December 7, 2023

Stop Israeli genocide: ceasefire is not enough

Dear sisters/siblings with Palestinian Feminist Collective and Feminist Future,

Thank you for asking Radical Women to sign your important statement of feminist opposition to Israel’s murderous war on Gaza. We have a long history of support for the liberation struggles of Palestinians and other colonized peoples and have been out in the streets at protests across the country since the war began. We were happy to see your campaign to draw together feminist opposition to the war, but after discussions with our members we feel that we cannot add our name.

The problem is the overriding emphasis on “cease-fire now” and “permanent ceasefire” in the statement’s hashtags, title and text. This implies that ceasefire is not just an emergency need by the Gazans, but a solution to the 75-year Israeli occupation. Ceasefire also places an equal burden on both sides, though I am sure the many people raising this demand are thinking primarily of an Israeli cessation. We make demands such as “Stop Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza” and “End the occupation,” which clearly put the responsibility on the Zionists.

The situation prior to October 7 was in essence a multi-year ceasefire in the unending war of occupation. The pre-war blockade and brutal status quo of racist apartheid is not a situation we would like to see reinstituted. As Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan told the media at the end of the seven-day ceasefire, “The solution is not to have a truce. The real solution is to put an end to this occupation.”

We strongly support your additional demands: lift the siege on Gaza, end the Israeli occupation, and dismantle the settler-colonial structure. If the call for ceasefire had been secondary to these important demands, we would have happily signed the letter. We will be putting out a statement soon with Radical Women’s position on the war and will share it with you.

We look forward to working with you on Palestine solidarity and other efforts. Please contact me if you’d like to discuss.

In struggle,

Helen Gilbert
National Radical Women Organizer
www.RadicalWomen.org