On 26th September 2010 the Regional Meeting of the Middle East region of the World Peace Council took place successfully in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting was attended by the peace movements of the region, in particular from Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Palestine and Syria and by guests from the Movements of India, Sudan, Cyprus, Turkey and Greece along with the Executive Secretary of the WPC and a delegation from the Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organisation (AAPSO) which hosted the meeting. The Regional Meeting was preceded on the 25th September by a successful regional Seminar jointly organized by WPC and AAPSO under the title: “The Peace & Solidarity Movement of the region and the ‘New Middle East’ ”

After a fruitful exchange of views and information and the discussion of the Report by the regional coordinator the participants of the Regional Meeting agreed and issued the following communiqué:
The participants of the Meeting salute the peace loving peoples and movements in the region with the most imperialist aggressions, cases of occupation and threats to peace and security and expressed their solidarity with the struggles of the peoples for their just causes, in their struggle for Democracy, peoples’ and workers’ rights, for prosperity and social justice.

While working people world wide and in the region are facing the consequences of the capitalist economic crisis with brutal social cuts and growing unemployment, the participants of the meeting observed the growing military expenditure and aggressiveness of imperialism and the immense profits of the multinational corporations and monopolies.

The situation in the broader area is explosive.
The Palestinian Tragedy is continuing for more than 60 years without indications for a near end. Israeli occupation and annexation of territories, settlements, separation wall, invasions, demolishing of houses, arrestment of people and assassination is a daily policy, while more than 50 – 60 percent of Palestinian people are refugees. The ongoing slowly genocide against the Palestinian people is a result also of the full support by the USA and the EU to the Israeli occupation. We demand the immediate lifting of the Israeli siege and blockade of the Palestinian Gaza strip, where the people live in inhuman conditions.

The ongoing occupation and destruction of Iraq, the killing more than 110000 of Iraqi people, religious and ethnic wars for its division and control of the oil reserves is brutal evidence for the unchanged strategy of the US administration and its willing allies which maintain 50.000 troops of occupation in Iraq, threatening at the same time neighbour countries and peoples. The meeting expressed its solidarity to the Iraqi people in its desire to liberate their country and their right to resist their occupiers.
The Israeli aggression against Lebanon in 2006 and the recent incident at the border area underlines the aggressive attitude of Israel which failed due the heroic resistance of the Lebanese people which refused to accept the division of their country.

The meeting denounced the use of phosphoric and cluster bombs as well as other internationally prohibited weapons in the Israeli military operations against civilians in both Gaza and Lebanon. Up to one million unexploded cluster bombs remain in south Lebanon after the 2006 aggression, posing a continuing risk to civilians and environment.
The participants of the meeting observed the pressure and threats against Syria with the Israeli forces attacking its territories while it is accused for cooperation with terrorists aiming at international isolation of Syria due to its anti-imperialist policy.

The systematic campaign against Iran organized by Israel, USA and its European allies on the nuclear issue creates tension and is preparing the public opinion in their countries and in the countries of the region for a new aggression. The WPC regional meeting is opposed to the imposition of economic sanctions by the UN Security Council against Iran and any further punitive sanctions by the E.U. and supports the right for the peaceful use of Nuclear Energy for its country.

The attendees of the regional meeting expressed their solidarity with the peace loving forces in Iran in their complex struggle for peace, democracy and social justice. They emphasised the inherent link between the struggle for democratic rights and freedoms of the working people and the potential of the campaign to develop a popular and effective peace movement to resist the threats from the US- led world imperialism.

The Regional Meeting rejects the Imperialist “New Middle East Plan” which has in its core the geostrategical interests of the USA and its allies from political, economical and military point of view. Through cooperative or submissive governments in the region, business for the oil and other multinationals are being secured. The military and political domination is secured through the Occupation and exploitation of Iraq and Afghanistan, placing at the same time threats to other countries through the huge military presence in and around the region.

The participants of the meeting denounced the new reactionary strategic concept of NATO which leads to a role as “World Sheriff” wherever the interests of imperialism are at stake.

The participants of the meeting reiterate their position for universal and complete nuclear disarmament emphasizing in the Middle East at the Nuclear Program of Israel which constitutes a threat to the peoples of the area.
The regional meeting notes with concern the growing religious fundamentalist tendencies in the region, which are being used by imperialism for their plans.
The Peace movement and peace loving forces can win in joint struggle with the struggling people in the world, with the WPC and other democratic, anti-imperialist international Organisations who played a significant role during the last 60 years supporting the just causes of the people all over the world especially in the Middle East.
Therefore the meeting concluded demanding:
• The Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied in the 1967 war, the West Bank with East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and Sheba farms.
• Establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital
• The complete and immediate withdrawal of all foreign occupation forces from Iraq and Afghanistan and the right to establish their free, democratic and sovereign states
• A firm rejection of every threat against Iran and the support full support for the struggle of the Iranian people and their progressive forces to find solutions for the internal problems faced by the country on the basis of preserving the sovereignty and independence of Iran and without any external interference, denouncing any plan for a military attack on Iran under whatever pretext.
• Ensuring equal rights for all Arab citizens in Israel. On this respect, the WPC rejects the idea of recognizing Israel as a “Jewish State”
Today this meeting in Cairo shall be a boost for the further strengthening of the WPC in the Middle East. As stronger the WPC will be in the Middle East as stronger will be the resistance of our peoples to the imperialist plans.
Cairo 26th September 2010 the Regional Meeting Middle East of the WPC

The attended Organisations are the following:
Palestinian Committee for Peace and Solidarity, Syrian National Peace Council, Lebanese Peace Council, Jordanian Peace and Solidarity Council, Committee for the defence of Iranian people’s Rights, Egyptian Peace Committee, Israeli Peace Committee, Iraqi Peace and Solidarity Council from the Middle East.

Guest Organisations were present from the Peace Association of Turkey, All India Peace &Solidarity Council, Cyprus Peace Council, Greek Committee for International Democratic Solidarity, Sudan Peace& Solidarity Council as well as a delegation from AAPSO and the WPC.