Zelena akcija/FoE Croatia supports Palestinians and the pro-Palestinian movement in the fight for freedom and justice, and calls for continued international solidarity. This is primarily an issue of protecting human lives and humanitarianism, but it is also an environmental issue.
FoE Croatia originated from the anti-nuclear and anti-war movement, specifically, the Svarun peace initiative. Namely, at the beginning of the war in Croatia in the 1990s, some activists and members of FoE Croatia actively joined the anti-war campaign. With the call that Zelena akcija sent out to all people of good will on July 4th 1991, the anti-war campaign “Let's prevent war!” began. For the first few months, the campaign secretariat functioned from FoE Croatia’s office.
This legacy is of utmost importance to us, as is the deep sense of social justice that is inseparable from the struggle for environmental protection and which permeates our work. Therefore, we recognise the intertwining of different struggles, including the one for freedom of Palestine. We believe that the struggle for climate justice goes hand in hand with the struggle against the military-industrial complex and wars that kill people and destroy the planet.
The Palestinian struggle is a struggle for human rights and climate justice. It is a struggle for liberation from the Israeli occupation, which is based on the illegal and unjust exploitation of Palestinian land, soil and natural resources.
In the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinians are prevented from accessing, using and benefiting from natural resources. The Israeli occupation illegally controls more than 65 percent of the West Bank and restricts agricultural practices to 35 percent of Gaza's agricultural land (data before the start of the current genocide), all of which prevent Palestinians from dealing with climate change. Gaza is densely populated and is located in a region where temperatures are rising 20 percent faster than on a global scale. Without an end to the occupation and blockade, climate change adaptation strategies will have limited effect.
Therefore, issues of environmental protection and climate change cannot be separated from the recognition of people's right to sovereignty in their own country. The struggle for justice and freedom of Palestine is linked to global movements advocating for indigenous rights, land rights, the fight against the fossil fuel industry and climate colonialism*. It is an integral part of the collective struggle for a world in which everyone has the right to live with dignity and without oppression.
Although Israel's current military operation in Gaza has been going on for 17 months, the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians has actually been happening for almost 80 years. From the Nakba (Great Catastrophe) in 1948, that is, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Arabs through their massive and violent displacement and confiscation of land, property and belongings (more than 750.000 people were displaced), through Naksa in 1967, when around 280.000 to 325.000 Palestinians were displaced from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, until today.
Before October 2023, about 2.2 million people lived in Gaza on a small area of 365 km² (slightly less than the area of Island of Brač in Croatia).
Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on Gaza over the past 17 months have killed more than . Palestinians – two-thirds of whom are women and children – injured at least 110.000 people and displaced 90 percent of the population. But the true numbers are yet to be known, as people are also dying from hunger and disease, and thousands are still under rubble. According to one of the oldest and most influential academic medical journals, the Lancet, the true number of victims of direct attacks on Gaza could be around 41 percent higher. At the time of their study’s publication in July 2024, it was estimated that the total death toll could be 186.000 or even more. At the same time, Israeli authorities have detained or abducted numerous Gazans (many have disappeared) and arrested thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as Arab citizens of Israel. Even before the current genocide, there were over 9.000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons and detention centers, including children and minors. In March of this year, the UN released the results of an investigation into the sharp increase in sexual and gender-based violence by the Israeli military and illegal settlers across the occupied Palestinian territories, including in prisons.
It is estimated that over 70 percent of buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Israeli forces have repeatedly bombed, besieged and attacked hospitals in Gaza. In January, the World Health Organisation reported that since the beginning of the genocide, 654 attacks on health facilities have been recorded, and more than 1.000 health workers have been killed, which is just one in a series of war crimes (Geneva Conventions). Almost all school buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and none are in function (scholasticide).
We must not forget the brave Palestinian journalists who are largely ignored by the Western media. The Israeli military has killed 232 media workers in Gaza – an average of 13 per week – making it the deadliest conflict for media workers on record, according to a report by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs’ “Costs of War” project. In other words, more journalists have been killed in Gaza than in both world wars, Vietnam, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan combined.
Israel dropped over 85.000 tons of bombs on Gaza, far surpassing the worst bombings of World War II (the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had about 15.000 tons of explosive power). Up to 15 percent of these explosive devices did not detonate upon impact and represent a great risk for the Palestinians, as well as the already devastated and poisoned environment. Additionally, from October 2023 to November 2024, Israeli attacks released approximately 54,5 million tons of CO2, roughly equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of 16 coal-fired power plants.
In all of this, we must not forget the responsibility of the West. According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the United States is the main supplier of weapons to Israel, accounting for 69 percent of Israel's imports of conventional weapons between 2019 and 2023. Germany is the second largest supplier. As Israel's largest ally, the United States has spent $22 billion supporting the Israeli military from October 2023 to the present. Almost all of American aid to Israel today goes for military purposes. According to the American think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations, the US has provided more than $310 billion in military and economic assistance to Israel since 1946. Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth 94 million euros from August to October 2024 alone.
On January 17th 2025, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, which was only a sham because the Israeli regime continuously violated it, through aerial and artillery bombardment, killing over 150 people by March. In addition, on 2 March, Israel stopped the flow of all goods, including food, medicine and fuel.
At the same time, the Israeli army launched an offensive in the occupied West Bank, forcibly displacing over 40.000 people and killing at least 55 people (since November 2023, at least 870 Palestinians, including 177 children, have been killed in the area). Last year, the Israeli government accelerated the settlement - effectively annexation - of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, transferring its own population to the territory and illegally demolishing Palestinian homes, while settler violence increased in a climate of continued impunity, a report by the UN Human Rights Office showed.
We must not forget the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Yemen that have not stopped.
The ceasefire deal reached only the first of three planned phases as Israel unilaterally broke the truce on March 18, killing over 400 Palestinians in airstrikes, mostly children, women and the elderly.
FoE Croatia strongly condemns the brutal massacre and continuous genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli occupation.
Israel's impunity for these crimes has been enabled for too long by the USA and other countries such as Germany, which protect and support it militarily and economically, and we are witnessing the consequences of this not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also in other parts of the region.
All states, including the Republic of Croatia, must "respect and ensure compliance" with international humanitarian law (the Geneva Convention), the violation of which we witness every day.
Zelena akcija demands the following:
(1) Immediate, permanent and unconditional cessation of genocide**, ethnic cleansing and armed violence against Palestinians in all occupied Palestinian territories.
(2) Stopping the collective punishment of the Gaza population through Israel’s inhumane siege, by:
• the immediate opening of Gaza’s borders
• enabling the unlimited import of all forms of humanitarian and medical aid – access to humanitarian aid is not a bargaining chip, but a fundamental human right, and any obstacle to the provision of aid is another in a series of war crimes
• enabling the entry of humanitarian and medical personnel and search and rescue teams
• immediate provision of access to food, water, electricity, fuel and communication channels.
(3) The international community, including Croatia, should advocate for the return of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza and equally advocate for the release of the nearly 10.000 Palestinian hostages held by Israel in its prisons (including children and minors).
(4) Mobilise international assistance for the reconstruction of Gaza.
(5) The Croatian Government and other competent institutions must urgently and without delay begin developing an action plan to fulfill the obligations under Article 1 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in accordance with the conclusion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from January 2024, according to which there is a probable risk that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza. The provisions of the Convention clearly stipulate that, among other things, participation in genocide is also considered a punishable act of genocide. The Genocide Convention obliges states to take measures to prevent genocide. The Court has clarified that this obligation arises from the moment when states become aware of a serious risk that acts of genocide have been committed. States became aware of the danger of genocide in Gaza by the Court’s order of January 26, 2024.
This also obliges Croatia to do everything it can to prevent the crime of genocide. For example, foreign governments have an obligation to stop the supply of fuel to Israel unless they can guarantee that it will not be used for military purposes. This includes banning the export of crude oil, military jet fuel and other fuels, as well as prohibiting the transport of these goods through their territory. Governments that do not do everything in their power to stop these attacks and instead support the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime risk being declared complicit in genocide.
The Croatian government risks precisely this. Among other things, exports of pistols from Croatia to Israel in 2023 amounted to over 2,6 million USD, and of weapon parts (e.g. ammunition) to over 650.000 USD. In addition, Croatia imports and exports refined oil and plastics.
(6) Furthermore, Croatia must cease further diplomatic, economic, military, security, cultural and other relations with Israel until that country ceases to violate international law and human rights.
(7) The Republic of Croatia and other EU members must use all mechanisms at their disposal to stop Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank, such as:
• imposing a comprehensive military and energy embargo on Israel, including a suspension of the import and export of arms, military assistance, dual-use technology, spare parts and fuel
• banning all ships suspected of carrying military assistance to Israel from docking at Croatian ports.
(8) The State of Israel must comply with the judgment of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024, by which the Court declared (and confirmed) the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal (since 1967), together with the associated settlement regime, annexation and exploitation of natural resources, and that it must cease immediately. Accordingly, we call on Croatia to engage in ending Israel’s illegal occupation.
(9) The Croatian Government must sever economic relations with companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the energy sector. We also demand the cessation of imports of products from these territories.
The ICJ has made it clear that third states must „refrain from entering into economic or trade relations with Israel […] that could entrench its illegal presence in the territory“. Furthermore, third states must „take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that contribute to the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory“.
(10) The Republic of Croatia and other states must implement the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, on suspicion of crimes against humanity, issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024.
(11) We call on the Croatian Government to support the new Hague Group – a group of 9 countries from the Global South established on January 31, 2025 to protect and support the judgments of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court regarding Israel and Palestine.
(12) As the only country with real influence over Israel, we call on the US and its government to end its unconditional support for Israel and its enabling of occupation and genocide.
(13) We demand an end to the criminalisation of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian activists across Europe and the US. Standing up for an end to the genocide, freedom and equality for Palestinians is not anti-Semitism, but the US and German authorities are trying to equate it. The US-based Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest anti-Zionist Jewish organisation in the world, has unequivocally rejected the equating of anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and condemned the false accusations of anti-Semitism leveled against anti-war protesters in order to discredit the movement. Germany approved a controversial resolution late last year to supposedly combat anti-Semitism, despite fierce opposition from legal experts, civil society and prominent Jewish intellectuals. Basically, the resolution equates criticism of the State of Israel with hatred of Jews, can characterise legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies as anti-Semitic, and no organisation or project will receive financial support if it, for example, questions Israel’s right to exist, calls for a boycott of Israel or actively supports the Palestinian movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions – BDS (more information in the text below).
Repressive policies implemented by states against Palestinian and pro-Palestinian activists, including raids on homes, legal restrictions, bans on slogans in Arabic at protests, police violence during peaceful protests (Germany) or arrests of peaceful protesters and the use of anti-terrorist laws against activists (UK), can, to some extent, be compared with the repression of climate activists, as a hint of what may soon await us. That is why solidarity and joint action against the same system is of utmost importance.
Call to action:
(1) We support the BDS movement, a Palestinian non-violent movement that promotes boycott, divestment and economic sanctions against Israel. Launched in 2005, BDS is a movement for freedom, justice and equality, which supports the simple principle that Palestinians have the same rights as the rest of humanity. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, BDS calls for action to pressure Israel to respect international law.
Specifically
• The boycott includes the withdrawal of support for the Israeli regime, Israeli sports, cultural and academic institutions that support the regime, and all Israeli and international companies involved in the violation of Palestinian human rights (e.g. Chevron, Siemens, Reebok, Disney+, SodaStream, Google, Amazon, Booking/AirBnB, Israeli Teva Pharmaceutical Industries – owner of Croatian Pliva, McDonald’s, Coca Cola).
• Divestment campaigns encourage banks, local councils, churches, pension funds and universities to divest from Israel and all Israeli and international companies that support Israeli apartheid.
• Sanctions campaigns pressure governments to fulfill their legal obligations to end Israeli apartheid and not help maintain it by banning business with illegal Israeli settlements, ending military trade and free trade agreements, and suspending Israel’s membership in international forums such as UN bodies and FIFA.
For easier navigation in the boycott of products and brands, we recommend the No thanks and BoyCat applications. In addition, we invite you to support Palestinian brands.
(2) We express our solidarity and support to our sister organisation in Palestine, PENGON / Friends of the Earth Palestine, which is the only environmental network in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. If you can, support PENGON’s work with a donation and help deliver desperately needed resources to Palestinians in Gaza.
(3) We invite you, in accordance with your possibilities, to donate to the following organisations:
- Medical Aid for Palestinians
- World Food Programme
- Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
- Other
(4) We also support pro-Palestinian collectives in Croatia, such as the Free Palestine Initiative and Students for Palestine. Follow them on social networks and get involved in their activities.
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*Climatic colonialism refers to the exploitation of resources of the so-called Global South by the countries of the Global North for their green agendas and continued growth. It is sometimes called green colonialism. For example, many of the reforestation projects supported and implemented by the North involve human rights violations, land grabbing and violence in Africa, Latin America and Indonesia. The same applies to projects using minerals for renewable technologies or plans for „hydrogen valleys“ in the north of Africa, which would serve the European Union for energy supply, not Africa. The 2022 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) included the term colonialism for the first time, signaling recognition of this problem.
**Genocide is a crime committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, religious or racial group, as such, by killing its members, causing serious physical or mental harm, inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its destruction (e.g. starvation), imposing measures aimed at preventing births in the group or forcibly transferring children to another group. The above definition of genocide is established by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The Republic of Croatia has been a party to the Convention since its inception.
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