After weeks of attacking Palestinians and engaging in anti-Palestinian campaigns, such as forcibly removing them from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem, Israeli Occupation Forces continued this violence by raiding the Al Aqsa mosque during prayers nearing the end of the month of Ramadan, leaving hundreds of Palestinians injured. The right-wing regime went even further and launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, with the death toll expected to rise.

This act of violence isn’t new to the Palestinian people. This Saturday, May 15 is the 73rd anniversary of the 1948 Palestinian Exodus, or the “Nakba”, which occurred when Zionist paramilitary groups launched an entire ethnic cleansing operation–forcing over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs out of their homes to build the Jewish state of Israel. Those forces also killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, along with carrying out many other atrocities, including massacres and destroying hundreds of villages and cities.

To the Palestinian people, the Nakba never ended. For many decades, Israel has violated international law by continuing the illegal settlements and population transfer into the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Their justification for Palestinian erasure and maintaining a Jewish ethnostate is apartheid, especially while chanting “death to Arabs” and “burn their towns”.

The San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) condemns these continuing acts of violence and stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We also reject the media narrative of calling these atrocities as “clashes” and “conflicts”. These past several weeks, along with over 70 years of the Palestinian struggle, cannot be simply categorized as two groups “clashing” with one another. What Israel has done to the Palestinians is a heinous act of fascism and racism.

That is why as socialists, we must fight racism and all forms of injustice, especially abroad. Removing Palestinians and denying their right of return has shown an act of intense injustice even in times without violent conflict. We also understand the correlation of all our struggles under capitalism, which has led to a history of colonialism, imperialism, and fascism. This also means we support the boycott of Israel and the anti-racist Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions’ (BDS) call to end apartheid, as well as cutting off US military aid to Israel.

The chapter invites community members to join us in a Palestine Action Network rally for Palestinian liberation on Saturday, May 15 at 2 pm, Valencia and 16th in the Mission. As this continues to unfold this week, we will continue to fight for liberation for Palestinians and all our neighbors. Because until all of us are free, no one is free.