By Ângelo Alves

"To Recognize Palestine"

Translated "Avante!" article by Ângelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee and of the International Department

Shortly, the Parliament will discuss the recognition of the State of Palestine’s issue. Several resolution projects – among which one of the PCP – have in common the intention of making the Portuguese government, what already 135 governments throughout the world have done – recognize the State of Palestine.

The recognition of the State of Palestine’s process holds political and symbolic value. The fact that the majority of the UN members took on the decision of the recognition, is important for the people’s struggle. But, at the same time, one must not rest. It ought to be a mistake to consider that such a recognition, in itself, would be considered as an advance in the people of Palestine’s struggle. Not in the least. It signifies but one more instrument to proceed the struggle for national rights of the people of Palestine before their homeland, at an international level, independent and sovereign, towards its State, built within the former 1967 boarders, the capital in Jerusalem East, and the right of the return of million of refugees, expelled from their lands during the successive war waves, annexation and occupation by Israel.

The Palestinian issue is more and more complex and difficult, and contrarily of what could be expected, the recognition of the State of Palestine, even by the European Union members, does not alter in anything the hypocrisy and complicity which characterize the wrongly named “ international community”. One ought to recall last Summer and the impunity of how Israel launched an authenticable carnage along the Gaza Strip, proving what was described above.
Translated "Avante!" article by Ângelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee and of the International Department

Therefore, that recognition must be accompanied by transparency when considering the recognition of the State of Palestine. Many will insist in the two states issue ( Israel and Palestine) and their peaceful coexistence, alias a coexistence expressed in numerous United Nations resolutions ( namely the 181), and that the Palestinians have always respected and Israel has never. Independently from hypocrisy which leads some to consider the latter as the central issue, currently the truth holds an enormous importance, but in the opposite direction. In other words, the question “ is Israel in the disposition of coexisting peacefully with Palestine?”, acquires a blatant accuracy.

Firstly, and because year upon year, war upon war, annexation upon annexation, Israel has proceeded with impunity, a policy of systematic occupation, colonization, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
Secondly, because Israel’s home and external policy evolution has proved, more and more, that it does not intend “ to exchange land for peace”. On the contrary. In the external level, Israel launches new provocations, with the recent bombing over Syria’s capital outskirts or, the support to the Islamic State terrorists ,which carry on creating chaos and violence within Syria, alias, confirmed by UN’s reports. At internal level, and considering the Palestinian issue, the latest developments confirm a greater radical and Fascist swift. Netanyahu, on presenting his “ Jewish State Fundamental Law”, a kind of Jewish Shari, signs down an internal racist provocation agenda, that together with successive provocations in the West Bank and together with the war in Gaza, intents to create an insecurity situation in order to consolidate the occupation and colonization, and advance towards the expelling of Israel’s Arab minority and those of the occupied territories. The Knesset’s dissolution ( Israeli’s parliament) and the schedule of anticipated elections for March next serves that agenda, proving that what is in stake with that manoeuvre is the total abandoning of any perspective of peace and peaceful coexistence between two states.

The Israeli people, who are also a victim of this policy, ought to contradict such trends. And meanwhile, only but a clear attitude and unequivocal solidarity with Palestine, ought to prevent Israel to accomplish new crimes against the people of Palestine, forcing the Zionist power to respect the international legality. And that is indeed, to recognize Palestine.

Original version in Avante!

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