Beyond Ceasefire: Pursue US-Israel's Accountability For Its Continuing War Crimes

Two weeks into the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the continuing war crimes of the Zionist settler-colonist have proven that clinching the deal is not enough. The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty calls upon the international community to remain vigilant and continue compelling Israel and its imperialist-backer US to abide by the truce.

PCFS recognizes that in more ways than one, the ceasefire is an urgent necessity and relief for the Palestinian people in Gaza, who have been suffering from the war and its resulting famine. The deal would not have been possible if not for the clamor of the masses all over the world.

But even at the first two hours of the deal in effect, Israel continued its air strikes on Gaza, killing 19 Palestinians. Homes of at least two freed Palestinian prisoners were raided upon their return. Thousands of displaced Palestinians returning to Northern Gaza – on foot, notwithstanding the massive destruction – were stranded for two days, blocked and shot at by Israel Defense Force that delayed opening the roads despite being part of the deal.

Whatever happens in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement determines how the second and the third will roll out. So far, Israel has never run out of excuses to forestall the truce and carry on with its war crimes. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving prime minister, has shown no remorse but rather bloodthirsty anticipation to continue their genocide should the ceasefire collapse, and that they have “the US backing to do so.”

US gets credit for warmongering, not peace

Both former US president Joe Biden and reelected Donald Trump must be slammed for claiming credit for this long-overdue ceasefire. For years, they have enabled Israel's war crimes and occupation, even supplying the arms used. Their narrative of “peace mediation,” although pro-Israel in essence, was only an act to save their ugly faces especially amid the recently concluded elections in the US.

And now that Trump had taken oath and is back in power, he finally stripped off the anti-war façade he carried throughout the election period. His pronouncements to “clean out” Gaza and for the US to “take over” and “own” Gaza demonstrate his all-out support to the Zionist occupation. His order to release 2,000 pounds of explosives and rockets to Israel are clear indications that he is no different from any of his predecessors in warmongering and profiteering from it. The US withdrawal in the United Nations Human Rights Council, its continuing ban to fund UNRWA, and the sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court are political offensives to skirt accountability.

PCFS strongly condemns these actions, including the lifting of sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

West Bank crackdown

Since Trump canceled the sanctions, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the West Bank. In Jenin, Israeli settlers set homes and establishments ablaze hours after the sanctions were lifted. Military raids under operation “Iron Wall” have killed at least 12, several injured, and thousands displaced.

Even since the announcement of the ceasefire deal, mass arrests have been taking place. At least 95 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank were arbitrarily incarcerated. The deadly raids have also targeted refugee camps and blown up Palestinian homes, forcibly displacing more than 26,000 Palestinians since December.

Throughout the occupation and more so since the genocidal war was launched, West Bank has been under immense repression from Israeli settlers and military. They have disrupted the agricultural production of the Palestinian farmers in the homeland by restricting their mobility, uprooting their olive trees, burning their farmlands, and destroying their crops, among many other forms of human rights violations. PCFS raises the alarm on the escalating attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Continuing turmoil in Lebanon and the rest of WANA

Precedent to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal is Israel’s 60-day ceasefire deal with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, effective 27 November 2024. Like what is currently happening in Gaza, Israel violated the terms of the agreement as if it has never been in place. At best, it only decreased the number of daily attacks in South Lebanon.

Throughout the truce period, hundreds of Israeli ground incursions and aerial attacks have been documented, with at least 90 killed. Demolitions of civilian infrastructure and farmlands in border villages continued, with some declared as “no-go zones.” Israeli forces opened fire at Lebanese residents who returned to their villages on the ceasefire’s last day, with at least 22 Lebanese were killed and 124 wounded. Contrary to the terms of the agreement, Israeli troops were never pulled out.

Regardless of the deal’s extension to mid-February, our Coalition stands: if Israel is failing to follow this ceasefire through with Lebanon, we do not expect them to do so with Palestine considering that it has been the center of their political interest and genocidal occupation for the longest time.

Beyond the Palestinian and Lebanese farmlands, the US-backed aggression of Israel has severely exacerbated food insecurity in the WANA region. Agricultural workers in Lebanon suffer from the remnants of explosives polluting their lands. US-imposed sanctions aggravated food shortages which worsens the humanitarian crisis in Syria. All these expose the attempt of the imperialist US, with the help of its staunch partner Israel, to gain greater economic and political control over the WANA region.

Our calls

We remain firm as these developments unfold: the Zionist Israel must be held accountable for waging an extermination war against the Palestinian people for over a century, with the imperialist US and complicit allies for their military, financial, and political support.

We should persist in exposing and opposing US-Israel’s violations and schemes, including the weaponization of starvation among their many other war crimes, and demand justice from these. Furthermore, we urge to constantly assert pressure at all sides possible for Israel to respect and implement its ceasefire deals as stipulated, and eventually end its genocidal war and occupation of Palestine.

At the immediate, humanitarian aid in Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon should be ensured and continued unconditionally given the strong likelihood of famine. In addition, Palestinians should be supported and provided with resources to continue their food production toward addressing the skyrocketing needs of its population.

We urge encouraging the initiatives and collective efforts of people’s organizations and support green resistance movements to combat famine and blockade, such as The Revive Gaza's Farmland campaign.

Lastly, let us take off from this victory of sealing the ceasefire through our continued support of the Palestinian resistance in all its forms and amplifying our broad solidarity toward the downfall of Israel’s genocidal war and occupation. ###

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