For immediate release
September 25, 2025
Barcelona — Governments and mass movements around the world are moving in step to isolate and condemn Israel as its ground invasion of Gaza City and threats to fully annex the West Bank intensify amidst the genocide which has continued for almost two years. This marks a turning point globally as the UN General Assembly (UNGA) moves forward to decide inhumanely late on the question of Palestinian statehood this week.
In Italy, what was originally planned to be a strike led by dockworkers in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla for Palestine if they were attacked yet again by Israel has widened to a one-day general strike to shut down important industries and sectors in solidarity with Palestine. Their aim is to put pressure on the Meloni administration to recognize Palestinian statehood like countries in the Global North like France, the UK, Australia, and others have at the UNGA this week. This comes after almost two years of massive protests across the world with millions of people pressuring their governments to withdraw their support from the Israel’s genocide in Gaza and occupation of Palestine in general.
Critics argue that while this appears to be a step in distancing themselves from the genocide, most of these governments have continued their economic, political, and military ties with Israel. They also argue that this recognition of Palestinian statehood does not go far enough, as a two-state solution legitimizes the 77 year Israeli occupation and fundamentally denies the Palestinians the right to self-determination, as many of these aforementioned countries also demand a demilitarized state despite the increasing attacks by Israel with the full backing of the United States.
“Palestine and the Palestinian people have a right to resist,” states Azra Talat Sayeed, the Secretary General of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), “not only because of the current genocide and ecocide happening in Palestine, but also in resistance to the ongoing occupation by Israel since 1947. The Palestinian Authority agreeing to complete demilitarization to distance themselves from the resistance and gain recognition in the UN will not stop the genocide and occupation.”
In addition, the issue of the right of the Palestinian people to their land is not being addressed despite over 98.5% of Gaza’s farmland being decimated and the active plans of Israel to annex the West Bank particularly for their land. “Third party governments are failing to address the forced starvation imposed by Israel and the United States, let alone the occupation of Palestine which is at the heart of the problem,” Sayeed added.
People’s movements across the world have raged on to highlight the root cause of the genocide and forced starvation, which is the Israeli occupation. There have been marches every day both in the Global North and South, and workers’ strikes actively blockading arms from Israel used to bomb schools and hospitals. The Global Sumud Flotilla, with participants from dozens of countries, continues its attempt to deliver humanitarian aid and penetrate through the genocidal blockade, undeterred by yet another attack on September 23rd by Israeli drones. For almost two years, the people have been demanding their governments to cut all ties with Israel, be it an arms embargo, shutting down Israeli embassies, or enacting sanctions.
As an addition to the peoples’ struggle for Palestine, ILPS with the Peoples’ Coalition on Food Sovereignty and the International People’s Front are convening an International People’s Tribunal for Palestine in Barcelona on November 22nd-23rd. It is also endorsed by many other organizations such as the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) and Palestine Land Studies Centre for Development and Belonging. The Tribunal will charge Israel and the United States with the crimes of ecocide and forced starvation alongside showing the right of the Palestinian people to resist by any means necessary under international humanitarian law, supporting the peoples’ movement in solidarity with Palestine and pressuring governments to go further in their condemnations than they have at the UNGA by taking material and diplomatic actions such as enacting an arms embargo and shutting down Israeli embassies.
For media inquiries, contact Rithik Hemanth at [email protected]
