The Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association expresses its strong solidarity with the people of Palestine who have decided with their “Operation Al Aqsa Flood” to put an end to imperialist US and Zionist Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Early morning of October 7, Palestinian resistance and fighter groups launched a massive aerial, sea, and ground attack against Israeli occupied Palestine. For over 75 years, the people of Palestine have been subjugated to systemic and widespread violation of their human rights owing to the illegal and inhumane occupation by Zionist Israel paid for by US tax dollars. In the last 16 years for example, Israel has imposed a land, air and maritime blockade and closure of the Gaza Strip and has conducted repeated military attacks rendering Gaza uninhabitable. The multi-pronged operation during a major Jewish holiday was therefore an exercise of their right to self-determination and national liberation and their right to return to their land forcibly taken away from them 75 years ago.
Under international law, the Palestinians and all oppressed peoples have legitimate right to fight for their freedom using all means, including armed resistance. The Universal Declaration of the Right of People of 1976 (Algiers Declaration), upholds “the right, if they are under subjection, to fight for their liberation” and “to break free from any colonial or foreign domination, whether direct or indirect.” The UN General Assembly in 1983, reaffirmed the “legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for their independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial demonization, apartheid, and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle.
The masses of the Filipino people, similar to the Palestinians, are therefore one in the struggle for liberation from imperialism and their struggle, using all means necessary is to be upheld as a natural right of people to revolt if they are to establish a society enjoying their sovereignty and freedom from foreign domination, democracy, justice, social equity and genuine peace. For long and under the US-Marcos-Duterte regime, the Filipino people continue to suffer as their economic, political, and cultural rights have been continuously desecrated in the same way that Palestinian human rights and dignity have been trampled upon by Israel for decades. Thus, the Palestinians, like the masses of Filipinos, are saying enough is enough. It is time to end the occupation.
Accordingly, PPFA calls on the international community, particularly the United Nations to:
- Recognize and condemn Israel’s illegal and inhuman occupation of Palestine as the root causes behind the current waves of conflict in Palestinian territory;
- Sanction Israel’s illegal occupation and oppression and demand immediate withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territory;
- Take concrete steps to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people facing retaliatory Israeli attacks.
Filipinos, stand for Palestine!
From the rivers to the sea, Palestine will be free.
End US-Zionist Israel’s occupation of Palestine! Long live international solidarity!
For additional information, please contact:
Rev. Alan Rey Sarte
Secretary General
Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association
10/10/2023
Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association 