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2023 November 1 - 7 TOP3 [WORLD]

JCP calls on governments concerned to work to stop genocide in Gaza

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on November 6 issued a statement titled, “Stop genocide in Gaza – a call on governments concerned to work for a halt to military attacks and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza”.

The JCP on this day sent the statement to the Embassy of Israel and the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Tokyo along with 35 diplomatic missions in Tokyo which include the embassies of UN Security Council permanent member countries, G20 member states, and ASEAN countries. The JCP also sent copies of the statement to five regional organizations, including the Arab League in Egypt, in addition to the UN Secretary-General, the president of the UN General Assembly, UNHCR, and two other UN organizations.

The full text of Shii’s statement is as follows:

Stop genocide in Gaza – a call on governments concerned to work for a halt to military attacks and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

November 6, 2023
Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair
Member of the House of Representatives
Shii Kazuo

Large scale military attacks by Israel in Palestine’s Gaza strip have pushed the humanitarian situation there into a catastrophic state, as UNICEF puts it, “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else." In order to stop the humanitarian crisis as early as possible, the Japanese Communist Party calls on all state governments and international organizations concerned to step up urgent efforts demanding a halt to the Israeli military attacks on Gaza and an immediate ceasefire.

In the past few weeks, the Israeli forces have carried out large scale operations from the air, ground, and sea resulting in massive civilian casualties, including repeated air strikes in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza and missile strikes on convoys of ambulances transporting injured and sick individuals. As Israel has cut off electricity, water, food, and medicine supplies to Gaza, many civilians there are on the verge of death. Israel’s order on civilians to evacuate northern Gaza and relocate to southern Gaza has resulted in serious humanitarian disasters. In the past month, nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza and 40% of them were children, according to reports. The JCP condemns Israel’s military operations which killed many civilians and brought about enormous pain and misery there.

A group of seven United Nations human rights experts in a joint statement on the current situations in Gaza warned, “We remain convinced that the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide.” It must be pointed out that given its scale and brutality, Israeli military attacks, each of which is a war crime in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, indicate a grave danger of genocide firmly prohibited under the Genocide Convention (1948). The international community must not tolerate a genocide in Gaza.

The Gaza crisis was directly triggered by the October 7 indiscriminate attacks carried out by Hamas. Killing and injuring civilians indiscriminately is in violation of international law. The JCP denounces the act and demands an immediate release of hostages.

At the same time, as the backdrop to the current situation, the following historical facts must be pointed out: Since 1967 Israel has put the West Bank of the Jordan river and the Gaza Strip under occupation and expanded Jewish settlements by forcibly evicting residents from their homes; it has imposed a blockade policy against Gaza since 2007, creating inhumane situation in the area, which is dubbed as “an open air prison”; and air strikes repeatedly carried out by Israel victimized many Palestinians. It must be stressed that these are illegal acts in violation of international law and United Nations resolutions.

Israel cannot cite its right to self-defense to justify its attacks and act of genocide in Gaza with its vast military muscle.

The JCP has consistently argued that in seeking peace in the Middle East, it is necessary to make efforts in line with the following three principles as documented in relevant United Nations resolutions: (1) Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories, (2) realization of the right to self-determination which includes the Palestinians' right to establish an independent state, and (3) creation of a mutual recognition to respect the right to coexistence.

In parallel, there is no time to waste in making a breakthrough in the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

As a political party of a country whose constitution states “all peoples of the world have the right to live in peace, free from fear and want” and renounces war as means of settling international disputes, the JCP calls on all governments and international organizations concerned to take urgent measures to realize the following:
–Israel should immediately stop the ongoing military attacks in Gaza;
–Both sides should negotiate for an immediate ceasefire. They should at least abide by the October 27 United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian truce