The Council of the Socialist International, meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, on 1-3 March, 2017, held discussions based on the theme “for a world in peace, with equality and solidarity”. This includes the Question of Palestine, that this year marks anniversaries, including 100 years of the Balfour Declaration and 50 years of the 1967 occupation, that reaffirm the urgent need to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Recalling its previous declarations of the SI, in particular the SI Councils in New York in June 2010, in Istanbul in November 2013, on December 2014, in July 2015, and in Geneva, July 2016.
SI Reaffirms its support for the two-state solution, ending the Israeli occupation and reaching a just and lasting peace based in international law
- 1. Reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine on the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and reaffirms its commitment, in accordance with international law, to bringing a complete end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian state that started in 1967 in order to achieve the two- state solution, as two sovereign and democratic states for all their citizens, as well as a solution to all final status issues, including the refugee issue, based on international law and UN resolutions.
- 2. Welcomes the French Efforts for a multilateral frame for the Middle East Peace Process, based on international law and UN resolutions. Such efforts must include a clear timeframe, terms of reference based on international law and a mechanism of implementation, including accountability.
- 3. Recognizes the Arab Peace Initiative as the only possible regional framework for normalization of relations between Israel and the rest of the region once a final status agreement between Israel and Palestine is achieved, fulfilling the internationally recognized rights of the Palestinian people under international law.
- 4. Calls upon the US administration to express its unequivocal support for the two-state solution on the 1967 border, reaffirming the illegality of Israeli settlements and the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, freedom, security, justice and equality. Also calls upon the US Administration not to take actions that go against UN resolutions and that reward the anti- peace agenda of the Israeli government, including moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
SI Calls for the full implementation of International Humanitarian Law
- 5. Demands from Israel, the occupying power, the full implementation of its obligations under international law, including the IV Geneva Convention. We also call upon the international community to take concrete steps in order to protect the civilian population affected by grave violations of international humanitarian law.
- 6. Condemns all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of all the territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including inter alia, the construction and expansion of Israeli settlements, a violation of international law, including the illegal Annexation Wall as well as the Israeli policy of home demolitions of Palestinians, as well as all policies of forcible displacement of civilians. We demand a total cessation of such activities.
- 7. Calls for the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2334, of December 23rd 2016, that reaffirms the illegality of Israeli settlements, by taking concrete measures against Israel’s colonial- settlement enterprise in Occupied Palestine, such as banning settlement products, including services, supporting Palestinian communities under threat and supporting the efforts to issue a public list of companies that profit from the Israeli colonial-settlement project in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
SI calls to end the blockade of Gaza and to release political prisoners
- 8. Demands an end to the illegal blockade against 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. It also calls for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners, including elected members of the Palestinian Parliament such as the member of the Fatah Central Committee Marwan Barghouthi, as well as all administrative detainees and children.
SI supports the role of Israeli, Palestinian and International Human Rights Organizations
- 9. Salutes the efforts of progressive sectors within Israel, including civil society groups such as Btselem and Breaking the Silence, that have been targets of vicious attacks and persecution from the current Israeli government.
- 10. Denounces threats against Palestinian civil society groups, particularly Al Haq, for their involvement with the International Criminal Court. We also condemn the difficulties imposed by Israel against the work of international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch.
- 11. Calls upon all SI members to support the work of Palestinian and Israeli Civil Society groups working for a just and lasting peace, including the implementation of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
SI Calls upon the Israeli Government to end its discrimination against its non-Jewish population
- 12. Calls upon the Israeli Parliament to revoke in its entirety dozens of discriminatory laws against its Arab-Palestinian citizens that compose over 20% of Israel’s population, particularly the Citizenship Law that has divided thousands of families only because of their Arab, Christian or Muslim origin. We express our concern over the situation of the non-Jewish citizens of Israel, including the threat of demolishing their homes and villages, such as the demolition of Um-Al- Hiran village in the Naqab/Negev area.
SI Calls upon its members to take action: End the Israeli Occupation and Recognize the State of Palestine
- 13. Calls upon all governments that haven’t recognized the State of Palestine on the 1967 border, and particularly those led by members of SI, to do so as an investment in peace between Israelis and Palestinians, saving the two-state solution and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
- 14. SI calls upon all its members to present, help and adopt in their national parliaments, resolutions calling to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine that began in June 1967.
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