The CPUSA expresses its growing alarm and concern at the horrific violence in Palestine and Israel over the weekend.

We join with the Communist Party of Israel, the Democratic Front for Equality and Peace (Hadash), our fraternal parties in Palestine and other democratic and progressive forces around the world in placing full responsibility on Israel’s government for this weekend’s rapid escalation of military confrontation between Hamas and Israeli forces.

The U.S. government is the main contributor to Israel’s military budget to the tune of $3.3 billion this year alone and also bears responsibility for the escalation. Adding to the danger and the region’s instability, the U.S. continues to broker unprincipled alliances and economic agreements between Israel’s reactionary anti-democratic apartheid-like state on one side, and the right-wing Arab monarchies on the other. The repressive political regimes of these two sets of states mirror one another. Their machinations undercut the Palestinian struggle for human rights and political sovereignty while bolstering U.S. political, economic and military supremacy in the region.

In a joint statement, the CP of Israel and Hadash cite provocations – not reported in mainstream US news sites – during the week leading up to the Hamas attack on Israeli territory.

Settlers, they report, were allowed to run amok throughout the occupied territories under the auspices of the Israeli government. “They desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque and carried out another pogrom in Huwara,” they wrote. “Settlers” refers to the hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who have been settled on illegally confiscated Palestinian territory. This has been done under the sponsorship of the Israeli government, contrary to international law.

The reference to Huwara refers to a mob of hundreds of Israeli settlers marching on the town of Hawara torching cars and homes while the Israeli army stood by. The attacks by Hamas were the result, not the cause of this week’s escalation. “This escalation endangers the entire region in a regional and dangerous war – which the right-wing government has been fueling since its first day,” says the Israeli CP.

In the months leading up to this week’s escalation 250 Palestinians, including 47 children, were killed this year alone. As is well known, Netanyahu’s right-wing government was on shaky ground. It was losing support for its anti-democratic measures undermining the country’s Supreme Court.

But with his declaration of war against the Gazan population, Benjamin Netanyahu takes advantage of Hamas’s attack to call on the Jewish people to rally round his fascist administration to fight a war against Palestinians.

The CPUSA joins the CPI and Hadash in decrying civilian deaths. The CPI and Hadash write “even in difficult days like this – we repeat and voice an unequivocal condemnation of any harm to innocent civilians, and call for their removal from the bloodshed. We send our condolences to all the families of the victims of the occupation, Arabs and Jews alike.”

“Today’s events show the dangerous direction the Netanyahu government and the settlers are leading the entire region, and emphasize once again that there is no way to manage the conflict or resolve it militarily,” they continue.

“There is only one solution: End the occupation. Recognize the legitimate demands and rights of the Palestinian people. The end of the occupation and the establishment of a just peace are a distinct and common interest of the two peoples in this country.” Peace in Israel/Palestine requires justice. UN resolutions must be more than paper. Security must be guaranteed, not just for Israelis but equally for Palestinians. All human rights, all rights of full citizenship, all rights of return must be implemented.

The CPUSA reaffirms, side by side with our fraternal parties in Israel and Palestine and indeed the world Communist and Workers movement, the need for a political solution and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and a homeland.

The CPUSA demands the Biden Administration act now to end the war and help bring about a political solution that upholds the rights of the Palestinian people. This must include ending military support to Israel. We call on the people of our country to make their feelings known in every way possible including protests.

War is hell as the events leading up to and over the weekend amply testify. Civilians, children, the elderly, and disabled are its most glaring victims. We too mourn the loss of innocent life and urgently call for unity of all who aspire for peace and democracy: citizen and non-citizen, Palestinian and Jewish, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, LGBTQ and straight, to make their feelings known.

We call on all peace loving and progressive people around the world to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.