Ethnic cleansing in Palestine; a call for action

Lebanon Feminist Civil Society Platform

Signatories’ statement: Ethnic cleansing in Palestine; a call for action

We, the members of the Lebanon Feminist Civil Society Platform[1] and who are the signatories to this statement have been following with grave concern the recent and repeated escalation of violence against Palestinians residing in Gaza and other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli occupation forces. This is not the first of such attacks against Palestinians, but rather a reiteration of the state of Israel’s policy of ethnic cleansing.  While we understand that a ceasefire agreement has now been reached, we realize that aggressions against Palestinians as well as land grabbing continue unabated.  In addition, this ceasefire does not constitute any guarantee for safety and security for Palestinian people.

As members of the Lebanon Civil Society Feminist Platform, we are joined together by our intersectional feminist values and a deep commitment to the indivisibility, inalienability, and universality of rights. In the situation of Palestine, the unequal power relation, the brutal military force used, the impunity that the Israeli occupation still enjoys, and an overall systemic media blackout has meant that no Palestinian is safe, not even those who are wounded and being transported by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances. Needless to say that all these brutal practices are in violation of human rights treaties and conventions which should be adhered to by all member states of the United Nations, some of whom are enabling these violations through arm sales, or through simply dismissing the rights of Palestinian people.

The issue of Palestine is a feminist issue. Women, non-binary individuals, girls and other vulnerable groups are subjected to regular deployment of political violence by Israel, such as arbitrary arrests, imprisonment, sexual violence, and endangerment of Palestinian survivors and victims of domestic violence perpetrated by Israeli officials. 

As intersectional feminists, we stand with Palestinians in the fight for freedom, justice, equity and full equality. 

As signatories to the Feminist Charter, we demand the following:

1. An internationally imposed mechanism to guarantee an end to violence and brutality by Israeli forces
2. The recognition of the right to safety and security of Palestinians
3. Safeguarding Palestinians in their homes and communities and ending forced evictions 
4. Rebuilding the Covid-19 healthcare facilities and impacted hospitals and infrastructure and providing meanwhile the necessary immediate alternatives 
5. Immediate support to feminist organizations including material support and long-term mental health support
6. An explicit role by the International Community and especially progressive politicians in disallowing their states from supporting Israel’s massacres of Palestinians and pushing the Zionist agenda
7. Holding the IDF responsible for breaking over 60 UN Resolutions

Although no lasting just solutions can be envisioned without a free Palestine, we believe that these immediate measures can and should take place to end the current acts of ethnic cleansing and end the violence by halting the international supply of armament and supplies that have no other use but to harm and kill Palestinian people.  

Beirut, May 25th, 2021

The signatories to this statement

Abaad – Resource Center for Gender Equality

Abnaa Saida Al Balad Association

Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality – AFE

Arab Institute for Human Rights – Lebanon Branch

Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities – AOPD

Collective for Research & Training on Development Action – CRTDA

Dar Al Amal

Fe-Male

Haven for Artists

Helem

Joumana Haddad Freedoms Center

Justice Without Frontiers – JWF

Fifty Fifty

Kafa

Khateera

Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections – LADE

Lebanon Family Planning Association for Development & Family Empowerment- LFPADE

Lebanese League for Women in Business

Lebanese Union of People with Physical Disabilities

Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering / Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises – RDFL

Marsa Sexual Health Center

National Association for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Lebanon

Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organization

SIDC (Soins Infirmiers et Developpement Communautaire)

Women Now For Development

[1] The Lebanon Feminist Platform is a gathering of 50+ feminist organisations working in Lebanon and was initiated by UN Women following the August 4^th 2020 explosion.