The Council of the Socialist International, meeting at the United Nations, Geneva, on 1-2 July 2016, held discussions on the theme of international peace and security and reflected on the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
Recalling its previous declarations of the SI, in particular the SI Councils in New York in June 2010, in Istanbul in November 2013, on December 2014, and in July 2015;
Reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine on the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and reaffirms its commitment, in accordance with international law, to bringing a complete end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian state that started in 1967 in order to achieve the two-state solution, as two sovereign and democratic states for all their citizens and a just solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees on the basis of the UN resolution 194.
After more than 23 years of failing to achieve peace through the bilateral peace process, we believe that the time has come for the international community to (collectively) meet its responsibility under international law to bring an end to the occupation of the Palestinian State and all impediments to the exercise by the Palestinian people of their right to self-determination.
Recalling our 2011 Athens Council declaration on the Middle East, whereby we called for the recognition of the State of Palestine, the SI members reaffirm their commitment to:
- Support the immediate unconditional recognition of the State of Palestine on the borders of the 4th of June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.
- Support a greater international role through an international conference that will include various international actors from different regions in order to push for a just and lasting peace based on international law for Israel and Palestine, including complete ending the occupation that began in 1967.
- Support a total end of all settlement activities including in East Jerusalem, the immediate end of destruction of homes and the deportation of Palestinians.
- Encourage the non-violent approach at all levels and by all parties and demand the immediate cessation of all forms of violence by the Israeli occupying power and settlers against the Palestinian non-violent resistance.
- Demand the immediate release of all the Palestinian prisoners especially the elected members of the Palestinian legislative council, minors and administrative detainees.
- Strongly condemn the illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Military Forces, and call the Israeli Government to lift immediately the siege on the Gaza Strip and allow free the movement of the people and products between Gaza Strip and West Bank including East Jerusalem.
The Council supports international solidarity with Palestine. The SI recognises the nonviolent BDS movement puts pressure on the Israeli occupation. The SI demands an end to occupation, the system of segregation and all forms of discrimination against all Palestinians including those living in the Negev and affirms the right of the people for full equality and to return to their destroyed communities, for the sake of both peoples and their future.
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