Thursday, September 26, 2024
The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA) expresses its outrage and condemnation of Israel’s colonialist aggression against southern and eastern Lebanon over the past 72 hours as it continues its genocide of the population of Gaza and occupied Palestine in general. The Israeli aggression has so far killed 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women, and injured 1835 in Lebanon alone in less than 3 days, in addition to the remains that are still being collected and identified. The cyber and technological warfare backed by the west has been heavily used to sustain the genocides perpetrated, starting with surveillance, to tracing locations, spying, and most recently, to indiscriminately cause the death of hundreds and suffering of thousands in a surreal terrorizing attack through their personal pagers.
The Zionist colonialist entity does not disappoint expectations in the extent to which it expands its use of terrorism and genocidal crimes against Palestinians and now, the Lebanese, under claims that have become exposed and laughable to the whole world, namely fighting terrorism, while this entity has for decades committed genocide, occupation and crimes that violate international human rights laws and charters and all humanitarian covenants. These Israeli raids against Lebanon come in light of the continued genocide of the Palestinians since October 7, 2023, which resulted in 114,467 deaths and 95,921 wounded, most of them women and children, until today.
The whole world witnessed the responses of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) and feminists in Palestine to the genocidal war in Gaza, from documenting the crimes of the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian men and women, including forced displacement, killing, arrest, sexual violence and torture, to working to provide alternatives to health services for pregnant women, necessary medical services during childbirth and women’s menstrual needs in light of the genocide of reproductive and sexual health rights of women in Gaza. We also witness today the response of Lebanese WHRDs and feminists in providing alternative shelters for residents of the south and hosting them in their homes, and tweeting and posting on social media about various safe places for thousands of families from the south to move to, in light of the fear and intimidating messages sent by the occupation forces to the Lebanese people through text or voice messages on their personal phones that they must evacuate places where Hezbollah has weapons, and it is worth noting that these intimidating messages were not limited to south Lebanon, but also included “the Hamra area, which includes government ministries, banks and universities.” All this is happening in light of the Israeli occupation forces’ determination to commit new genocides, according to the chief of staff of the Israeli occupation forces, Herzi Halevi: “We must continue to act against Hezbollah with all our strength and not give it a respite. We will accelerate offensive operations today and intensify all formations. The situation requires continuous active action in all arenas.”
WHRDMENA warns that the horrific scenes in Gaza will be repeated in Lebanon, where in just two days, many schools were closed and turned into shelters, and 4 medical staff members were killed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA) affirms its full solidarity with women human rights defenders and feminists in Lebanon and Palestine, as the struggle is one, and their constant and relentless activism to call for the right to self-determination and the affirmation of the human rights of women and LGBTQI+ communities – the most vulnerable groups in conflicts – the most vulnerable groups to violence in armed conflicts – and to confront occupation and genocide is an inspiration for feminists in the entire region, given the experience of feminists in the region in the various and manipulative strategies that systems of discrimination, exclusion, patriarchy, masculinity, and militarization impose on the region.
We call on all human rights and feminist groups and organizations to call on the UN Security Council to hold an immediate emergency session to issue a resolution to immediately stop the Zionist aggression against Lebanon, in light of the UN General Assembly at its tenth emergency special session passing a historic resolution demanding the Israeli occupation forces to stop their genocidal and occupation practices and leave the Palestinian territories within 12 months, as well as the adoption of the International Court of Justice decision in July 2024, which recognized Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as illegal, along with its settlement system, annexation and use of resources. The court added that Israeli legislation and measures violate the international prohibition of apartheid and racial segregation. The ICJ obliged Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its settlements, provide full reparations to Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced persons.” The Coalition stands united with Palestine and Lebanon, affirming its feminist and political stance towards the Israeli occupation forces and the right of people to self-determination against all forms of occupation, colonization and intimidation.
Join us in uplifting each other’s voices and demanding the immediate ceasefire and end of the Israeli Occupation, please sign the statement on this link.
We also call on feminists from all countries and regions to cooperate, network, and act in solidarity, fill squares, conduct talks, fill online spaces, and other actions, in addition to follow the work of civil groups and identify possibilities for support and cooperation to strengthen it. We invite you to contact us to contribute to strengthening networks and solidarity activities.
