International League of Peoples' Struggles
The International League of Peoples’ Struggle US Country Chapter (ILPS-US) stands with its member organization, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), in decrying the brutal and genocidal Israeli occupation of Palestine. As both of our organizations take part in the No To APEC Coalition to expose and oppose the “free trade” policies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) Heads of State Summit in San Francisco this November, we condemn APEC’s own role in keeping the occupation sustained through its own profit-oriented investments.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have dropped over 7,000 bombs that have led to a death toll of at least 2,600 (close to half children and youth), 9,600 injuries, and 500,000 displacements.
Along with its long list of war crimes, Israel’ is using white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon.
At the time of this writing, Israeli forces have ordered over 1 million Gazans to evacuate to the southern half of the besieged strip within 24 hours prior to a ground invasion, a form of psychological warfare, and a move the United Nations has deemed impossible and has demanded be rescinded. These are all war crimes following 75 years of war crimes to maintain the violent occupation of Palestine.
Much of the military tech that the US sends to support these war crimes is purchased via US weapons companies like Boeing, a very consistent APEC sponsor. Boeing provides fighter jets, attack helicopters and missiles while enjoying the full support of APEC members through policies that keep wars running to support its global supply chain.
While the Zionist regime of Israel would not exist were it not for the over $260 billion it has received from US tax dollars over its lifetime, monopoly corporations have played their role as well. Oil company Chevron, another major sponsor of APEC, recently bought major stakes in the Tamar and Leviathan natural gas fields off the coast of Palestine, claimed by Israel as part of occupied Palestine’s exclusive economic zone. Between these two reserves, Chevron seeks to produce 14.6 to 15.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year starting in 2025. Phase one of the Leviathan project alone saw $12 billion shekel ($3 billion) paid to the Zionist state which already receives unending military payments from the US, with billions more in the works once the wells are open.
This major fossil fuel investment by an APEC sponsor flies in the face of APEC’s 2023 theme of creating a “resilient and sustainable future for all.” While touting its green energy investments in member economies, APEC ignores the business activity of its corporate sponsors that go against this slogan. It also lays bare APEC’s lack of concern for human rights.
While western media outlets are manufacturing consent for genocide of Palestinians by ‘Israel’ and to silence Palestinians, we know that this tactic has been used since the beginning of the occupation of Palestine. Just as the media has refused to showcase the realities of how APEC impacts global working class people, it has contributed to the genocide in Gaza by spreading imperial lies and through selective outrage that masks the decades of Israel’s brutality.
Palestinians have been organizing alongside international mass movements since the founding of APEC in 1989, as this is a struggle that impacts all oppressed peoples. In 2015, a major message of the ILPS 5th International Assembly press conference against APEC in Manila was a ‘World Better Without APEC, Israeli Occupation.’ It is clear these two struggles are tied and the APEC summit’s outcomes will only lead to increased funding for weapons manufacturing companies and further military intervention in the Global South.
For all those who stand against the occupation of Palestine, who fight against the profit-driven climate crisis, who stand for people and planet over profit and plunder, join us November 11-12 for the Peoples’ Counter Summit and Mass Mobilization against APEC and November 13-17 for an ongoing week of action, where every member Head of State along with Chevron, Boeing and other corporations will brush aside the needs of the people. Wherever APEC goes, and however brutal any military occupation becomes, the people will always fight back. We need to be an ever louder voice raising the demands of the people and planet over profit and plunder!
FREE PALESTINE, SHUT DOWN APEC AND LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!
Learn more at: https://ilpsusinfo.wordpress.com/no2apec/
