Demonstrate, Monday 17th July 2006

Assemble at 18.30: outside PASYDY (Civil Servants Union) building, Nicosia – at 19:00 march on and protest outside the Israeli embassy.

The situation in the Middle East is escalating into a very dangerous international crisis. As a reprisal to the capture of one of its soldiers since 25 June, the Israeli Government has inflicted collective punishment on all the people of Gaza.

Palestinians were demanding, in return for Israeli soldier, the release of 100 Palestinian women and over 300 juveniles currently held in Israeli jails. More than 1000 out of 10.000 Palestinians currently in Israeli jails were kidnapped and imprisoned without any charges.

The Israeli government under the pretext of rescuing its soldier taken hostage has invaded into Gaza. It killed so far 80 Palestinian civilians, kidnapped and imprisoned democratically elected politicians - 8 Palestinian cabinet ministers and 24 members of the Palestinian parliament. It has destroyed the electricity supplies of Gaza and is tightening its closure and strangulation of the area. This is an illegal act of collective punishment on the Palestinian population.

Israel has now turned its murderous attacks on Lebanon as jets launched strikes on Beirut airport, the road to the Syrian capital and a power plant. The offensive, which has killed more than 50 Lebanese civilians since 13 July, follows the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, the Palestinian organisation in Lebanon. Israel also threatens to attack Syria and Iran.

Israel’s murderous attacks against the Palestinian and Lebanese people are carried out with the blessing of George Bush and Tony Blair and with the connivance of the international community and the corrupted Arab regimes.

European Union has ‘temporarily’ cut off all direct aid and funding to the Palestinians. In this way it tightens the screw of economic strangulation and political isolation of the Palestinians and complements thus the genocidal war waged by Israel.

We appeal to student, workers’ organisations, NGO’s and every peace activist to join the protest outside the Israeli Embassy and demand:

• The IMMEDIATE end of the murderous Zionist invasion in Gaza and Lebanon.

• An end to all blackmail by the EU against the Palestinian people.

• That the Cyprus Government takes a firm stand and condemns the Israeli criminal assault. Stop the granting of facilitations provided by both sides in Cyprus to USA imperialists and the Zionist policy of genocide followed by the Israeli state.

• The Cyprus Government as a member state of EU should take the initiative to demand that the EU ends its unjust sanctions against the Palestinians.

• End the occupation of Palestine now.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Arab and Palestinian activists will participate in the demo. The above joint declaration and call for the demo co-sign the following organizations: Workers Democracy, Cyprus Indymedia, Federation of Environ. & Ecological Organisations, Hands Across Divide, YKP Youth (New Cyprus Party), Baraka Cultural Centre, TKP (Communal Liberation Party), KSP (Cyprus Socialist Party).