Venezuela hosts congress on Palestinian Right of Return

Panelists participate in the first Latin American Congress on Palestinian Right of Return, April 15, 2015. | Photo: teleSUR

Venezuela is host to the first Latin American Congress of the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine, being held until Friday in the capital of Caracas.

The campaign was founded two years ago as an effort to coordinate the work of Palestinian solidarity activists at a global level. It gives particular attention to demand for the right-of-return of Palestinians who were forcibly displaced by militant Zionists during the foundation of the state of Israel.

“Venezuela is the focal point for the Palestinian cause in Latin America,” said Linda Sobeh Ali, the Palestinian Ambassador to Venezuela. Under the late President Hugo Chavez and current President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela has been a strong defender of the Palestinian people.

The Venezuelan government has routinely and strongly denounced attacks on Palestinians by the Israeli state, while also spearheading regional aid drives after the Israeli assault on Gaza in 2014.

The congress features the participation of Palestine solidarity activists from throughout Latin America, including representation from Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela. Participants drew links between the struggle of the Venezuelans against imperialism and the struggle of Palestinians against Israeli aggression.

“This is an international struggle against a common enemy, that same enemy that besieges Venezuela, that wants to seize the wealth of Venezuela, is the same that wants to seize the wealth of the Middle East and the rest of the world,” said Nicola Hadwa Shahwan, member of the Chilean Committee in Solidarity with Palestine.

Shahwan also highlighted the importance of unity amongst the peoples of Latin America with Palestinians. Palestine recently joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) in an effort to hold Israeli politicians and military officials accountable for their alleged war crimes committed against the Palestinian people.

Congress attendee Isak Khury of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine called Palestine's membership in the ICC a “triumph” but said this alone would not be enough to force Israel to meet the demands of the Palestinian people.

“We must combine all forms of struggle: diplomatic, legal, and political together with armed resistance,” said Khury.

The Global Campaign to Return to Palestine first held congresses in the Middle East but now aims to hold congresses throughout to world in order to increase support and visibility for Palestine solidarity work.

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