Press release 6th January 2009

ABVV, sp.a and fos-socialist solidarity, condemn the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the use of disproportional violence towards the civilian population of Gaza.

On the 27th of December 2008 Israel started with an air assault on Gaza. After a couple of days, the Israeli army extended these attacks with a ground assault. Until today 537 Palestinians have been killed in these assaults, more than 2500 people have been injured. Hospitals and medical facilities are not capable of dealing with this influx of wounded people and are facing shortages of medicines and materials. Humanitarian aid is waiting at the border, but is not allowed to enter the area by Israeli authorities.

Israelclaims that its attack is meant to hit Hamas severely in order to end the launching of missiles on Israeli territory, in order to secure the safety of its own people. ABVV, sp.a and fos-socialist solidarity condemn every form of violence and call upon Hamas to end the launching of missiles. We also condemn the call to retaliation that was stated by Hamas.

These shellings however don’t give Israel the right to launch an attack on the entire population of Gaza, a region that has been subjected to a blockade since June2007. Because of this blockade the population of Gaza were already facing humanitarian crisis before the start of the assault. We condemn this collective punishment of a people, as well as the use of a disproportional amount of violence on the side of Israël. We condemn as well the use of cluster bombsand phosphorbombs by the Israeli military troops.

ABVV, sp.a and fos-socialist solidarity want to emphasise that the only way to achieve a sustainable and justified peace is the respect of the international law. This means an end of the Israeli occupation of the West bank, the Gaza strip and East Jerusalem, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in these areas and a solution to the plight of the Palestinian refugees.

In order to achieve this respect of the international law we demand from the European Union a more proactive role. The European Union is the most important partner in trade for Israel and can use this power to put the necessary pressure on the state of Israel. Therefore we demand the suspension of the EU-Association Accord with Israel, as long as they fail to respect international law.

In name of ABVV, sp.a and fos-socialist solidarity we call upon:

-an immediate end of violence and shelling, both on the side of Hamas and on the side of Israel.

-An end to the blockade of Gaza

-Immediate access to Gaza for humanitarian aid and humanitarian aid workers, through the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.

-Immediate access of press to the region

-A condemnation of the violent actby the Israeli trade union Histadrut

-The resumption of the peace process, based on international law

-The suspension of the EU association accord with Israel

On behalf of,

sp.aABVVfos-socialistische solidariteit

Dirk Van der MaelenCaroline CopersAnnuschka Vandewalle

Algemeen SecretarisAlgemeen secretaris

02/506 82 3402/552 03 01