Imperialism divides the world into oppressed and oppressor nations. The national liberation struggles against colonialism and neo-colonialism are an essential part of the struggle for socialism. Marx and Engels’ changing analysis of Ireland and its relation to Britain demonstrated how a nation that oppresses another could not itself be free. A pre-condition for the advance of the proletariat in Britain was support for the emancipation of Ireland. This analysis provided a model for Lenin to develop a communist position on the right of nations to self-determination.
Communists must, if they are to remain communists, give the national liberation struggle support for we face the same enemy and ultimately have the same goal. Opportunists impose conditions on support for national liberation movements and seek to deny the revolutionary and democratic content of the struggles and the role of the working class and oppressed within them.
National liberation movements combine different social and class forces. Communists support the movements and try to strengthen their working class and socialist content. This is an essential step if such movements are to achieve their objective: where bourgeois forces remain ascendant, they will seek a compromise with imperialism.
For over 100 years, the Palestinian people have resisted imperialism and Zionism. From the Balfour declaration of 1917, to the creation of Israel in 1948, to political support for Israel today – imperialist Britain has spearheaded the attack on the Palestinian right to self-determination. As communists in Britain we give our unconditional support to the Palestinian resistance, recognising that we have a common enemy – the British state. Victory to the Intifada! Freedom for Palestine!
SECTION ONE: Palestine and national liberation
- FRFI 260, ‘Balfour’s shadow: 100 years of British support for Zionism and Israel’, October / November 2017, Bob Shepard, http://revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/4961-balfour-s-shadow-a-century-of-british-support-for-zionism-and-israel
- FRFI 170, ‘Class and the national liberation struggle in Palestine’, Robert Clough, December 2002 / January 2003, http://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/585-class-and-the-national-liberation-struggle-in-palestine-frfi-170-december-2002-january-2003
- FRFI 198, ‘Abbas – Imperialisms puppet’, Bob Shepard, August / September 2007, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/549-palestine-abbas-imperialisms-puppet-frfi-198-august-september-2007
SECTION TWO: Oslo Peace Accords: the great betrayal
- FRFI 115: ‘Palestine: the great betrayal’, Eddie Abrahams, October / November 1993, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/5330-palestine-the-great-betrayal
- FRFI 219: ‘Palestine: No two state solution’, Bob Shepherd, February / March 2011 https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/2043-palestine-no-two-state-solution-frfi-219-febmar-2011
- FRFI 158: ‘Palestine: The legacy of Oslo’, Robert Clough, December 2000 / January 2001 https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/1560-palestine-the-legacy-of-oslo-frfi-158-dec-2000-jan-2001
SECTION THREE: From Intifada to the Great March of Return
- FRFI online: ‘Palestine: 20 years of Intifada’, Wesam Khaled, October 2020, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/6041-palestine-20-years-of-intifada
- FRFI 207: ‘Editorial statement – who speaks for the Palestinian people?’, February / March 2009, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/1344-editorial-statement-who-speaks-for-the-palestinian-people
- FRFI 264: ‘Palestine: Unending Zionist terror’, Wesam Khaled, June / July 2018, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/middle-east/palestine/5246-palestine-unending-zionist-terror
SECTION FOUR: Labour Party, Zionism and the role of the British left
- FRFI 29: ‘The British Labour party and Zionism’, Steve Palmer, May 1983, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/britain/labourtrade-unions/3365-the-british-labour-party-and-zionism-frfi-29-may-1983
- FRFI 160, ‘Marks and Spencer: ally of Israel’, Trevor Rayne, April / May 2001, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/campaigns/palestine-campaign/1353-marks-and-spencer-ally-of-israel
- FRFI online: ‘Labour, Corbyn and anti-Semitism’, Nicki Jameson speech, September 2018, https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/britain/labourtrade-unions/5335-labour-corbyn-and-anti-semitism-speech-by-nicki-jameson
