Palestinian Freedom from Occupation

1. The ongoing assault on Gaza constitutes one of the gravest crimes of our time. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority civilians, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed, basic infrastructure annihilated, and famine deliberately imposed. What we are witnessing is not a tragic accident of war, but the systematic destruction of a people.
2. IUSY recognises that the situation in Gaza must be understood in the context of decades of occupation, apartheid policies, blockade, and illegal settlements imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people. Thirty years after the Oslo Accords, Palestinians are further from freedom and self-determination than ever before.
3. The current war on Gaza Strip has crossed every red line of international humanitarian law. The use of starvation as a weapon, the targeting of civilians, journalists, healthcare workers, and UN facilities, and the mass displacement of the population amount to genocidal acts, as recognised in the case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice.
4. Israel’s actions must also be understood politically: they aim to entrench occupation, prevent Palestinian statehood, and destabilise the region through permanent war and collective punishment.

IUSY therefore demands that:

5. That all social democratic governments worldwide immediately recognise Palestine as an independent state.
6. That all social democratic governments implement economic, academic, political, and cultural boycotts of Israel until a genuine peace agreement establishes a two-state solution with a free, contiguous, and independent Palestine.
7. The international community impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including arms embargoes, economic measures, and diplomatic consequences, until international law is respected.
8. All political and military leaders responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza are held individually accountable, and that international justice mechanisms are fully supported, including the International Criminal Court’s investigations and South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice.
9. An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire is enforced, alongside unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.
10. The blockade of Gaza and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory come to an immediate end.
11. The international community takes responsibility for the full reconstruction of Gaza, under Palestinian ownership and control, with long-term funding for housing, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
12. Palestine is recognised as an independent state by all states that have not yet done so, on the basis of international law and Palestinian self-determination.
13. No weapons, surveillance technology, or military equipment produced or traded internationally are used in the ongoing destruction of Gaza.
14. Freedom, peace, and security cannot be built on occupation, apartheid, and mass violence. The Palestinian people have an undeniable right to live in dignity, freedom, and self-determination. International solidarity now requires action—not silence, double standards, or impunity.