By Genevieve Leigh
Millions of people throughout the world are shocked and outraged at the brutal terror bombings, ethnic cleansing and communal violence carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians in Gaza and throughout Israel over the last nearly two weeks.
In the United States, hundreds of thousands of workers and youth have participated in demonstrations against the violence and the criminal role played by US imperialism, both Democrat and Republican, in facilitating these war crimes. Rallies were held in dozens of cities across the US in the last week, including in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago and Dallas.
Elliot, a student-worker from Nashville, told the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS): “I feel very strongly about this [issue.] I think it is absolutely atrocious that Israel can get away with the systematic extermination of an entire culture and people.” He continued: “Not only can they get away with it, they are publicly funded by the US and other countries. It is a mass genocide against a people who have no chance against Israel, which is basically an arm of the American military. If we don’t act we will lose an entire culture soon.”
When asked about the Biden administration’s recent arms deal with Israel, he added, “I thought it was insane how it took months for them to approve such a small stimulus bill, but within days can fund a mass genocide.”
On May 6, just days before the onslaught on Gaza began, the Biden administration informed Congress that it approved the sale of $735 million worth of JDAM and SDB smart bombs to Israel—the very type of munitions which would rain down on the population of Gaza in the following days.
Ric, a fifth-grade teacher in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), said: “It hasn’t escaped me that the mainstream media always reports the war crimes as ‘self-defense’ but never mentions that the Palestinians are an occupied people, who have a right to resist. They also pound the fact that Hamas has fired thousands of rockets which are ineffectual, while ignoring the utter devastation of Palestinian areas by the Israelis. They never mention the war crimes Israel commits, such as targeting civilian homes, doctors, schools, critical infrastructure, the single COVID testing clinic and refugee camps. But all they ever talk about is Israel’s ‘right’ to inflict as much damage on the Palestinians as they want in the name of ‘self-defense.’”
Ric echoed the points made by other workers on the role of the Democratic Party: “On Israel, the Democrats are no better under Biden than Republicans under Trump. Basically, it’s different parties but literally the exact same policy of backing Israel, no matter how ruthless and inhumane they behave.”
“I strongly condemn the Israeli attacks on Gaza,” Luke, a state worker in San Diego, California explained to the WSWS. Luke went on to say that he feels that opposition among workers to these criminal actions are reaching a tipping point: “The seawinds are changing direction and there is overwhelming support across the globe for the rights of Palestinians. Netanyahu and the imperialist powers will hold out as long as possible, but the workers of the world understand that imperial control of Gaza is waning,” he continued.
Aryana, a San Diego State University (SDSU) student, said: “The war crimes being committed by Israel, and the US government’s direct support of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, demonstrate the shamelessness of the Democratic Party.”
“During the last election cycle, many young progressives like myself were told to ‘Settle for Biden.’ We were told he would be better than former President Trump, but his actions do not surprise many of us who anticipated for President Biden to toe the line of US imperialism,” Aryana continued.
“The blood of innocent Palestinian men, women, and children is being shed while the international community turns a blind eye. It’s abhorrent, and my heart breaks for the people of Palestine, who have no choice but to fight for basic human dignity and respect.”
On Tuesday Biden visited Dearborn, Michigan, the city with the highest percentage of Arab American residents in the United States, where he was greeted by thousands of people protesting the crimes Israel is committing with US support.
Asked if he would take a question on the conflict from a reporter as he was test-driving a new Ford truck, Biden replied, “No, you can’t. Not unless you get in front of the car as I step on it.”
Matt, a United Parcel Service (UPS) worker in Michigan, spoke out against the role of the Biden administration in facilitating Israel’s assault, saying “I have no idea what Biden’s role is; it’s moronic to help [Israel].” He added, about Biden’s hypocrisy in calling for a “ceasefire” while funding the Israeli government: “We see that all the time. Look at Coca Cola promising to be ‘green.’ It’s to save face, it’s just neoliberalism in a vain effort to fool the people.”
To the Palestinian and Israeli working class, he urged, “The government is already on verge of its own demise, if you stop working they’ll fall and hard.” He added, calling for broader political strike, “But not just them. We should be striking with them to tell our government to stop its unjust actions.”
Elizabeth Castillo, a Registered Nurse in California, sent the WSWS the following statement in opposition to the attacks on Gaza:
As a working-class nurse who believes in human rights for all people, I vehemently condemn the forced occupation of the Palestinian people, the continued dispossession of their homes and land, and the ethnic cleansing being committed by the Israeli government with the full endorsement of US imperialism. There is no comparison to be made between defenseless Palestinians and one of the most advanced war machines in the world, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The working class in the United States must not accept the war crimes being committed in our name by the ruling class of the United States and Israel. These filthy disgusting crimes against humanity are being committed by both the Democrats and Republicans with funding from taxpayer money. This is money that could have been used to help the American people through a pandemic, but instead it is helping the Israeli government murder innocent working class people and their children.
Castillo ended with a powerful call to workers throughout the US: “The American working class must unite with the global working class and stand up against these atrocities and build an antiwar, anti-imperialist movement and fight for a socialist program. We must fight against the imperialist murderous ruling class and their corporate thugs that are profiting from the genocide of the Palestinians and exploitation of the working class all over the world.”
Published at www.wsws.org
