Seattle DSA Statement on the Jan. 15th announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza
Seattle DSA greets January 19th’s commencement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas with measured relief – after more than 450 days of unremitting Israeli bombing of Gaza, this ceasefire represents a glimmer of hope for the besieged yet steadfast Palestinians of Gaza. Over the past year, the Israeli campaign of genocide has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands in Gaza and displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants.
This campaign of genocide was made possible by the unrestricted diplomatic cover provided to Israel by the disgraced Biden Administration and more than $17 billion in military aid appropriated by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. These funds represent a theft of tax dollars by the ruling class that should have been put to use feeding, housing, educating, and caring for the working class in this country. This genocide was also made possible by Israel’s apartheid regime, which denies millions of Palestinians basic civil and political rights. Israel has a history of violating ceasefires; it can and will resume its genocide unless Palestine is free from Israeli apartheid and occupation.
As socialists, we believe that we are not free until Palestine is free. We stand resolute in our commitment to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people. By divesting our communities from Israel, we will work to prevent the Israeli government from repeating these atrocities and support Palestinian liberation. Through our Boycott War Profiteers campaign, we have worked over the last 6 months to collect pledges from over 1500 community members to boycott Israeli goods and fight back against companies that have fired workers for standing up for Palestine. We have built public pressure against companies that profit from the sale of Israeli goods and bolstered support for those that stand in solidarity with Palestine. This campaign is just getting started; the global Palestinian solidarity movement isn’t going anywhere and neither are we.
You can support community divestment in the greater Seattle area by joining our Boycott War Profiteers campaign and participating in the following Boycott War Profiteers campaigns:
1. Sending an email to Artist and Craftsman Supply management to protest their firing of a worker for wearing a watermelon pin.
2. Writing to the PCC Community Markets’ Board of Directors to urge them to drop Israeli products.
3. Join the campaign to help identify supportive and antagonistic businesses, growing our organizational capacity.
Boycott and Divestment campaigns across the globe have already played an important role in bringing Israel back to the negotiating table for this ceasefire. From eroding Israel’s credit rating to shuttering thousands of Israeli businesses, Israel’s apartheid regime is more vulnerable than ever. Together, we can keep up the pressure to end Israeli apartheid over Palestine.
Onward to a free Palestine, from the river to the sea.