Half a century has passed since the war launched by Israel in June 1967, which resulted in the occupation of the whole of historic Palestine as well as territories of Syria and Egypt.
To the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians which accompanied the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and led to many hundreds of thousands of refugees, the 1967 war was followed by a new wave of Palestinian refugees, many of whom are still living in refugee camps scattered throughout the region.
The illegal and criminal occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem continues in various forms to this day. An occupation marked by daily violence against the Palestinian people. By murders, prisons and torture - clearly seen in the recent hunger strike by some 1,500 Palestinian political prisoners imprisoned in Israeli dungeons. By the systematic destruction of houses, villages and tilled fields, and the subsequent expulsion of the Palestinian population. By the unending expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.
By Israel's construction of the wall of apartheid which meanders through the occupied Palestinian territories. By Israel's continuing wars and aggressions against neighbouring countries and even the threat of the use of its nuclear weapon - which make Israel a permanent destabilizing factor and an instrument of imperialist aims, namely in the Middle East.
The PCP reiterates on this occasion its long lasting solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people for their inalienable national rights. It salutes the organisations of the Palestinian national movement, whose unity - in which it is fair to point out the historical role of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) - is an essential factor to achieve the just and legitimate goals of the struggle of the Palestinian people.
Salutes the courageous citizens and Israeli forces who condemn the Zionist policy of Israel and of its governments and fight for a just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. It also salutes the peace and solidarity movement with the Palestinian people in Portugal and its persevering action of information and solidarity.
The PCP will continue to intervene, including in the Assembly of the Republic and in the European Parliament, for the respect and materialisation of the national rights of the Palestinian people.
The PCP considers that the Portuguese Government is constitutionally bound to contribute to the fulfilment of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the relevant UN resolutions condemning Israel and demanding its withdrawal from the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, occupied in 1967.
There will be no justice or peace in the Middle East until the seven decade old UN commitment, reiterated in numerous subsequent resolutions, of creation of a Palestinian state is not complied - a sovereign and viable State, with the pre-1967 borders and capital in East Jerusalem, ensuring the right of return of the refugees.
05.06.2017
