November 8th, 2023
Economists for Palestine
We stand in unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people. Since October 7th, 2023, over two million people have faced a brutal onslaught by the Israeli military and state. They have been forced to flee with nowhere to go as homes, shelters, evacuation routes, border crossings, hospitals, places of worship and entire neighborhoods have been bombed.
We mourn civilian deaths in both Israel and Palestine. Israel’s retaliation for the October 7th incursion continues, however, and over 9,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing assault so far. More than 8,000 people have been killed in three weeks in Palestine. The estimated number of children among the casualties is over 3,000 and UNICEF estimates that about 420 children have been killed or wounded daily. Even reporters have been threatened with violence or killed.
Since the Nakba 75 years ago, the Palestinian people have endured profound suffering, forced displacement, and a brutal 16-year-long inhumane siege and blockade in Gaza. Human rights organizations have characterized Gaza as ‘the largest open-air prison’.
We also condemn the role of the U.S. state in supporting the ongoing siege in Palestine, its support for the horrors inflicted on Gaza, and its refusal to support a humanitarian ceasefire. It is imperative that we do not turn our backs on the devastating impact of this violence on people’s lives. The fight for Palestinian liberation and a fair, enduring peace in the region is intricately linked with the liberation and resistance efforts spearheaded by indigenous, colonized, and oppressed communities historically and worldwide.
We stand in support of efforts by the Palestinian people to sustain themselves economically through control over their land and their labor. We stand in solidarity with the anti-Zionist Jewish communities that have been raising their voices against the carpet bombing of Gaza, for the liberation of the Palestinian people, and who are working for a just, equitable, and durable peace.
We urgently call for:
(1) An immediate ceasefire
(2) Immediate restoration of food, fuel, water, and electricity to the Gaza Strip
(3) Cessation of all settlement activity and disarmament of all settlers
(4) Immediate delivery of humanitarian aid on the scale required
(5) Respect towards the Geneva Conventions by all parties concerned
(6) An end to apartheid and strident moves toward a democratic future for all people regardless of race, religion, gender identity and nationality
In addition, we strongly uphold the principle of academic freedom, especially in light of the current global climate where individuals in educational institutions worldwide face termination, doxing, and harassment for speaking up against the atrocities of the Israeli state and in support of the civilian population in Gaza. Neglecting this commitment would be a betrayal of our scholarly and moral obligations.
In Solidarity,
The Steering Committee of the Union for Radical Political Economics
The Union for Radical Political Economics stands in solidarity with all those marching for justice against institutionalized racism and white supremacy across the US and the world. We encourage our members and supporters to take part in local actions demanding justice for George Floyd, all other victims, and against police brutality. We find outrageous the violations of first amendment rights with the nationwide assault on people rising up and raising our voices demanding an end to America’s racist affliction. We are committed to challenging institutionalized racism and white supremacy within the field of economics and our society as a whole.