As this is written, Israel's war on Gaza has just passed the 400 day
mark. The death toll from the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is anunderestimate, has passed 44,000. As we feared at the outset, it is a
genocide. IDF F35s rain death from the skies on civilian health and
education facilities and on residential encampments in
Israeli-designated supposed "safe zones". To every complaint, Israel's
response is the same: "Hamas was there".
The proof of Israel's genocidal intentions comes on two levels. Firstly,
its official war aim is the eradication of Hamas - but Hamas is a
political party deeply embedded in society in Gaza. If Israel killed
every Hamas member, the organisation would be refounded the next day
from amongst its supporters. Hamas cannot be eradicated from Gaza
without killing the entire population. Israel knows this, as can be
seen from its conduct in demolishing towns and villages across Gaza, as
well as its deliberate targeting of journalists and aid workers.
Secondly, Israel's genocidal intent was made clear by top Israeli
officials from the Prime Minister down from the day after the Hamas
attack on 7 October. The declared intention to impose a total siege and
prevent the entry of medicine, food and even water into Gaza, or the
repeated invocation of the Biblical story of Amalek, were signals from
the very top that the Israeli Government wanted a Gaza with no
Palestinians. The IDF ranks picked up the cue and they have been
positively boasting of their war crimes, filling social media with
evidence which, in principle, should convict them at the International
Criminal Court.
World Reaction
Countries from the global South, save India, have said the usual things.
For the most part, they have condemned and deplored Israel's actions,
but done little. Iran's allies in the region have provided minor
military support. Yemen has closed the Red Sea to shipping from Israel
and its allies, while Hezbollah in Lebanon ran a low-level campaign of
bombardment of northern Israel, aimed at forcing Israel to deploy troops
to its northern border and thus limiting the number of troops available
for Gaza. Israel escalated this conflict, with remote detonation of
explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies, followed by an invasion in
October this year.
Reaction in the West, however, was entirely different, dominated by
vociferous US support for Israel and an open cheque book of military
aid. Public reaction has forced the US and its allies, including
Australia, to cry crocodile tears over the death toll in Gaza and make
gestures in support of a ceasefire. No matter how critical of Israel's
conduct of the war they are, which in the case of the US is hardly at
all, they still support Israel's genocidal war aims. If you will the
end, you will the means.
Popular Reaction
In most Western countries, public opinion is strongly in favour of a
ceasefire, even amongst sectors which otherwise strongly support Israel.
Weekly demonstrations have been held in many large cities, including
Sydney and Melbourne. At first attendance was very large, mobilising
many people who would otherwise never attend demonstrations. Since
then, however, attendance has reduced markedly. This is not due to
public opinion turning against the people of Gaza, but out of a sense of
powerlessness.
Over the past year, people have seen that demonstrations in themselves
don't achieve anything. They merely assemble people who might do
something. Pressure on politicians has achieved little save incremental
changes to government language. In Australia, for example, the
Government has edged closer to acknowledgement of Palestinian statehood,
while not actually getting there. Meanwhile, Australia is the only
global site for manufacturing the bomb bay doors of the F35
fighter-bomber and continues to export them to the US for assembly into
a full aircraft and export to Israel.
For a few months earlier this year, there was a surge of student
encampments at universities in Western countries. These were mostly met
with repression both from the university administration and the relevant
government as well as hostility from most of the media. Launched as a
tactic to push universities to adhere to the requirements of the
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, their achievements were, in
most cases, modest. In any case, university complicity with Israeli
apartheid is a long way upstream from Israel's current genocide in Gaza.
Since the suppression of the student encampments, participation in
demonstrations or other activities of the movement have declined
dramatically. For the most part, people don't see what can be done. In
Australia, a handful express their anger by things like damaging MPs'
offices, but that's not going to get us anywhere.
Workplace Action for Palestine
In Melbourne, many Left activists saw hope in the initiative of building
an organisation called Trade Unionists for Palestine. Unfortunately,
too few saw it as a chance to build action by workers in their
workplaces. Some of the activities carried on under its banner were
worthwhile in themselves, but they were substitutes for a movement with
power in the workplace. A few affiliated union groups have done good
work, but have barely scratched the surface of what is necessary.
Western governments are not going to give up supporting Israel until
their hands are forced, while Israel will continue its genocide in Gaza
and its war in Lebanon as long it has the weapons with which to do it.
The conclusion is clear. The only way to stop the genocide in Gaza is
for workers to cut off Israel's supply chain. They must black ban all
war materiel, automobiles and oil and petroleum products bound for
Israel. Because so much of Israel's weaponry is imported, its war
effort would collapse and Israel would have to stop.
The Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group is aware that this is much
easier said than done. It requires building power at the base of the
unions and forcing those organisations to act, despite the cowardly
bureaucrats who currently preside over them. This power in the
workplace will not, though, be confined to action for Palestine. By
organising at the base, we will build unions that can fight for better
wages and conditions and fight against racism, sexism and all other
oppressions. From our position as workers in Australia, building
working class power to allow us to throw a wrench into the global war
machine is the most pertinent strategy. And the Melbourne Anarchist
Communist Group is committed to it.
TOUCH ONE, TOUCH ALL
https://melbacg.au/400-days-of-genocide/
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