PSA demands crackdown on Israeli presence

• Urges Sri Lankan government to stop providing public funded police security to Chabad houses across the country

By Yohan Perera   

In the aftermath of escalating conflict in the Middle -East, the People's Struggle Alliance (PSA) yesterday urged the Sri Lankan government to take immediate measures to remove all unlawfully set up Israeli-owned businesses and Chabad houses, spread across Sri Lanka’s Southern and Eastern coastal regions and other tourist spots in the country.   

The party in a statement urged the Sri Lankan government to stop providing public funded police security to Chabad houses across the country.   

It said:

“We condemn America’s attacks on Iran, as their most recent attempt at advancing their imperialist project in the Middle East, further escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. We also condemn Israel’s unprovoked attack on Iran, in direct breach of international law, 11 days ago. Having been instrumental in the fall of Iraq, Libya and Syria, the US has long set its eyes on Iran, as the last major sovereign country remaining in the Middle East. The US has once again taken a page out of its own infamous playbook, by claiming that Iran is in possession of nuclear weapons.

“Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu too has been ‘crying wolf’ about Iran’s nuclear capacity for the past 20 years. In this context of an indefinite and fragile “ceasefire”, with Israel still attacking Iran and of course Gaza, we could face the very real threat of a world war - with the world’s nuclear powers, China, Russia and North Korea potentially allying with Iran, and the US-led imperialist powers consolidating with Israel. It is therefore integral for the Left across the world, to take a strong anti-war stance, as no war at any point in history has benefited the working class. On the contrary, it is the working class that is/has been most exploited, and made to bear the brunt of any war,” PSA said.

The party also called for the halt of sending Sri Lankan workers to Israel, particularly as there are no measures in place to ensure that our citizens are not placed to work in illegally occupied territories or where they might be in direct danger of being injured or killed, to instruct all tour operators and small scale guest house owners etc., to stop offering “retreat packages” targeting IDF soldiers to vacation in Sri Lanka. 

Also not provide employment opportunities to IDF soldiers during their stay here. The party also urged the government to strictly impose and regulate visas given to Israeli tourists, as many have overstayed for years, and unlawfully set up businesses and Chabad houses here.   

PSA also wanted stoppage of distribution of Zionist propaganda such as flags, posters, flyers, clothing etc. (Including depictions of IDF soldiers on duty,) by Israeli business owners and tourists, in public spaces.   

The party also made a written requests from US Embassy in Colombo, Embassy of Israel in New Delhi, Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran, British High Commission in Colombo, French Embassy, Chinese Embassy, German Embassy, High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka Embassy of Italy Colombo Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka and Maldives Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and the North Korea Embassy in New Delhi, India. These included stoppage of war in the Middle East and recognizing state  of Palestine. 

The party also urged the countries in possession of nuclear weapons, to sign onto the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, with the intention of moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons! - Stand in solidarity with all people oppressed by the State of Iran, particularly its women, political dissidents in their ongoing resistance against the repressive Iranian regime, and in their fight against US imperialism.