This piece is a contribution to the Pre-Convention Discussion for our 32nd National Convention. During Pre-Convention Discussion, all aspects of the party’s program, strategy, and tactics are up for consideration and debate. The ideas presented here are those of the author or authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Communist Party USA, its membership, or their elected leadership bodies. — Editors

The zionist entity’s existence is the same as the ongoing nakba, the extermination of Palestine. There has never been, and there never will be, a zionist entity which is not the consolidation of the genocide of the Palestinian people. It is not just apartheid — it is worse than apartheid. “Entity” is the word used to describe it — an entity which is inherently racist, and is, in real time, committing once again yet another genocide against Gaza. The Palestinian people — uprooted, thrown in the camps, living in starvation, killed for seventy-five years, and forbidden to use even the name Palestinian — are a people living under what objectively is a fascist occupation.

Lately, with 30,000 and counting Palestinian people murdered by the “Israeli” occupation forces (IOF), it has become increasingly difficult to deny or whitewash what is simply the obvious. It was otherwise described as hyperbole, but is not anymore arguably as such. A zionist entity which accepts, works with, and embraces the Palestinian people is not coming. The zionist entity inherently is an attempt to genocide the Palestinian population out of existence. This is a violently racist society, and a violently racist system of apartheid. It is a butchering occupation.

Zionism, in all of its forms, is simply racism. Zionism makes the zionist settlers supreme under the law, and throws crumbs at Palestinian people. The zionist entity will never accept the concept of peace. It has consolidated a segregated society. All peace-loving people should be in grave concern about this.

Every single morning, there is another massacre. Every morning, another Palestinian child goes hungry in the extermination camps of Rafah. Meanwhile, the zionists refuse to acknowledge there is a Palestine. They give Gaza and the West Bank different names — because they all simply want Palestine to die.

Palestine is the site of the most important anti-imperialist struggle of today; Palestine is the Vietnam of the 1960s. Every single communist in the United States must — and with the most unapologetic, most comprehensive, and most unrestrained attitude — support Palestine. Palestine must get its liberation.

A one-state solution of Palestine is supported by an increasingly large number of the Palestinian people. It is also supported by a large number of progressive organizations. There can only be a one-state solution of Palestine. If Palestine was completely free from the river to the sea, and was one single state of Palestine, it simply would never do what these zionists do every single day. When Palestine liberates the rest of its land, there will be peace. How is there peace with a “two-state solution” when the zionist entity simply will kill off the other state with slow and tortuous methods? It is a dead “solution” that, to begin with, was never alive.

Apartheid and occupation in South Africa ended, and that was the solution which worked. No one suggested there be a two-state solution in South Africa. Palestine is not free if all it gets is a hundred different hyper-policed ghettos, but that is what “two state” brings.

The left in the United States must render all of its support to Palestine. The Communist Party certainly cannot do everything — but there is one thing it can do to show genuine solidarity. To wit, it can become a principled anti-zionist organization.

I am thus asking that the Communist Party does the following, and I do not think it asks for much, as these are mostly just policy positions:

• Support a one-state solution of Palestine, in which all can finally actually live in peace.
• Support right of return for the Palestinian people.
• Support reparations for Palestine.
• Recognize zionism as racism — no matter how it expresses itself, no matter if it calls itself “liberal” or “labour.”
• Stop associating with organizations in the zionist entity which will always have a muddled opinion against Palestinian people. Just work with the Palestinian people themselves.
• Recognize that “settler” is a broad category — everyone who is “Israeli” is going to be a settler because their entity is engaging in a protracted genocide against Palestinian people which, at the same time, benefits and privileges “Israelis.”
• Do not condemn the Palestinian people and what they do out of desperation in any circumstance. This is blaming the victim.
• Support BDS.
• Have a policy in place which expels members of CPUSA only if, (1. they repeatedly publicly condemn BDS despite being educated on what it actually is; (2. they be of affiliation with the zionist entity/government, and; (3. provide material aid to the zionist entity.
• Have the candidates we endorse, as the Communist Party, follow the above-mentioned criteria; have them refuse to ever vote to benefit, or the zionist entity (e.g., funding the iron dome is grounds for revoking endorsement).
• If we have not already done so, establish relations with Palestinians’ rights organizations, such as Students for Justice in Palestine.

I want Palestine to live. I know I am just a rank-and-file member of the party, and I am not suggesting I am some kind of experienced organizer. But what I’ve witnessed the past several months has shaken me so much that I don’t think I can ever be the same again. I am daily fearing for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people in Gaza at risk of famine. I am begging that we please see this is a defining moment in history, one in which we either give our fullest support for the oppressed people or support their oppressors’ extermination attempts. We must choose the former, for Palestine.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! Glory to all of the martyrs, and may they never be forgotten!

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