The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance stands firmly against all systems of oppression and for the right to sovereignty over lands, resources, and food. In the appalling tragedies currently being faced in Gaza and the West Bank, we express our solidarity with the Palestinian people in their fight for liberation in the face of illegal Israeli occupation.

As the siege of Gaza continues, currently 2.3 million citizens are cut from accessing basic needs for survival, including clean water, food, medical supplies, and hygiene and sanitation services. Food is a fundamental human right, not to be used as a weapon of war. Israel’s genocidal policies are systematically destroying food chains and means of sufficiency including vital agricultural and fishing infrastructure.

As an immediate measure, we write as a collective voice to urge the Australian government to extend their position from support for the UN resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire, to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as the opening of Gaza to full humanitarian relief efforts, including safe access to medical aid, food, water, and fuel. We urge the government to exert all possible influence with Australia’s international partners to do the same.

In the ongoing conflict, the UN reports:

More than 18,400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the start of Israel’s military operations. This includes more than 4,000 women and 7,000 children. Tens of thousands are reported to have been injured, and many are missing, presumably under the rubble. 

All these numbers are increasing by the day.

Attacks from air, land and sea are intense, continuous and widespread. So far, they have reportedly hit 339 education facilities, 26 hospitals, 56 healthcare facilities, 88 mosques and three churches.

Over 60 percent of Gaza’s housing has reportedly been destroyed or damaged – some 300,000 houses and apartments.

Some 85 percent of the population have been forced from their homes. 

The people of Gaza are being told to move like human pinballs – ricocheting between ever-smaller slivers of the south, without any of the basics for survival.

But nowhere in Gaza is safe.

We are appalled with all Western governments who continue to be complicit in the ongoing colonisation of Palestine, where blatant violations of humanitarian and international law are perpetuated. Yesterday, Australia, alongside Canada and New Zealand, joined 152 other nations in voting in favour of a resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in an emergency session of the United Nations general assembly. Although this shift signals a positive step away from Australia’s previous position on Israel’s illegal occupation of Gaza, we believe it’s too little, too late as Israel rejects the resolution. 

At the 8th La Via Campesina conference in Bogotá, Colombia, our hearts ached for our Palestinian comrades who shared their on the ground accounts of aggression. They shared that farmers continue to be denied access to their fields and face violence from Israeli forces including state-sponsored settler violence, and families’ boats have been a part of targeted attacks, completely destroying access to sustenance.

We have on this land all of that which makes life worth living

On this land

The lady of our land

The mother of all beginnings

And the mother of all ends

She was called Palestine

-Mahmoud Darwish

We share our love and strength with the people and all the fisherfolk, farmers, and peasants of Palestine. We need food sovereignty to be realized in all parts of the world, now!