One year ago, on 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice, seized by South Africa of the situation in Gaza, took binding decisions: in view of a genocide that it already considered ‘plausible’, it demanded that the State of Israel put an end to its attacks on civilians, the destruction of infrastructure, the inhuman siege and the forced displacement of populations.
One year on, more than 15 months after the start of the Israeli offensive the genocidal war waged by the State of Israel against the people of Gaza continues, intensifying in the north of the Gaza Strip. The population is starving, thirsty, deprived of dignity and medical care, and exposed to the harsh winter weather. The NGOs describe a situation that is beyond the worst they have ever experienced.
In the West Bank, the population is increasingly under siege, threatened by the Israeli army and the settlers: settlement operations, ethnic cleansing and land theft are intensifying at an unprecedented rate.
This situation threatens the very existence of the Palestinian people. It also insults our common humanity and jeopardises the very foundations of international law. Trump’s arrival in power in the United States can only reinforce this threat.
None of this would have been possible if the Western world, including the European Union, had not constantly shielded Israel from accountability and provided political support. We call for an end to this impunity and for sanctions against the State of Israel until it complies with international law. We demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, an end to the genocide, an end to the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian territory, the freedom of all those detained, the protection of the Palestinian people and freedom of action for UNRWA.
The European Union is Israel’s top trading partner, through an association agreement that also gives it access to many European Union resources. We call for this association agreement to be suspended until Israel respects international law and human rights. All the institutions of the European Union, all the Member States, must assume their responsibilities and initiate the necessary procedures to ensure that this suspension takes effect as quickly as possible.
This is the demand that will drive our coordinated demonstrations across Europe on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 January, and our joint demonstration in Brussels on Sunday 26 January.
Alongside NGOs and European trade unions, we will also be taking part in a gathering on Monday 27 January in front of the European Council to bring this demand to the attention of decision-makers.
The situation is serious, not only for the Palestinians, but for humanity as a whole. We call for a broad and massive mobilisation.