WE, THE GABRIELA alliance of women, condemn the illegal detention, torture, starvation, dehydration, dehumanization, and killing of hundreds of Palestinian workers by Israeli military forces.
Following the Oct. 7 Al Aqsa Flood launched by the Palestinian Resistance, Israel revoked the work permits of approximately 10,000 Palestinian workers — many workers who fled Israel for the borders were illegally arrested, detained and tortured. These workers depend on job opportunities in Israel.
For decades, Israel has controlled the economy of Palestine, resulting in massive unemployment, job crises, and poverty among its citizens, subjecting the vulnerable members of society, especially women and children in difficult living conditions.
As of today, the US-backed Israeli occupation of Palestine is continuing; relentless bombings and air strikes targeting hospitals, schools, refugee centers in Gaza strips have resulted in more than 11,000 deaths of Palestinian people, mostly women and children. Humanitarian aids were barred, electricity and water connections were cut-off, food and water resources destroyed, and the continued harassment, detention, and killings of civilians, peace workers, health workers, and journalists all for the US-funded Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.
US support of Israel’s occupation of Gaza is not an isolated case. The Philippine government through the Visiting Force s Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) has given more locations in the Philippines easily accessible to the US military. The US recently gave the Philippines $100 million in foreign military funding, a way to further strengthen US military modernization and imperialist domination in the Southeast Asian country.
The US military presence and escalating military operations in the Philippines have resulted in harassment and abuse of civilians, particularly women and children. Since the last few years, several rural areas in the Philippines have been subjected to indiscriminate aerial bombardment, encroachment, strafing, and extrajudicial killings by the military affecting communities and civilians.
Now more than ever, the Filipino women and the rest of the toiling masses, remain resolute in our commitment to stand united and amplify our demands to hold the US government ¬–alongside Israel and Philippine governments accountable for its brutal and bloody war against the people.
GABRIELA calls on the women and people of the world to unite and stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in their just struggle for their ancestral lands and freedom. – GABRIELA <gabriela.publicinfo@gmail.com>
