PISTON stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who continue their relentless resistance against the US-backed genocide and aggression perpetrated by Zionist settler-colonialists.
In the past year, the United States and Israel have unleashed devastating airstrikes, claiming the lives of at least 41,000 individuals, including over 27,000 children. Approximately 10,000 people remain unaccounted for, believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of bombed structures. The overwhelming majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with more than 60% of housing destroyed. Essential services and healthcare facilities are on the brink of collapse. The residents of Gaza, particularly children, face severe health crises due to malnutrition and lack of access to clean water and sanitation. Furthermore, various media outlets, humanitarian groups, and aid organizations have also come under fire from Israeli forces.
Since October 2023, the US Congress has authorized at least $12.5 billion in military aid to Israel, facilitating the rapid deployment of missiles, bombs, and other weaponry used against the Palestinian population. The US has supplied tens of thousands of tons of bombs and artillery to Israel, ignoring global calls to end the bombardment of Gaza and the genocidal actions of the Israeli state. The Biden administration’s calls for a ceasefire ring hollow; they serve only to mask its complicity in genocide while asserting that violence against Palestinians is merely “Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Israel’s genocidal campaign is bolstered by a surge in US military aid that directly enriches American arms manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Raytheon. These companies profit immensely from supplying Israel with a vast array of military equipment and technologies. Billions in US foreign military aid flow back to these defense giants whose profits have skyrocketed since the onset of hostilities in Gaza.
The strategic goal of US imperialism is unmistakable: to maintain and strengthen its hegemony in the Middle East while securing access to vast oil reserves and other vital resources. The US has positioned Israel as its stronghold in this region, providing immense military and economic support. From 2009 to 2018, Israel was the largest recipient of US foreign military financing at $3 billion annually; this figure has now increased to $3.8 billion annually from 2019 to 2028. This imperialist agenda thrives on the suffering of oppressed peoples.
The genocide in Palestine starkly illustrates that US imperialism stands against peace and justice; it poses a grave threat to humanity. As the US government supplies Israel with weapons of mass destruction, it simultaneously expands its military footprint globally—including in the Philippines—to further its geopolitical ambitions.
Rather than condemning the atrocities committed in Palestine, Marcos Jr.’s government has capitulated to US demands by permitting military bases and missile storage throughout the country. It continues to funnel taxpayer money into procuring weapons from Israel. Despite unwavering US support for Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, the Marcos administration absurdly claims that this partnership will defend national sovereignty. This complicity must be challenged and resisted!
We call upon the Filipino people to intensify their support for the Palestinian struggle as they endure relentless armed aggression and occupation by Zionist Israeli forces. We urge all workers and democratic organizations and movements worldwide to bolster their solidarity with the Palestinian people’s just fight for national liberation and self-determination. The battle against Israel’s brutal campaign is intrinsically linked to the broader struggle of all oppressed peoples defending their sovereignty against imperialist wars. Stand firm! Resist! Unite!