08/06/2024
๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ง๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐
We, the Mindanao Parliamentary Debate Union (MPDU), Visayas Debate Union (VDU), Eastern Visayas Debate Union (EVDU), and Visayas-Mindanao Debate Union (VMDU), stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn the ongoing occupation, oppression, and human rights abuses perpetrated against them.
In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The result was the establishment of the state of Israel, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who became refugees. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories has now lasted for over 55 years, since the 1967 Six-Day War when Israel seized control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. This prolonged military occupation has devastated the lives of millions of Palestinians.
In the West Bank, Israel has constructed a network of illegal settlements, roads, and checkpoints that fragment Palestinian land and restrict the movement of Palestinians. In Gaza, Israel maintains a suffocating blockade that has turned the coastal enclave into what has been described as the world's largest open-air prison. The blockade, combined with repeated military assaults, has crippled Gaza's economy and left the population dependent on humanitarian aid.
The human rights situation is dire, with routine incidents of home demolitions, land confiscations, violent crackdowns on protests, and extrajudicial killings by the Israeli military. Palestinian children are particularly vulnerable, with hundreds killed and thousands detained and abused in Israeli custody over the years.
Today, the people of Palestine continue to face systematic discrimination, military occupation, and violations of their fundamental human rights. They are denied basic freedoms of movement, speech, and access to resources, while Israeli settlements on Palestinian land continue to expand. The brutality of the assault was captured in horrific scenes, such as Israeli snipers shooting unarmed protesters, and the military bulldozing Palestinian homes with families still inside. Doctors reported dealing with the worst casualties they had seen in years, with victims sustaining debilitating injuries from explosive munitions. Over 36,000 Palestinians have been reported killed since the beginning of the recent hostilities. Additionally, 85% of Gaza's population, roughly 2.4 million people, have been displaced, leading to severe humanitarian crises.
We call on the international community and the Philippine Government to take concrete action to end the occupation, protect the rights of the Palestinian people, and work towards a just and lasting peace. This includes:
* ๏ปฟ๏ปฟDemanding that Israel comply with international law and end the occupation of Palestinian territories
* ๏ปฟ๏ปฟProviding humanitarian aid and support to Palestinian refugees and communities under occupation
* ๏ปฟ๏ปฟImposing economic and diplomatic pressure on Israel to cease its violations of human rights
* ๏ปฟ๏ปฟDemanding the United States of America to withdraw its role in the apartheid and discontinue its $12.5 billion military aid to Israel.
* ๏ปฟ๏ปฟSupporting Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state
The struggle for Palestinian freedom is a just cause, and we stand in unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people in their fight for justice, dignity, and self-determination. We will continue to advocate for their rights and to work towards ending this genocide.
