Organizations leading solidarity protests with Palestine in São Paulo released a statement expressing their dissatisfaction with Palestine Workers’ Partythe PCO because, in their opinion, they have taken a disrespectful attitude in their actions.
The text comes to light after members of the party took to the streets with flags and Tshirts in support of Hamas, the perpetrator of the terrorist attacks in Israel that broke out on October 7 and sparked the conflict.
Officials say they have contacted PCO representatives on more than one occasion to explain the actual requirements of the law, without success. Five demonstrations have taken place since October 7th.
“We would like to highlight the dissatisfaction of the Arab and Palestinian community and the movements that tirelessly organize demonstrations in support of the Palestinian people, with the stance of the PCO Workers’ Cause Party a party that is not part of the organization that represents not their interests, but takes a disrespectful stance by imposing agendas and flags on the movement that are not its own,” the text reads (you can read the full text here).
Those responsible for the events continue to emphasize that they are not responsible for who takes to the streets “with which flags”. In addition, they complained that the demonstration had been criminalized due to the PCO’s behavior or that its objectives had been abused “due to misinformation from the media or private organizations and groups.”
Listening to the report, activist Rawa Alsagheer, coordinator of the Samidoun movement and one of the leaders of the action, explained that the defense of Hamas is not among the banners that unite the movements towards the protests.
The activist argued that these organizations are afraid of reducing the Palestinian issue to a war that began on October 7 “between Israel and Hamas” because the conflict is historic. She also expressed concerns about the safety of protesters.
“I do not condemn the Palestinian resistance. “I condemn, at this very sensitive moment, spreading this narrative of a war between Israel and Hamas and not thinking about the security of the Arab and Palestinian community and movements at a time when the whole world is accusing Hamas of terrorism.” , he said.
When asked in the report whether the organizations that led the attack consider Hamas a terrorist organization, Alsagheer said the matter was not settled and that she could only speak for her movement.
“The Palestinian people have the right to resist. I cannot answer for the entire organization. Especially with Samidoun, we don’t take Hamas terrorists into account,” he says. Samidoun calls itself the “Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network” and is present in 35 countries, according to Alsagheer.
Hamas flags and shirts are for sale at the demonstration
The Workers’ Cause Party (PCO) stand, set up in Praça Oswaldo Cruz, currently features Hamas Tshirts and flags, stickers calling for the end of the genocide against the Palestinian people and posters calling for the end of Israel.
Other materials,… pic.twitter.com/4Umkko6Qvt
— DCO Diário Causa Operária (@DiarioDCO) November 12, 2023
Searched by CartaCapital, the party said in a note that “the actions are not the property” of the organizations that sign the manifesto. “This unnecessary attack on the most active part of the struggle to defend Palestine certainly does not contribute to the fight against genocide, but it does support the intensive persecution that the right is carrying out against our party.”
Hamas is considered a terrorist by Israel, the United States and European Union countries. Although the group is typically portrayed for its violent military actions, it has a number of impacts that overlap with the administration of the areas in which it operates.
The United Nations and the Brazilian government do not officially consider Hamas terrorists.
However, the Palestinian Authority says it does not agree with the movement’s “military solution,” as shown CartaCapital in an interview with the Palestinian ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzeben.
In a statement, the PT said it condemned both Hamas and Israel’s attacks. President Lula (PT), in turn, has already described the organization’s actions as “terrorist”.
PCO: Hamas are “heroes” against imperialism
The website Diário da Causa Operária, linked to the PCO, published a text on Monday the 13th in which it admits to defending Hamas and complains about the “hostility of the left towards those who are the heroes defend those fighting against imperialism in Gaza.” The party said it had been “disinvited” from the event.
The text also accuses leftwing organizations of “indiscriminate capitulation to Zionism” and says that “the defense of Hamas was well received.”
“Because of the defense that the red bloc, consisting of the Workers’ Cause Party and the struggle committees, has provided for Hamas, the pettybourgeois left has done everything possible and impossible to try to sabotage the acts,” it says of publication.