At the 39th Congress of the Communist Party of Sweden, the following statement in solidarity with the Palestinian people was adopted:
The oppression of the Palestinian people is nothing new. It has been going on since the Nakba—the catastrophe—when Palestinians were driven from their homes 77 years ago. But since the Israeli terror was unleashed on Gaza and the Palestinian people a year and a half ago, the oppression has escalated into outright genocide, with tens of thousands of people, many of them children, losing their lives as a direct result of the occupation war.
The death toll is actually much higher: tens of thousands have died due to lack of medical care, medicine shortages, and other deprivations. Even more have seen their lives shattered and homes destroyed. The entire population of Gaza now suffers under the siege imposed by the terrorist Israeli forces, leaving the whole population on the brink of starvation.
Israel’s actions are barbaric, aimed at the displacement and genocide of the entire population of Gaza. There is no justification for the torture now inflicted on millions of Palestinians, and communists worldwide stand in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.
On October 7th, two years ago, forces mainly associated with Hamas entered Israel—but the war did not begin that day. It began decades earlier, with the Israeli occupation and displacement of the Palestinian people. Nakba—the great catastrophe—was the turning point, when the Zionist movement launched a massive campaign of forced displacement that has fuelled the region’s suffering ever since. October 7th is like a moment in time compared to the long-term suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people, and it only is one link in a long chain of oppression. We therefore reject any attempt to frame the current suffering as beginning with the events of October 7th.
The international communist movement has long supported the demand for a two-state solution—that is, the establishment of two equal Palestinian and Israeli states. This position is based on the understanding that it is the most effective way to ease the conflict and the rampant nationalism on both sides, creating space for social issues to come to the forefront. It is also the most immediate and practical way to halt the ongoing genocide and provide the Palestinian people with a moment to breathe.
The 39th Congress of the Communist Party of Sweden reaffirms its support for this demand as a necessary first step toward resolving the horrific situation endured by millions of people in the region.
Knowing that the conflict will not resolve itself, the communists of Sweden and their party send their message of solidarity to the people and communists of both Palestine and Israel, because only they can force a solution that serves the working people of the region. We also salute the courage they show every day in a struggle that is anything but easy.
Long live the Palestinian people’s struggle and resistance!
Communist Party of Sweden
