard synagogues and mosques, with the emphasis on synagogues, and there was a denunciation of demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine, but maybe that was in New York.  Israel warned Gazans to get out of the way of its Operation Iron Swords attack, as if there is any open border they can cross and even the sea is closed.  [Egypt apparently charges for entry and raised the price recently, if the border is currently open.][10/16:  The border is not open, and also, imagine what the mainstream media would say if Russia 'ordered' Ukrainian cities to be evacuated - they can warn about impending bombing and recommend that civilians flee, but to "order" them?  It also reminds me of the George W Bush administration 'ordering' Saddam Hussein to leave his country, or face a war of aggression, but war crimes are okay when the US commits them.  If Mexico or Canada ordered the US border region to be evacuated, or Cuba ordered the evacuation of Miami?  Israel claims that it does not occupy or control Gaza, so it shouldn't be able to 'order' Gazans to do anything.]  It also implies that Israel will ignore its obligations, and Biden, Schumer, Pelosi, and most other Democratic Party politicians were fine with that before October 7th and are fine with it after October 7th.  And some Arab countries have been normalizing their relations with Israel over the suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, though this attack might put off normalization with Saudi Arabia.  [Some hysterical, over the top rhetoric from Israeli spokespeople, who sound like Americans, on the BBC October 8-9, though ordinary Israelis sound more believable.]

www.codepink.org/indefensible?

bdsmovement.net/news/urgent-action-alert-for-meaningful-solidarity-with-palestinians at the UN General Assembly

[10/16:  Recently, around October 13th or 14th I heard a former US "peace" negotiator, now at the "Carnegie Endowment for Peace," theorizing on NPR that the Biden administration is making very pro-Israel statements to create a "framework" giving them more leverage with Israel later, though Israel had already killed more Palestinians than the Israeli death toll from the attack on October 7th by about then, bringing things back to the usual situation in which far more Palestinians are killed than Israelis.  The commenter also called Biden "preternaturally" pro-Israel regardless.  October 16th someone on NPR in the afternoon theorized that the administration's public and internal rhetoric might be different for the same reason.  That had occurred to me.  Somewhere today it was suggested that the Biden administration's diplomatic effort for Israel amounts to US culpability in war crimes.  NPR and BBC coverage of the war on Palestine is so different from their coverage of the war in Ukraine, and has almost replaced coverage of Ukraine.  They even admit that there is domestic opposition to US support for Israel's war, from October 8th, while they mostly cover up opposition to Biden's proxy war in Ukraine even now, other than Republican opposition in Congress and occasionally they mention a protest in the EU.  It could be seen as bizarre.  I'm amazed that NPR let a guest on 1A before 12pm on Friday, October 13th say that Israel is telegraphing that it will commit something like "mass atrocities" in Gaza, not that NPR or other mainstream media have suddenly given up their warmongering and support for US imperialism.  Impeach Biden, though the Republicans are unlike to impeach over foreign policy they generally support - it was also suggested recently that the Republicans are pleasantly surprised to find Biden on their side regarding Israel's attack on Gaza, though most Democratic and Republican politicians are very pro-Israel, even allowing Israel to kill American citizens.  The Democrats refused to impeach George W Bush over war crimes they supported at the time or had been guilty of carrying out earlier.]

[A November 1st American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee email notes that:

"We have seen the sharpest increase in hate incidents, crimes, and discrimination in over 20 years. What we are witnessing is a 21st century version of McCarthyism."

A statement October 27th from the ADC:  

Washington, D.C. | adc.org | October 27, 2023 –  What Israel continues to inflict on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip as the whole world watches is unfathomable, unjustifiable and criminal. The ADC calls, yet again, for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, for immediate humanitarian aid, stop supplying weapons to Israel, an end to the attempted forced transfer of Palestinians, and an end to the brutal blockade on the Gaza Strip. There is no doubt that the impeding ground invasion will undoubtedly make this ongoing genocide worse. 

 

The images projecting on our screens of the relentless and barbaric bombardment of Gaza by Israel with American-made weapons are juxtaposed against yet another disgraceful “no” vote for a ceasefire by the United States at the United Nations. Once again the U.S. stands on the opposite side of the international community.  The US is not merely a bystander in this genocide, it is playing an active role. To date President Biden has refused to meet with Arab and Palestinian American community members and representative organizations [DS:  I thought that there was at least one, maybe low-key, meeting in October]. He has ignored the calls from the community demanding a cease fire and an end to the forced transfer of Palestinians. 

 

It is not too late - President Biden can put an immediate end to this by demanding a cease fire.

 

The implications of the war on Palestine extend beyond the political confines of foreign policy. At home we continue to see a surge in anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian hate, creating an environment that is unsafe for many in our community.. There is a coordinated, sophisticated, and well funded attempt focused on silencing our community members in the workplace and on college campuses across the country[,] creating an environment that is unsafe for many of our community members.   

 

Over 7000 Palestinians have been killed, two thirds of whom are women and children. Over 1,000,000 Palestinians displaced. Israel has targeted homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, churches and the basic infrastructure of the whole area. The Gaza Strip is in complete darkness, under complete aerial bombardment. They have shut off access to fuel, electricity, and water. Now they have also cut off communication with the outside world. Multiple international humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of the imminent collapse of the already barely functioning healthcare system as Israel continues its indiscriminate criminal assault. 

 

Israel attacks on the Palestinian people aren't contained to the Gaza Strip - it has continued its aggression on the West Bank killing at least 3 Palestinians in the last 24 hours and over 100 in the past two weeks. Armed Jewish settlers, with the protection of the Israeli army have been attacking homes and farmers in their fields during the olive harvest time. 

 

This is not a “war on Hamas”, this is the continued implementation of ethnic cleansing - the Nakba continues. The world must intervene to stop Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip and it’s oppression of Palestinians all over Palestine once and for all.]  

A statement October 7th from Democratic Party presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy, Jr, posted at:  www.kennedy24.com/kennedy_condemns_terrorist_attacks_against_israel and twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1710689115522371772?

“This ignominious, unprovoked, and barbaric attack on Israel must be met with world condemnation and unequivocal support for the Jewish state’s right to self-defense. We must provide Israel with whatever it needs to defend itself — now. As President, I’ll make sure that our policy is unambiguous so that the enemies of Israel will think long and hard before attempting aggression of any kind.

“I applaud the strong statements of support from the Biden White House for Israel in her hour of need. However, the scale of these attacks means it is likely that Israel will need to wage a sustained military campaign to protect its citizens. Statements of support are fine, but we must follow through with unwavering, resolute, and practical action. America must stand by our ally throughout this operation and beyond as it exercises its sovereign right to self-defense.”

A message October 8th from Democratic Party presidential candidate Marianne Williamson:

Dear [ ], 

 

Saturday morning I awoke to a text from a friend: “War in Israel.”

More texts… TV… checking websites… talking to experts… checking in with friends, as layers of horror unfolded before our eyes. By the end of the day the full extent of the catastrophe was clear. There will indeed now be a long and difficult evil war.

Innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the actions of the Israeli government are, even as I write this, either being tortured or killed or are dead already. Children have been taken hostage. A nation is terrorized. 

And yes, I know. These events did not occur in a vacuum. I could write about — and indeed I have, and at length — the myriad injustices Palestinians have endured at the hands of Israel. Pretty much anything anyone could say about that… I get it, I know.

But not today.

Today I simply want to grieve. I don’t want to argue. I don’t want to take a position or argue policy. I just want to grieve. I grieve for the Israeli children and Palestinian children and Israeli parents and Palestinian parents. I grieve for the world that we could not do better than this. I grieve the fact that any sliver of hope for peace in that region is probably set back for decades, possibly even longer now.

I will have much to say in the coming days about what is happening in Israel and how I feel the United States should respond. For now, I stand with Israel. And I stand with the Palestinian people.

I do not stand with Hamas, nor will I ever. For their cause is not justice. Their cause is terror.

May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the God to whom Jews and Muslims and Christians all pray — please help us in this agonizing hour.

Amen.

[October 13th "Statement on the Israeli-Hamas war," by email:

Dear [ ],

One week ago an event took place that changed the calculus of foreign affairs. The situation in Israel and Gaza right now is extremely perilous, not only for the people of those two regions but for the world. 

Black and white thinking will help no one, and has no place in any serious analysis of the current situation. Many truths exist here simultaneously.

Atrocities such as those committed by Hamas against civilians in Israel transgress the most basic dictates of a moral universe. They constitute nothing short of pure evil. Nor did the invasion do anything to promote the cause of justice for Palestinians; if anything, it put the cause of justice for Palestinians back for decades and possibly longer. Hamas is a terrorist organization and this was a terrorist attack. The aspirations of Hamas have nothing to do with striking a peace deal with Israel; their stated goal is the complete eradication of the state of Israel, and they will settle for nothing less.   

While it is often stated – incorrectly – that the goal of Israel is the extermination of the Palestinians, in fact the stated goal of Hamas is the extermination of the Jews. Clearly they are trying, and Israel cannot be expected not to respond. No one expected the United States to not go after Al-Qaeda after 9/11, and no one should expect Israel not to go after Hamas. Of course, we did… and of course they will. 

But an eye for an eye doesn’t just leave everyone blind; in this case it leaves everyone dead. While I have cried for days about an event that exterminated ten times more Jews than died on the night of Kristallnacht, now I am crying with the same amount of fury and helplessness over two million people who live in Gaza, over half of whom are children. Hamas is not the Palestinian people; in fact, Hamas displays dictatorial power over their own people in Gaza. Yet innocent Palestinians as well as Israelis are paying a terrible price for what has happened, and their safety should be as high a priority for the world as should the safety of innocent Israelis. 

Humanitarian corridors must be established immediately. The siege must end, and power be restored immediately so hospitals can be more than graveyards. Gazan civilians and foreign nationals must be given safe passage. There are surely phone calls going back and forth among world leaders today – including Europeans and Arabs – seeking desperately to broker some kind of humanitarian solution, to create a ceasefire and restore delivery of water, food and medical supplies. 

Hamas has announced it will start executing the 150 hostages one by one if Israel takes military action against Gaza, leaving the hostage’s loved ones and the entire nation of Israel in a state of horrifying trauma. No person of good will anywhere in the world wants those hostages executed. The hatred spawned by such insanity would only increase the hostility that already exists between far too many Israelis and Palestinians – two peoples who we should remember lived side by side in peace for centuries, and hopefully will live in peace again someday. One of the tragic consequences of this situation is how many Palestinians and Israelis have worked for years to forge a better way - only to see their dreams of peace be shattered by what has occurred.   
 
As President, in the years leading up to this I would have been far more active on behalf of an effort to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Supporting Israel militarily yet not playing an active role in emphasizing the need for Palestinian justice was a failure of American leadership and a transgression against our own values. Once Trump was out of office, I would have moved the U.S. Embassy back to Tel Aviv. I would not have allowed the Abraham Accords to minimize the cause of justice for Palestinians. I would have demanded justice for Shireen Abu Akleh. I would have demanded that no military assistance provided to Israel – created by a Congressional Memorandum of Understanding that extends until 2028 – be used in a way that supports the occupation of the West Bank, the settlements, or the blockade of Gaza. I would have been vocal in my opposition to all three. I would have supported all efforts to create the resurrection of plans for a two-state solution. I would have worked assiduously with Middle East peace builders both there and here. I would have used American power to side with our highest ally: humanity itself.  
 
I appreciate the moral clarity of President Biden’s speech on Tuesday. It was clearly from his heart. My clarity and compassion would have been more universal, however. I would have emphasized to the American people that Hamas is not the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian people are not Hamas. Palestinian Americans, just like Jewish Americans, would have heard in my speech both respect and support. As an American, and as a Jew, I stand with Israel. But I stand no less for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.    
 
On Wednesday the President met with Jewish American leaders, which I would have done as well. But I would also have met with Arab-American leaders, particularly Palestinian, to begin a deeper dialogue on how the world will go forward from here – specifically, what role America can play in trying to pick up the pieces at the end of all this. As President, I will dedicate the power of the U.S. government to creating a phoenix of peace arising from the ashes of this war. Peacebuilding will be a cornerstone of my Presidency, and the peacebuilders of the world will always have my ear. People have asked me what my Department of Peace would do in this situation? The point is that a Department of Peace could have helped prevent it.   

In the meantime, President Biden is correct to have warned that other nations – clearly, I assume, a reference to Iran – should be very careful not to interfere. The President is right to be concerned about Iran’s involvement, and I share that concern. The President of the United States must always be on heightened alert to protect America’s homeland as well as our interests abroad, and no American law enforcement, military or intelligence agency should blithely assume that this situation couldn’t have repercussions for us as well. I am sure that they do not.   

The day after the invasion, I was sitting at an airport bar in Reno, Nevada, when I struck up a conversation with a gentleman sitting next to me. We talked and enjoyed each other’s company, and after a while he told me he’s a Palestinian-American and I told him I’m a Jew. The irony was lost on neither of us. Both of us were reminded of the world as it should be, for we were experiencing it together. It is to the achievement of that world – for every Palestinian and for every Jew, indeed for every citizen of the world – that I dedicate my life, and would dedicate my presidency.

Marianne

P.S. Visit Marianne2024.com to read more about my platform and how to get involved.]

A statement October 7th from independent presidential candidate Dr Cornel West, posted at:  www.cornelwest2024.com/press_release_100723

New York City - Independent Presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West today urged for peace in the Holy Land upon learning about the situation in Palestine and Israel that has already left 100s dead and even more people injured. “For this to occur on the Jewish Sabbath, on the day when the festival of Sukkot reaches its conclusion and Jewish siblings around the globe celebrate Simchat Torah, the joy associated with their holy book, is heartbreaking and a call for global action” explained Dr. West. He continued, “Until the global community holds up the value of precious Palestinian lives in line with the value of precious Jewish lives, this violent cycle of death and destruction will continue unabated.”

Dr. West called for an immediate cessation of all violence, including violent rhetoric uttered by certain Western nations. He shared, “Western nations and colonial powers from right here in the United States to the European Union must be conscious of their language as this situation unfolds. We need not allow our words to act as fuel to exacerbate a fire that’s been burning for too many decades.” He added, “President Biden, and other world leaders must spend less time conjuring a fog of war with subjective and violent vernacular associated with who does and who doesn’t have the right to defend themselves and more time evoking a language of love and dignity for all people involved.”

A well known Christian with roots in liberation theology, Dr. West called on the global community to immediately commence a discussion that will end the war between Israel and Palestine once and for all. “We all desire to manifest the beautiful scripture of Isaiah 2:4…nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” Dr. West declared, “However, this will not be a reality until Israel and Western nations understand that the pathway to and for peace in the Holy Land must be parallel with a pathway to and for liberation and dignity for Palestine.”

Dr. West offered his prayers, his love, and his condolences for the lives lost and injured, and his hopes for immediate and lasting deescalation initiatives.

-- END --

[Green Party condemns attacks on civilians in Israel and Gaza; calls for immediate ceasefire

The Green Party of the United States condemns the targeted attacks on civilians in the recent wave of violence in Gaza and Israel. We call for an immediate ceasefire, an immediate end to the invasion and occupation of Gaza, and a halt to all military and foreign aid to Israel. We urge our government to join with the U.N. to secure Israel's complete withdrawal to, at least, the 1967 boundaries in compliance with international law.

---

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org

For Immediate Release
October 12, 2023

CONTACTS:

[  ]

"Hamas and Israel are deliberately targeting civilian populations in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which forbid targeting civilians and civilian objects such as homes, places of worship and medical facilities, as well as hostage-taking. The increased oppression of the Palestinians under the Netanyahu government has become even more heinous with Israel now cutting off electricity and the delivery of food, water and fuel to the Gaza Strip; a violation of international humanitarian law prohibiting sieges on civilian populations. We urge all parties to cease attacks on civilians immediately,” said Joseph Naham, National Party Co-Chair.

"Only a just and lasting peace, based on the right of self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians, can break this cycle and bring peace to the region. This peace must include the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the dismantling of illegal settlements, and the establishment of a just and equitable society where all people have equal rights and opportunities," added Naham.

Additional Information

Green Party platform on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
https://www.gp.org/israel_palestine

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org
202-804-2758
Newsroom | Twitter: @GreenPartyUS  ]

[CPUSA: Stop the war! End the occupation! Free Palestine!

Posted October 8th at:  www.cpusa.org/article/stop-the-war-end-the-occupation-free-palestine/ ; with 8 comments

"The CPUSA expresses its growing alarm and concern at the horrific violence in Palestine and Israel over the weekend.

We join with the Communist Party of Israel, the Democratic Front for Equality and Peace (Hadash), our fraternal parties in Palestine and other democratic and progressive forces around the world in placing full responsibility on Israel’s government for this weekend’s rapid escalation of military confrontation between Hamas and Israeli forces.

The U.S. government is the main contributor to Israel’s military budget to the tune of $3.3 billion this year alone and also bears responsibility for the escalation. Adding to the danger and the region’s instability, the U.S. continues to broker unprincipled alliances and economic agreements between Israel’s reactionary anti-democratic apartheid-like state on one side, and the right-wing Arab monarchies on the other. The repressive political regimes of these two sets of states mirror one another. Their machinations undercut the Palestinian struggle for human rights and political sovereignty while bolstering U.S. political, economic and military supremacy in the region.

In a joint statement, the CP of Israel and Hadash cite provocations – not reported in mainstream US news sites – during the week leading up to the Hamas attack on Israeli territory.

Settlers, they report, were allowed to run amok throughout the occupied territories under the auspices of the Israeli government. “They desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque and carried out another pogrom in Huwara,” they wrote. “Settlers” refers to the hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who have been settled on illegally confiscated Palestinian territory. This has been done under the sponsorship of the Israeli government, contrary to international law.

The reference to Huwara refers to a mob of hundreds of Israeli settlers marching on the town of Hawara torching cars and homes while the Israeli army stood by. The attacks by Hamas were the result, not the cause of this week’s escalation. “This escalation endangers the entire region in a regional and dangerous war – which the right-wing government has been fueling since its first day,” says the Israeli CP.

In the months leading up to this week’s escalation 250 Palestinians, including 47 children, were killed this year alone. As is well known, Netanyahu’s right-wing government was on shaky ground. It was losing support for its anti-democratic measures undermining the country’s Supreme Court.

But with his declaration of war against the Gazan population, Benjamin Netanyahu takes advantage of Hamas’s attack to call on the Jewish people to rally round his fascist administration to fight a war against Palestinians.

The CPUSA joins the CPI and Hadash in decrying civilian deaths. The CPI and Hadash write “even in difficult days like this – we repeat and voice an unequivocal condemnation of any harm to innocent civilians, and call for their removal from the bloodshed. We send our condolences to all the families of the victims of the occupation, Arabs and Jews alike.”

“Today’s events show the dangerous direction the Netanyahu government and the settlers are leading the entire region, and emphasize once again that there is no way to manage the conflict or resolve it militarily,” they continue.

“There is only one solution: End the occupation. Recognize the legitimate demands and rights of the Palestinian people. The end of the occupation and the establishment of a just peace are a distinct and common interest of the two peoples in this country.” Peace in Israel/Palestine requires justice. UN resolutions must be more than paper. Security must be guaranteed, not just for Israelis but equally for Palestinians. All human rights, all rights of full citizenship, all rights of return must be implemented.

The CPUSA reaffirms, side by side with our fraternal parties in Israel and Palestine and indeed the world Communist and Workers movement, the need for a political solution and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and a homeland.

The CPUSA demands the Biden Administration act now to end the war and help bring about a political solution that upholds the rights of the Palestinian people. This must include ending military support to Israel. We call on the people of our country to make their feelings known in every way possible including protests.

War is hell as the events leading up to and over the weekend amply testify. Civilians, children, the elderly, and disabled are its most glaring victims. We too mourn the loss of innocent life and urgently call for unity of all who aspire for peace and democracy: citizen and non-citizen, Palestinian and Jewish, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, LGBTQ and straight, to make their feelings known.

We call on all peace loving and progressive people around the world to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people."]

The PSL statement was originally posted at:  

www.liberationnews.org/psl-statement-free-palestine-free-all-palestinian-political-prisoners-end-all-u-s-aid-to-the-israeli-apartheid-regime/

PSL:  Free Palestine, free all Palestinian political prisoners, end all US aid to the Israeli apartheid regime

The unrelenting oppression, murder, torture and occupation carried out by the Israeli apartheid regime has precipitated a counter-offensive by Palestinian resistance forces. The Israeli war machine, and its attendant systems of oppression, are bought and paid for by U.S. imperialism. U.S. tax dollars fund the grinding oppression of the Palestinian people to the tune of $4 billion each year.

Resistance to apartheid and fascist-type oppression was labeled “terrorism” by U.S. politicians when the African National Congress took up arms against the racist, apartheid regime in South Africa. The same false “terrorism” label is being applied to the Palestinian people.

The PSL says: Resistance to apartheid and fascist-type oppression is not a crime! It is the inevitable outcome for all people who demand self-determination rather than living with the boot-heel of the oppressors on their necks.

The people of the United States are going into the streets right now to say “free Palestine!”; “cut all U.S. aid for the apartheid regime”; and “free all Palestinian political prisoners!”

Israel is currently carrying out a massacre of historic proportions against Gaza and all throughout Palestine, slaughtering hundreds. The bombs and missiles that are raining down on Gaza right now are paid for by U.S. tax dollars. Instead of using money to meet people’s needs, the U.S. government has shamefully extended Israel a long-term military aid agreement worth $38 billion.

The corporate media and politicians want the public to believe that Israel is simply defending itself from “terrorism”. That’s a lie. The actions of the resistance over the course of the last day is a morally and legally legitimate response to occupation. It was brought about by escalating Israeli oppression on numerous fronts.

Less than a year ago, a new, far-right government came into office in Israel. Regardless of which party is in power, the Israeli government has always imposed occupation and apartheid. But the new administration – which includes openly genocidal, fascist senior ministers who control the police and prison system – is intent on taking this to unprecedented heights.

A wave of killings is under way in the occupied West Bank by Israeli troops, cops and vigilantes that has claimed over 200 Palestinian lives so far this year. Already horrific conditions for the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails deteriorated even further. Far-right mobs stormed the al-Aqsa mosque on numerous occasions under the protection of Israeli police. The construction of illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land was hugely expanded. The new government announced its intention to create a “national guard” – a thinly-veiled death squad that would operate under the personal command of the main fascist politician in Israel, Itamar Ben-Gvir.

To provide diplomatic cover as this was taking place, the U.S. government has been aggressively lobbying countries in the Middle East to sign “normalization” agreements with Israel. Since the state of Israel was established amid a deadly campaign of ethnic cleansing in 1948, most neighboring countries have rightfully refused to officially recognize Israel’s existence. But in the last few years that has begun to change. In exchange for what amounted to massive bribes from the United States, the reactionary governments of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco established formal relations with Israel. In recent days, the United States was reportedly on the verge of securing the biggest normalization agreement of all with Saudi Arabia.

It was in this context of an existential threat to the Palestinian people’s very survival that the resistance organizations chose to launch a bold counter-offensive. This does not constitute terrorism. It is a basic fact of history that any people who are subjected to an occupation will resist that occupation.

The Israeli government is carrying out a bombardment of unbelievable proportions targeting Palestinian civilians in an effort to take revenge on the resistance. Shortly after the war broke out, Lloyd Austin pledged that, “Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs.” The U.S. government is just as complicit in this massacre as Israel. Now is the time to mobilize and demand freedom for Palestine!