Jihadism, capitalism and neo-Ottomanism

Interview of Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey-TKP given to journalist Marinella Correggia and published on Italian News Portal Il Manifesto with the title of "Jihadism, capitalism and neo-Ottomanism: There is nothing good for the Syrian people" on January 3:

– About this sudden change in Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister, said he had convinced Russia and Iran in Doha not to intervene on the side of the Syrian government, otherwise it would have been a bloodbath. It means that militarily the Russian and Iranian forces would have to face huge weaponry and mercenaries supplied by forces outside the country. Which ones?

 

SYRIA: Caught in the vice of capitalism and war

Interview with Eliseos Vagenas, member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece  (KKE) and Head of the International Relations Section of the Party, published on Rizospastis, the organ of the CC of the KKE, on 14 December 2024:

—  We are witnessing turbulent developments in Syria. Before we get into the facts, let us consider a less discussed aspect. Why is Syria so important? What is its significance in the Middle East?

Solidarity with Hadash MP Ayman Odeh against the threats by racist Israeli Minister Ben Gvir

Hadash MP Ayman Odeh

Racist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir appears to call to deport Hadash MP Ayman Odeh over comments he made regarding the Palestinian right to struggle against occupation. 

Speaking at the Knesset Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday, December 10, the Hadash-Ta’al chair stated that, while Hamas’s attack on innocent civilians on October 7, 2023, constituted a “very deep moral injury,” expressing his opposition to “harming innocent people.” He also believed that every nation “has a right to struggle against its occupants.” “This is true in every place in the world, and this is the right of the Palestinian people,” said.

Communist Parties react to the developments in Syria and the fall of al-Assad Government

Statements by Communist and Workers' Parties (SolidNet) concerning the latest developments in Syria and the fall of Damascus to the jihadists and opposition forces that led to the overthrow of the Assad authority after five decades:

Communist Party of Greece (KKE)

The intervention in Syria and the domination of the jihadists is another link in the chain of the dangerous developments for the peoples that the imperialist powers of the USA, the EU, NATO, Turkey and Israel are carrying out in the wider Middle East region. It is a continuation of the ongoing massacre of the Palestinian people, the attacks on the Lebanese people and the targeting of Iran.

The KKE expresses solidarity with the communists and the people of Syria

During a speech at a party event in the city of Larisa on Sunday afternoon, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas, referred to the ongoing developments in Syria and the capture of Damascus by the Syrian "opposition forces". 

More specifically, Koutsoumbas said:

"In Syria, another war zone has been ignited on the global chessboard of imperialist competitions. There is another intervention that portends new sufferings for the people of Syria and the peoples of the region, new waves of refugees, possibly new border changes. 

Communist Party of Turkey: "In Syria, Israel and the USA have won a temporary victory using the jihadists"

On the occasion of the fall of Damascus in the hands of the armed jihadists and the alleged overthrow of the Assad government, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued the following statement:

"The plan put into effect by the US imperialism and the reactionary forces in the region about 15 years ago in order for the disintegration of Syria has succeeded as of yesterday. The jihadist forces mobilised by the USA, Israel, Britain and the AKP government overthrew the Syrian government in a short period of one week.

No to Cyprus' NATO membership: Statement by the Communist Initiative of Cyprus

Last Thursday (28/11), Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed Nicosia’s active interest in NATO membership, underscoring the island nation’s strategic recalibration toward Western alliances. Speaking at a public event, Christodoulides disclosed that Cyprus is engaging with the US to explore pathways for future NATO accession.

In a statement, the Communist Initiative of Cyprus (Κομμουνιστική Πρωτοβουλία Κύπρου - Kıbrıs Komünist İnisiyatifi) stresses out:

KKE leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

In a statement (here in Greek) concerning the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which was established by the UN in 1977, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Dimitris Koutsoumbas notes:

"We join our voices with the voice of the people of Palestine, with the voices of the peoples of the whole world who demand: The genocide that the state of Israel, the war criminal Netanyahu who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is carrying out in the Gaza Strip with the support of the US, NATO and the EU, must stop here and now.

 

KKE delegation meets Hadash MP Ofer Cassif

A delegation from the International Relations Section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) met with Ofer Cassif, MP of the Hadash Joint List in Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Israel (Maki), during his brief stay in Athens.

It is reminded that Ofer Cassif is being persecuted in Israel because he publicly condemns Netanyahu government's anti-people policy, opposes the genocide of the Palestinian people and the occupation, as well as the attacks against the other peoples of the region. 

 

20th death anniversary of Yasser Arafat

The 11th of November marks the 20th anniversary of the death of the iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the man who led the struggle of the Palestinian people for over half a century. Arafat was born Muhammad Abd al-Ra'uf al-Qudwa al-Husseini but was known popularly as Yasir Arafat and Abu Ammar. His mother was Zahwa Khalil Abu al-Su‘ud.

His brothers are Jamal, Mustafa, and Fathi, and his sisters are In‘am, Yusra, and Khadija; through his father, he also had a half-brother, Muhsin, and two half-sisters, Mirvet and Madiha. His wife is Suha al-Tawil, and his only child is his daughter, Zahwa.

The destruction of Gaza and what followed did not start on October 7

By Oded Goldreich and Assaf Kfoury

An incendiary war has been raging for more than a year in the Middle East.  It has been indescribably devastating on Gaza and has now extended to the West Bank, to northern Israel and Lebanon, with ominous signs of expanding further into a regional war. This is a war driven by an Israeli government bent on exacting vengeful retribution on all its perceived enemies, unrestrained by its American benefactor and main purveyor of weapons. While this war has been extensively covered by the media, what is mostly understated or forgotten are the circumstances that led to it – a covert decades-long war waged by Israel on the Palestinian people. 

Cyprus Communist Initiative on Christodoulides-Biden meeting in Washington DC

In a statement (here in Greek) concerning the meeting between the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and U.S President Joe Biden in the White House on 30/10, the Communist Initiative of Cyprus (Κομμουνιστική Πρωτοβουλία Κύπρου - Kıbrıs Komünist İnisiyatifi) stresses out:

"Telling the truth is one of the greatest human values. But in this country and in this era, the truth is forbidden, so when we tell the truth, the bourgeois and their parties will discredit the truth, they will vilify us, but we will not take a single step back.

Netanyahu’s far-right regime intends to ban Hadash!

The Israeli far-right government is working systematically to disqualify Arab and Left-wing representatives from the Knesset to secure a permanent majority. It is trying to prevent public and parliamentary dissent against the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the endless war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Netanyahu’s coalition decided to ban Hadash and is still unclear which legislation will be used to ban Islamic Ra’am party. This is done under the false accusation of “support for terrorism”.

KKE's Secretary Koutsoumbas: Mitsotakis must answer regarding Greece's involvement in Ukraine and Middle East wars

The General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas on Friday criticized the government's stance toward the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and called for the immediate briefing of the political parties and parliament.

"In the context of US and NATO's dangerous plans, the New Democracy government is involving Greece without any limits or barriers in the two conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, increasing the danger for the Greek people," he said.

Joint Statement of Communist and Workers Parties: We stand against the widening of war in the Middle East!

Joint Statement of Communist and Workers Parties

We stand against the widening of war in the Middle East!

We, the undersigned communist and workers parties campaigning for peace and progress in the Middle East, hereby express our most profound concerns over the unprecedented escalation of the situation in the region with the Israeli multi-dimensional attacks on Lebanon and full-scale invasion of the country. This has predictably resulted in the retaliatory missile strikes by Iran on Israeli targets, following on from Israeli attacks on Lebanon and other provocative infringements on Iranian sovereignty.

Greek soldiers lead the way in demonstration against the imperialist war in the Middle East

With large anti-war demonstrations organized by the Communist Party (KKE) in Athens, Piraeus and various districts throughout Attica, Greece on Saturday 5/10, thousands of protesters raised their voice against the imperialist carnage in the Middle East, demanding an immediate end of Greece's participation in the warmongering plans of Israel, US and NATO in the region. 

The demonstrators demanded the immediate return of the Greek frigate "Spetsai" from the Red Sea, the termination of Greece's multifaceted political and military alliance with the State of Israel and expressed their solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon who are being slaughtered by the Netanyahu government and its allies. 

Meeting of Communist Parties scheduled to be held in Beirut has been postponed until further notice

The 24th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP), that was scheduled to take place in Beirut on 24-27 October 2024, has been postponed until further notice due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. 

The theme of this year's 24th IMCWP is: "To strengthen the international struggle against capitalism, imperialist aggression  and its offspring fascism, in support of the Palestinian people and its resistance. For national and social liberation, for progress and socialism."

KKE says: "No involvement of Greece in the wars — Solidarity with the peoples of Palestine and Lebanon"

On 30 September, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued a statement on the escalation of Israeli aggression, which reads as follows:

The terrorist state of Israel, with the blessing and the support of the USA, NATO and the EU, is proceeding to a generalized war against the peoples of the Middle East, with unpredictable consequences for the wider region and internationally.

 

European Communist Action: Statement in solidarity with the peoples of Palestine and Lebanon

The European Communist Action (ECA) Parties participating in the Teleconference "On the Work of the ECA Parties Within the Youth" held on September 28th condemn the criminal attacks carried out by the murderous State of Israel in Palestine and Lebanon.

The ECA Parties demand the immediate end of every Israeli aggression and express their full solidarity with the peoples of Palestine and Lebanon, their resistance and the Communist Parties in the region.

 

KKE calls for mass condemnation of the Israeli state's crimes in Lebanon

In a statement, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) denounces the recent murderous military attack of the Israeli state in southern Lebanon and calls for a mass popular condemnation of these crimes. More specifically, the statement (here in Greek) reads:

"The KKE calls for mass popular condemnation of the new crimes committed by the terrorist state of Israel in Lebanon, which have so far resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. The attacks in Lebanon, combined with the ongoing operations in Gaza and the West Bank of Palestine, constitute an escalation of the war in the Middle East with unpredictable dimensions in which the peoples will be the victims.