Left-wing parties hold pro-Hamas demonstrations in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

Amid the more than 2,200 deaths in just five days after the attacks by the terrorist group Hamas on Israel, left-wing parties and movements such as PCO, PSOL, PCB and PSTU carried out acts on Tuesday (10) in support of the faction that promoted violent acts against civilians during the invasion on Saturday (7). Brazilians were also victims of the extremists, two of whom died, one is still missing and there is already confirmation of more citizens being held hostage by the group in Gaza.

Left-wing parties held demonstrations in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro alongside movements linked to the Palestinian cause and workers, such as the Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (Fepal), the Federation of Technical-Administrative Workers Unions in Education (Fasubra Union), the National Movement for the Struggle for Housing (MNLM), among others.

During the demonstration in São Paulo, the national director of the PCO, Francisco Muniz, defended the Hamas attacks and classified the acts as an “anti-imperialist struggle”.

“I am here on behalf of the Workers’ Cause Party to provide our unrestricted support to the Palestinian people and Hamas. Saturday (7) was the day that changed the entire history of the anti-imperialist struggle in the world”, he said during the event.

Muniz’s speech was similar to that of Ieri de Souza, a militant in Brasília who said he was “100% or 200% with Hamas, we are 1,000% with Hamas”, he stated. Other members of left-wing movements shouted “long live Hamas” during the protest in the federal capital (see in full).

Gabriel Araújo, member of the MNLM, stated that the protest was a “response to the international political situation”, and that there has been a “weakening of imperialism since the beginning of the war in Ukraine”.

“Fasubra Sindical is in this important act here in Brasília out of unrestricted and complete solidarity with the Palestinian people, the struggle and resistance that Palestine has been doing for decades”, said Mário Junior, a member of Fasubra criticizing what would be a neutral position by Lula on the conflict.

The PSOL republished on its official website a manifesto from the International Workers League (LIT-QI), in which it defends the “Palestinian resistance” led by Hamas. According to the movement, the group has been striving to claim the “lands” and rights of Palestinians for more than 75 years, and that there is a lack of significant action on the part of the international community in favor of the people.

The LIT-QI also declared its “unconditional support for the heroic and historic Palestinian resistance”, stating that the people are exploited and oppressed, and demanding that “governments around the world recognize the Zionist apartheid regime and break all agreements” with Israel, especially in relation to arms sales agreements.

The left-wing parties and movements that have positioned themselves in favor of Hamas are also historical supporters of the PT and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who has already declared himself against the attacks carried out by the group, but resists classifying it as a terrorist. . A little earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government will only change its position after the United Nations Security Council reaches a consensus for this name.

In the past, in 2021, Lula’s ministers, PT and PSOL deputies and social movements signed a pro-Hamas letter condemning the group’s classification as terrorist. Since then, the opinions of some of them have partially changed, but the term terrorism still faces resistance on the left.