The ongoing genocide of Palestinians in
Gaza and West Bank including East Jerusalem by the Israel-USA-UK-France-Germany
combine must be relentlessly brought to the notice of the International
Criminal Court (ICC) till it investigates the crime on a war footing. A large
number of public protests have taken place outside The Hague headquarters of the
ICC since October 2023. Just a glimpse of some of these protests can be had:
1.
Pro-Palestine demonstrators in The Hague
urge ICC action. (Reuters, 18.10. 2023)
2.
Thousands rally in Hague to show
solidarity with Palestine. (Anadolu Ajansi, World Middle East, 29.10.2023)
3.
World condemns Israel’s war on Gaza as
it marches for Palestine. (Al Jazeera, 11.12.2023)
4.
Pro-Palestinian activists occupy
international court entry, demanding action against Israeli leader. (AP News,
23.10.2023)
5.
Mass Protest in The Hague calls out
Israeli war crimes. (Unicorn Riot, 01.11.2023)
6.
How a pro-Palestine protest turned into
a chase. (Mare-online, 11.11.2023)
7.
Dutch civil servants call for Gaza cease
fire in rare protest. (The New Indian Express, 21.12.2023)
8.
Pro-Palestine protests walk 21km ‘Nakba
March’ to the ICC. (Middle East Monitor, 18.12.2023)
Going through these and other protests
covered by the media I got the feeling that the ICC headquarters at The Hague
has been converted to what activists in India get to see at the national
protest site Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Activists from any part of the world
working in any sphere of life e.g. gender; sexuality; caste/race; communalism
(the Indian face of racism); trade union could individually or through their
parent organization join this campaign. A simple way of showing solidarity with
Palestinians is to send an email to the ICC asking for the ongoing enquiry initiated
at the behest of several countries, professional bodies e.g. Reporters Without
Borders or RSF, NGOs and individuals to be conducted on a war footing. See
statement of the Prosecutor of the ICC here.
True, the ICC is bourgeoisie institute
and not much is expected out of it; equally true this can still be used even as
efforts by socialists/communists organizations have been continuing for long to
prepare and mobilize the working class for a revolutionary change. Comrades
swearing by Marx and Lenin are right about the need for a revolutionary change.
This need is greater today as right wing forces have raised their ugly heads
globally. However for the present civil society organizations should be seen as
allies in the quest for justice for Palestinians. In any case mass protests are
ongoing globally; the UN is doing its bit though facing veto by the USA. The
sympathies of the world are with the Palestinians.
[P.S.
Sahni is a qualified orthopaedic surgeon. He has worked extensively at
India-Bangladesh border during the Bangladesh Liberation War resulting in 1971
Bangladesh Genocide of Hindus; the victims of Sikh Genocide in 1984; and amongst
victims of 1992 anti-Muslim violence.
Blogs: https://pilwatchgroup.blogspot.com/ ]
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