SOCIAL FORUM OF THE AMERICAS CONDEMNS ‘GENOCIDE’ AND CALLS FOR SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL

The Hemispheric Council of the Social Forum of the Americas (SFA) has released a strongly-worded statement condemning Israel’s “genocidal campaign” in Palestine and Lebanon and calling for a boycott of Israel and sanctions.

The statement, released on August 4th in the wake of Israel’s assault on Lebanon, is scathing in its denunciation of the United States’ military support for the Occupation.

The Council also calls for America and Israel to be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges. Specifically the Council calls for:

• Immediate Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and Palestine
• Solidarity with people under occupation
• The cancellation of all treaties and agreements with Israel
• Israel and the United States of America to be brought before the ICC
• Active participation in the Worldwide Day of Protest and Solidarity on August 12th

The statement reflects increasingly organised solidarity and support for the Palestinian struggle from social movements across South America. Israel’s assault on Lebanon sparked massive demonstrations across the continent, fuelled by ongoing anger over the continuing negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Merosur and Israel.
The Mercosur customs union is made up of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and five other South American countries with associate member status. The FTA has been bitterly condemned by civil society groups and trade unions opposed to Israel’s continuing occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.

In Brazil, some eighty civil society organizations and movements have formed a Committee for Solidarity with the Arab Peoples, demanding for the withdrawal of the Brazilian ambassador from Israel and the cancellation of the FTA. In July the Israeli assault on Lebanon brought 3,000 protesters onto the streets condemning both the attack and the signing of the FTA. A commercial strike was called in São Paulo and Foz do Iguaçu. Popular mobilisation against the FTA with Israel is supported by a MPs, public figures , trade unions landless movements (MST and MLST).

The Hemispheric Council of the SFA was formed in 2002 by the networks and organizations of the International Council of the World Social Forum working in the Americas. In 2005 it was enlarged to represent the campaigns and organizations involved in regional and national social forums throughout the continent and to ensure diversity within the Council. To see its member organizations see:
https://www.forosocialamericas.org/chemis.php

Call of the Social Forum of the Americas – Hemispheric Council (English translation, Stop the Wall)

No to genocide
No to impunity of military crimes in Lebanon and Palestine
Towards bringing Israel and the USA to the International Criminal Court

As the organizations, networks and campaigns of the Hemispheric Council of the Social Forum of the Americas, we raise our voices in indignation and pain against the genocidal campaign unleashed by the Israeli government in Palestine and Lebanon in recent weeks.

In the face of the death and destruction that afflict those territories, besieged by the arrogance of the Israeli government and greed of imperialist control, the long-standing solidarity of the people of the Americas with the Palestinian people is reinforced.

Until now cries of humanity for an immediate ceasefire – and especially military action against civilians – have been thrown into the fire. On the contrary, military crimes have escalated, finding their most terrible expression in the massacre of children in Qana.

Different Courts and Assemblies in several world-wide and continental Social Forums have already reiterated their condemnation of the policies and actions of militarization, violence and extermination on the part of the government of the United States of America and its allies, which have created a climate of endless war for everyone.

The views and the outcry of humanity have been ignored. For this reason, we today propose actions to end the impunity, and to halt and punish the genocide.

We cannot allow more impunity, we do not have to allow the geopolitics of extermination and the imperial control of humanity to prevail.

For that reason we call:

• To increase actions and debate demanding the immediate Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and the occupied territories of Palestine, and to express solidarity with the affected people.

• To urge the governments of our countries, which have mostly supported the cease-fire, to commit to more direct actions towards that aim.

• To identify all agreements that our States maintain with Israel to demand their immediate cancellation.

• To implement a process against the governments of Israel and the United States of America to bring them before the International Criminal Court.

• To actively participate in the World-wide Day of Protest and Solidarity on August 12th.

Call of the Social Forum of the Americas – Hemispheric Council (Original Spanish)

No al genocidio
No a la impunidad ante los crímenes de guerra en Líbano y Palestina
Hacia un enjuciamiento de Israel y EUA en la Corte Penal Internacional

Las organizaciones, redes y campañas integrantes del Consejo Hemisférico del Foro Social Américas, levantamos nuestra voz de indignación y dolor frente a la campaña de genocidio desatada por el gobierno israelí en Palestina y Líbano en las últimas semanas.

Ante la muerte y la destrucción que asolan esos territorios, asediados por la prepotencia del gobierno israelí y la avidez de control imperialista, se refuerza la solidaridad de los pueblos de las Américas con el pueblo palestino, que es de larga data.

Hasta ahora se ha desoído el clamor de la humanidad para un inmediato cese al fuego, para que se detengan las acciones militares, especialmente aquellas contra la población civil; por el contrario, los ataques configuran una escalada de crímenes de guerra, cuya expresión más terrible es la masacre de niños en Qana.

La condena hacia las políticas y acciones de militarización, violencia y exterminio por parte del gobierno de los Estados Unidos de América y sus aliados, que extiende hacia todo el mundo un clima de guerra permanente, ha sido ya reiterada en sendos Tribunales y Asambleas realizados en varios Foros Sociales mundiales y continentales.

Estos dictámenes y el clamor de la humanidad han sido ignorados. Por eso, hoy consideramos que se imponen acciones que impidan la impunidad, que lleven a frenar y sancionar el genocidio. No podemos permitir más impunidad, no debemos admitir que siga imponiéndose la geopolítica del exterminio, del control imperial ejercido contra la humanidad.

Por eso llamamos a:

– Multiplicar acciones de movilización y reflexión exigiendo el inmediato retiro Israelí del Líbano y de los territorios ocupados en Palestina, y expresando solidaridad con los pueblos afectados.

– Urgir a los gobiernos de nuestros países, que en su mayoría se han pronunciado por el cese del fuego, a acciones más directas y comprometidas con ese fin.

– Identificar los acuerdos que mantienen nuestros Estados con Israel para exigir su inmediata anulación.

– Instaurar un proceso contra los gobiernos de Israel y de los Estados Unidos de América ante la Corte Penal Internacional por crímenes de guerra.

– Participar activamente en el Día Mundial de Protesta y Solidaridad el 12 de Agosto