War on Gaza: a review of articles
As we write this page, the war of Israel on Gaza has been going on for 112 days. We, at Defending Peasants’ Rights, want to show our solidarity with the people in Palestine. With this page we want to put forward some of the articles monitoring this war and the violations of human rights it brings. It should always be reasserted that people have a right to peace and safety, they have a right to food. We reassert that peasants have rights: to land, to seeds, to water, to food sovereignty and to feed their community.
Peasantry in Palestine have been steadily destroyed by Israel since the Nakba. Today, more than ever, the hope for food sovereignty for the Palestinian people seems impossible. So, we modestly contribute by spreading the words of solidarity and outrage of La Via Campesina and others.
La Via Campesina’s Statement on the Historic ICJ Ruling Regarding Genocide in Gaza
by La Via Campesina
(Bagnolet: January 26, 2023) Today marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice and accountability, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a historic ruling in response to a petition from the Government of South Africa. The ruling investigates allegations of genocide committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing war, which has tragically resulted in over 26,000 Palestinian casualties, including more than 64,000 injuries and thousands missing, predominantly women and children.
La Via Campesina welcomes this pivotal decision by the ICJ, considering it a historic victory for the rights of the Palestinian people and a crucial first step towards holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its persistent crimes and evasion of punishment. The ICJ’s binding orders include instructing Israeli occupation to ensure access to humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population, prevent acts that fall within the scope of genocide, prevent, and punish direct and public incitement to commit genocide, take effective measures to prevent destruction of evidence related to allegations of genocide, and report back on the measures taken to implement the court’s orders within one month. To read more click here.
The Ongoing Genocide in Gaza: A Call for Immediate Global Action!
by La Via Campesina
(Bagnolet, January 25, 2023) As the war waged by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip enters its 106 days, La Via Campesina stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza, who are enduring an unimaginable humanitarian crisis. This war of annihilation has resulted in over 25,000 casualties, more than 62,000 injured, and over 8,000 missing – a staggering 4% of Gaza’s population. This alarming statistic paints a horrifying picture of the situation in Gaza, a region where life’s essential elements have vanished, leaving its people in a relentless search for safety.
Further compounding this dire situation is the blockade at the Rafah crossing. Over 15,000 trucks loaded with desperately needed food, water, and medical supplies are prevented from entering Gaza. Only a few hundred trucks have been allowed passage, leaving most stranded at the border. This blockade represents a shameful use of starvation as a weapon against civilians, a blatant violation of human rights. To read more click here.
Access to Food in Gaza: The Bleak Intersection of Genocide and Food Inaccessibility
by Union of Agricultural Work Commitments (UAWC) – Palestine
(October, 24th, 2023) The ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip has reached alarming proportions, with its impact echoing far beyond its immediate geographic confines. At the core of this escalating disaster is the fundamental human right to food—a right that is now perilously under threat for the Palestinian residents of Gaza.
Historically, Gaza has been an epicenter of rich agricultural production, feeding not only its own residents but also serving as a vital food resource in the region. But the recent waves of Israeli aggression and sustained blockades have crippled this once-thriving sector. The disruption of essential imports, coupled with the inaccessibility to local farmlands due to conflict, has left the people of Gaza with dwindling food resources. To read more click here.
Agrarian Annihilation: Israel’s war on Gaza is war upon both land and people
By Paul Kohlbry
As of this writing, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians. The bombing and ground invasion has displaced 1.9 million people, accounting for 85% of Gaza’s population, and damaged or destroyed 40,000 structures,18% of all structures in the territory. The assault is making the Gaza Strip truly uninhabitable, with some Israeli officials openly expressing their hope to permanently remove as many Palestinians as possible from Gaza and resettle them elsewhere. This is a genocidal war, one in which a second Palestinian Nakba (‘catastrophe’) is well underway.
This is war upon both land and people. According to UN analysis of satellite imagery, 18% of Gaza’s arable land has “experienced a substantial decline in health and density” as a result of the bombardment. In North Gaza, where the first phase of the assault has been concentrated, 39% of arable land has been damaged. The destruction of entire neighborhoods is likely wiping out home gardens, rooftop farms, and agroecological experiments in Gaza’s dense urban areas. The war has shattered Gaza’s food system, with 93% of the population “facing crisis levels of hunger, with insufficient food and high levels of malnutrition.” To read more on Agrarian Conversations click here.
