Socialist Alternative

Hands Off Rafah!

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On the evening of Monday May 6, Palestinians taking shelter in the small city of Rafah in southern Gaza reported the encroachment of Israeli tanks.

The Gaza Strip has been turned into rubble and a mass grave by the bloodthirsty Israeli regime with Benjamin Netanyahu, a corrupt militaristic multimillionaire, at its head.

Rafah has been the last refuge for over a million Palestinians who were forced out of their homes, brutalized by ongoing air-bombings, and have suffered a severe shortage of food, water, and medicine. Many who have lost family members and friends took shelter around hospitals and schools before the Israeli military bombed those as well, forcing half the Gazan population to live in makeshift tents or under the night sky on the outskirts of the southern city.

In its desperate attempt to inflict as much pain as possible, the Israeli elite, with the backing of both Democrats and Republicans, has completely failed in achieving its basic proclaimed target of eradicating Hamas and bringing back to the Israeli people their loved ones in captivity. In fact, there are reasons to believe that the majority of hostages have been killed while in Gaza, either at the hands of Hamas or IDF bombings.

Socialist Alternative is active in the protests on the streets and on campuses across the country. We join millions to demand that the Israeli regime take its hands off Rafah! 

The college encampments have been a source of tremendous inspiration for the anti-war movement. Similar protests should spread into communities and workplaces across the country as Israel moves closer to a full-out ground invasion of Rafah. Where school is still in session, faculty and staff unions should organize walkouts and strikes. Students and staff should coordinate days of protest during schools’ commencement addresses.

Joe Biden, who currently sits at the head of US imperialism, has been a key enabler of Israel’s genocidal war. We cannot afford to support him or Trump this November. Unions should rescind their endorsements of Biden immediately! We need to organize mass protests at the Democratic National Convention this summer and fight for the largest possible vote for independent anti-war candidates such as Cornel West or Jill Stein. This should be a decisive first step in the creation of a genuine anti-war party of workers and young people! 

  1. End the war and occupation! 
  2. All-for-all deal exchanging Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners now! 
  3. End all US military support to Israel, we need a permanent ceasefire and an end to occupation and siege!
  4. For a socialist Palestine and a socialist Israel in a socialist federation of the Middle East!

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