WASHINGTON: In a powerful joint statement, the World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF) and the Kashmir Diaspora Coalition (KDC) stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of Gaza, who are currently enduring the horrifying consequences of an ongoing Israeli offensive.
The statement emphatically condemns the relentless Israeli bombings, which have, for two consecutive weeks, targeted densely populated civilian areas, leading to the tragic loss of innocent lives, including patients, healthcare workers, and doctors.
For Palestinians, this is part of the agonizing reality of enduring 76 years of Israeli occupation, settler-colonialism, and living under the harsh conditions of an apartheid regime.
The Gaza Strip, in particular, has been described by international human rights organizations as “the world’s largest open-air prison.” The joint statement aptly highlights these atrocities and mass killings in Palestine, and it underscores the depth of empathy and shared experience with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), who, for decades, have been denied their fundamental right to self-determination.
The statement further underscores the importance of implementing UN Security Council resolutions #43, #46, and #48, issued in 1948 for Palestine, as well as UN Security Council resolution #47 for Kashmir, which equally dates back to 1948.
These resolutions are pivotal in the pursuit of lasting peace and justice in both conflict-ridden regions. They are not only international instruments of justice but also essential stepping stones towards realizing the self-determination rights of the affected populations.
In a call to action, WKAF and KDC urge the UN Security Council to take immediate steps in demanding a ceasefire. This cessation of hostilities is urgently needed to prevent further loss of life and suffering in both Palestine and Israel.
The joint statement serves as a poignant reminder that the struggle for justice, peace, and the end of occupation is a shared aspiration, uniting the hopes and dreams of the people of Kashmir and Palestine.
Together, they call for an end to the injustices that have persisted for far too long and a step toward a future marked by freedom, dignity, and self-determination.
