Resolution of the Conference on War, Imperialism and Resistance: West Asia

West Asia is currently becoming the global flashpoint, with US imperialism seeking to remould the
region to its liking. Israel, its closest ally in the region, is also seeking to destroy the Palestinian
nation, as well as stamp out all resistance to its own apartheid policies inside Israel as well the
Palestinian Territories it has occupied. The catchall slogan of “War against Terror,” post 9/11, is
providing a cover for the aggressive designs of the US-Israeli axis. Military strikes against Iran now
loom on the horizon and the UN Security Council itself is being manipulated for that purpose.

It is the resistance of the people in Iraq, of the Palestinian people, as well as the heroic resistance by
the Lebanese national forces against Israeli invasion that today stand in the way of US and Israeli
designs in the region. This conference expresses its solidarity with the people of these countries
who are fighting for their very existence against overwhelming odds and call upon different
sections to unite to help spearhead a much broader resistance against the US-Israeli axis and
imperialism.

Unfortunately, the Government of India has not only failed to support the cause of the people in
West Asia but has connived with US policies in the region, as shown by the vote in IAEA on Iran.
Its continued military relationship with Israel in which India has become the largest importer of
arms from Israel sits ill with its protestations of support for the Palestinian cause. India must
oppose the continued occupation of Iraq and Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories as well
as Syrian and Lebanese territories. Similarly, India must use all its diplomatic leverage and
international stature to take an immediate initiative for a serious peace process in West Asia. This
Conference calls upon the UPA government to abide by the promise in the Common Minimum
Programme that it shall pursue an independent foreign policy. It should also keep in view the fact
that equitable peace in West Asia is also in the interest of the Indian people and escalation of war
there shall greatly endanger the energy security of South Asia.

This Conference totally condemns Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, which has
lasted for decades in violation of international law, international humanitarian law and numerous
United Nations resolutions. We demand an immediate end to the occupation of all the Palestinian
and Arab territories captured by Israel. We fully affirm the right of the Palestinian people to
exercise their right to self-determination including their right to establish, on all the territories that
Israel has occupied, an independent state of their own in any manner they see fit. The structure of
apartheid that Israel has established must be dismantled and it must grant equal rights to all its
citizens including the right of return to the Palestinians refugees. We also affirm the right of
Palestinians to resist the occupation through all legitimate means and support the Intifada, as well
as elect a Palestinian Authority of their choice. We call upon the Palestinian people to form the
broadest unity in their struggle for a just Palestine.

This Conference welcomes the advisory judgement of the International Court of Justice on the
Apartheid Wall and calls for immediate measures by the international community for dismantling
this illegal Wall. The Wall built by Israel across the West Bank has cut off the Palestinian people
from each other, cutting up the Palestinian territory into a number of enclaves, with large Israeli
settlements established on lands confiscated from Palestinian people. Israel’s so-called
“disengagement” is in fact a re-arrangement of Occupation. It has turned all of Gaza into a vast
prison with the Palestinian population there under continuous, murderous assaults and a permanent
state of siege. Israel’s recent announcements that it will withdraw from some small parts of West
Bank is nothing but a plan to annex part of the Palestinian territories and turn the rest into
economically and socially unviable Bantustans. This is a part of a policy of annexation of the
occupied territories to Israel and will only perpetuate the Occupation, eliminating the chances for
any just and lasting peace.

This Conference condemns the aggression and occupation of Iraq by the US and its allies in which
more than half a million Iraqis have already lost their lives, millions disabled, over 2 million have
been forced to flee the country, an equal number are internal refugees, and health standards have
declined to a point where over 75 percent of the children, estimated at over 4 million, are
undernourished and suffering from various epidemics and disease. The physical infrastructure of
Iraq has been devastated, schools, colleges and hospitals destroyed and more than 50 per cent of its
people are now unemployed. Large numbers of towns have been reduced to rubble and its
remaining residents are now living in a complete police state. Meanwhile, the US is privatising
Iraq’s assets and is using the sale of Iraqi oil to pay for its occupation, in blatant violation of
international law.

The last four year’s of brutal occupation of Iraq by US forces and its allie s is now facing a growing
resistance by the people of Iraq. This conference lauds the enormous sacrifice that the Iraqi people
have made to defend their land and independence. It is now clear that an attempt to impose a client
state in Iraq subservient to the US has failed, striking a fatal blow to the US designs of an American
Imperium and a uni-polar world The US occupiers have virtually divided Iraq into three communal
regions – Shia, Sunni and Kurdish-- with sponsored communal killings and are trying to foment an
internecine civil war, with even a possible territorial breakup of Iraq.

The Conference also condemns the use of Depleted Uranium weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan,
which will permanently poison the land and water there and cause damage not only to those living
there now but also future generations.

The Conference also calls for an immediate end to the Israeli occupation of Golan Heights and
Sheba Firms and their return to Syria and Lebanon. It also calls for withdrawal of US and NATO
forces from Afghanistan.

Palestine

This Conference

• calls for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and all other occupied territories
• denounces the racist and colonial character of Zionism, Israel's State ideology
• demands an immediate end to the policy of targeted assassinations of Palestinian leaders by
  Israel
• calls that the Right of Return for all Palestinians be fulfilled. Until then, Palestinian refugees
  in the Diaspora and internally displaced Palestinians need to be granted full economic ,
  political and social rights
• calls for lifting of all sanctions imposed on the Palestinian Authority and the right of
  Palestinians to democratically elect a Palestinian Authority of their choice
• calls for boycott, disinvestments and sanctions on Israel as long as it continues its
  occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories
• demand the dismantlement of the Apartheid Wall and all settlements.
• demand the release of all Palestinian political prisoners
• affirm the right of Palestinians to resist the occupation through all legitimate means
• demand that the Government of India immediately break its military and security ties with
  Israel

Lebanon

This Conference

• Denounces the continuing Israeli aggression of Lebanon
• Supports the right of the Lebanese people to resist such aggression
• Calls for a negotiated internal solution to the problems inside Lebanon free from
  any external interference
• Demands for compensation for the damage created by Israel and its bombings in
  Lebanon

Iraq

This Conference calls

• for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of US and "coalition" forces from Iraq and
  all corporations and contractors that are a part of the illegal occupation forces
• that the US and its allies be held accountable for its illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq,
  including human rights violations and attempts to change Iraq’s economy
• for an immediate nullification of the “Bremer 100 orders” privatisation of Iraq’s assets by
  occupying powers or handing over of its assets to foreign control
• Upon the people to support the legitimate right of the people of Iraq to resist the illegal
  occupation of Iraq by all legitimate means
• for the release of all Iraqi political prisoners
• upon the Government of India not to have any relationship with the puppet regime in Iraq

Iran

This Conference

• asserts the right of Iran for the peaceful use of nuclear energy
• calls for lifting of the sanctions imposed on Iran
• believes that only way to address the nuclear issue in Iran is through negotiations and
  dialogue
• opposes any military attacks on Iran and demands a de-escalation of the US build-up in
  the region
• calls upon the Government of India to play a positive role to promote such a dialogue
  and not succumb to the US pressure to abandon India’s independent foreign policy
• calls upon the Government of India to build the Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline

Gathered in Delhi at a critical moment in history, we commit to a struggle against the occupation of
Iraq and Palestine and oppose possible military attacks against Iran. We express our solidarity with
the people in West Asia who are fighting for democracy and social, economic, political and civil
rights and who are suffering from occupation and repression.

We call upon the international community to set up a Tribunal for War Crimes in Iraq, Palestine,
Lebanon. The people who have committed and continue to commit such atrocities on the people of
Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon must be held accountable and brought to book.

June 9th this year is 40th anniversary of the occupation of the West Bank. This conference calls the
India people to join the worldwide actions planned on this day and build a campaign on the nature
of the apartheid state of Israel and to ensure breaking of India’s military and security ties with
Israel. It also calls on the Indian people to join hands with the global protests on 12th July, the
anniversary of Israel’s aggression on Lebanon.

Conference programme