The Palestinian drama: justice, genuine peace and international law
World Federation of Scientific Workers statement
The recent events in Palestine and Israel have raised emotion and concern far beyond the region where they occurred. Although the WFSW is an international organization primarily devoted to foster the role of science in society and the social responsibility of scientists, it cannot remain indifferent to what has happened and the risks thereof, nor to future dramas if nothing is improved.
The status quo in the region remains a threat to the security, first and foremost, of the populations of the two states concerned but that goes further beyond. First, we affirm that there will be no security as long as colonization continues: no occupier in any part of the world can expect to be safe in the country he occupies. This colonization is accompanied by an apartheid towards the Palestinians which affects all economic, scientific and cultural activities.
Israel’s refusal to let the UN play its role, claiming it is an internal matter, can only worsen the situation. International governmental organizations were created in the aftermath of the First World War and then of the Second World War to seek solutions through negotiation and help implement the agreements reached.
The WFSW reaffirmed the decisive importance of the role of the UN, in a declaration adopted by its Executive Council meeting in Barcelona, in 2015. This remains a guideline of our conduct. Scientists know the importance of cooperation and the sometimes devastating consequences of competition, when it pursues hidden goals that ignore the common good. Cooperation is the only effective way to solve difficult problems.
The WFSW stands in solidarity with scientific workers, both Palestinian and Israeli, guided by those principles and acting for a way out of the current situation.
October 1, 2021
