November 20, 2023 editorial of the New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA) in France, translated from French
The French government continues to use the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, seeking to brand as anti-Semitic all those who denounce the ongoing massacre in Gaza. But denouncing the war crimes of massive bombardment of apartment blocks, hospitals and refugee camps has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. While demonstrations all over the world, including France, continue week after week to call for an end to the massacre, a demonstration against the war in the Gaza Strip brought together hundreds of people in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday November 18, bringing together Jewish and Arab citizens.
Netanyahu is finding it increasingly difficult to get support for the degree of barbarity used against the Palestinian people. Here in France, President Macron now speaks of “healing the children of Gaza.” It would seem that the rejection of his policy of unconditional support for the State of Israel is beginning to be felt.
Divide and conquer… and pave the way for the [far-right] RN
By repeatedly banning us from demonstrating, the French government has attacked our freedoms. And now, with its “Immigration bill,” it is attacking our entire social class. It points the finger at all those of us who are children of immigrants, and at all those who are undocumented and therefore without rights, who are part of the working world or will soon be.
All this racist and disgusting escalation is an attempt to divide the population and sow hatred. Even if it means going over the top, as demonstrated by the large-scale demonstration purportedly against anti-Semitism, with the participation of the Rassemblement National (RN), a notoriously racist and anti-Semitic party. Macron, twice elected thanks to the blackmail of the “Republican barrage” against [the far-right] Le Pen, really has no shame. Not only does this government not provide a barrier against the extreme right, it is paving the way for it.
No anti-Semitism or racism of any kind
In fact, it is with the right and extreme right that he intends to push through his new Immigration bill. Macron would certainly abandon his plan for a referendum on immigration, having failed to find enough political support to amend the Constitution. But his Minister of the Interior, Darmanin, is showing off every day with elected officials from the Republicans and RN, united in their determination to push through an ever more xenophobic bill. For example, the Senate has called into question regularization through work in jobs in short supply, citizenship for children born in France to foreign parents, family reunification, and State Medical Aid (AME) allowing undocumented migrants to seek medical treatment… with Darmanin’s blessing. No doctor has the right to refuse to treat anyone and, fortunately, health professionals have already made it known that they will continue to provide care for migrants, regardless of the racist demagoguery of the Senate majority and Darmanin. The latter, on his X account (formerly Twitter), unrolls the list of expelled foreigners every day. As a prefect remarked: “No one had dared to do this.”
In the face of these new divisive maneuvers, let’s assert our solidarity as exploited people, our class solidarity, the only solidarity that will enable us to mobilize against this government’s attacks, against exploitation at work and against all the barbarism generated by the capitalist world, in the image of what’s happening today in Gaza. It’s in the streets that we must say no to the immigration law and affirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people, for as long as it takes!
