In Austria, “the ideological system is bounded by the consensus of the privileged” ¹ (p.88) who accept unconditional support for Israel’s brutal retaliation against the Palestinians as a matter of principle. However, this consensus is about to be broken up together with the sound barrier that has been erected to protect it, as GAZA will literally be on the ballot for the upcoming Austrian national elections ² this September.

Ever since October 7, thousands of Austrian activists and citizens have taken to the streets, protesting every weekend, determined to continue their resistance, fuelled by what can rightfully be called the broadest possible political unity under the aegis of the Palestine Solidarity movement. Austria’s political establishment spared no effort to criminalize, defame, slander and silence the protests. ³ Not only did those attempts fail to squelch the movement, but the administration’s campaign of abetting violent colonialism had a profound yet initially subtle impact, although not the intended one. At first, many people were afraid to speak out against Israel’s mass murder retaliation aimed at the people of Gaza; howbeit, as the Genocide in Gaza continues to receive full-fledged support from all Austrian political parties, cracks in the system start to emerge. These cracks serve as the lynchpin of a political movement calling itself:

“Liste GAZA - Stimmen gegen den Völkermord”

The German word “Stimmen” in the above context lends itself to a dual interpretation, as in (1) “voices against genocide”, or (2) “vote against genocide”; both appropriate to its cause. What started as a crazy idea, has transmuted into a political party, the GAZA List — seeded with the mentality of neutrality and unwavering support for universal human rights and justice, galvanizing incipient grassroots political movements in their attempt to undermine and counter Austria’s complicity in Israel’s mass murder campaign in all its facets from within. Its popular base, spanning the full gamut of Austria’s society, aims to break the consensus of the political parties as well as the sound barrier maintained by loyal government media stenographers, muzzling any deviation from established orthodoxy that demands perfect alignment with Israel without exception.

Many people, while lauding our efforts in private, were too afraid to join our cause in public. However, something has shifted in Austrian society, not just recently when the GAZA list announced that it garnered enough support from Austrian citizens to make it onto the ballot in at least four Austrian states for the upcoming national elections on September 29, 2024.

The people’s disgust for the horrors unfolding in Gaza on display in social media, ⁴ whilst being diligently ignored by main stream Austrian news outlets in concert with its political parties that justified them (i.e. the horrors) under the guise of Israel’s “right to self-defence”, has always been present and simmering, waiting to be unleashed. For a change, it is not a political party full of self-styled immigration and terror experts who are whitewashing conspiratorial and bigoted literature of Austria’s “Islamophobia industry” ⁵ that is able to usurp the discontent of Austrian citizens; it is the “GAZA list” that seems to have tapped into these deeply seated sentiments, with its manifesto serving as a distilled version of its aims and priorities:

GAZA List Manifesto

Voices against Genocide

For peace, neutrality and justice

For nearly a year, Israel has been actively committing genocide against the Palestinians. However, no political party represented in the Austrian parliament has expressed its opposition to this tragedy. On the contrary, at the diplomatic level the federal government is demonstrating blatant support for Israel’s war, abetting the continuation of the massacre by outright rejection of three UN ceasefire resolutions. At the humanitarian level, Austria froze aid payments to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), taking part in the hunger embargo against Gaza. At the military level, Austria supports EU arms deliveries to Israel; by joining ‘Sky Shield’ (an air-defence alliance) Austria strengthens its military cooperation with Israel and the US as it acquires additional Israeli missiles.

The hoisting of the Israeli flag on the roof of the Austrian Federal Chancellery underscores the government’s strong violation of Austria’s permanent constitutional neutrality with its callous attitude towards supporting Israeli atrocities in Gaza, in defiance of the will of the majority of Austrians. The majority insists on neutrality as a means to fostering peace, and does therefore not want to be complicit in abetting genocide. Without systematic support of Israel provided by many EU states and US weapons, money, etc., Israel could not keep carrying out its constant violations of international law with impunity.

The GAZA list empowers anyone in Austria that stands for peace, neutrality, and justice, by amplifying their voices denouncing Israel’s genocide. We witnessed how powerful the steadfast, worldwide protests on the streets have proved, in successfully exerting pressure against their governments. South Africa, was able to extricate itself from white apartheid after decades of struggle, accusing Israel of genocide before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Many states have joined in since, even the EU member Spain.  The international criminal court (ICC) called for an international arrest warrant against Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu, and decreed an immediate halt to the offensive against Rafah.

Through the activities of the GAZA list, we take a stand against attempts to defame and criminalize the solidarity and peace movement. The negative impact of one-sided and manipulative media reporting in favour of Israel is staggering; colonialism, occupation, and apartheid as the underlying causes of the conflict are diligently excluded from the framework of discussion.

A systematic effort is being undertaken by the political and media institutions to reinterpret the notion of anti-Semitism. It is no longer the persecution and oppression of Jews - something that we strongly oppose - that is officially perceived as anti-Semitism, but rather the lack of “solidarity with Israel”. This transformation of the meaning of anti-Semitism is targeting our commitment to democracy, against racism, occupation and colonialism. The anti-fascist dictum of “never again” has been perverted and turned against Palestinians. Additionally, the political and media complex has obstinately refused to call for neutrality, contrary to the time when Austrian Chancellor Kreisky achieved a contribution towards peace by recognizing the Palestinian resistance as a negotiating partner. Today, Kreisky would be denounced as an anti-Semite and put on trial for his “approval of terrorist crimes”.

Freedom of expression and assembly is being actively curtailed through the adoption of speech laws and bans on demonstrations. There is an increasing disregard for court rulings by the executive branch. Attempts are being made to prosecute Palestinian activists. Democracy, the rule of law, and indeed the very foundations of the Second Republic are in jeopardy.

The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza before the eyes of the world is a symbol of a profoundly unjust world order. The Palestine Solidarity movement together with the GAZA List are campaigning for more democracy, self-determination and (social) justice both globally and here in Austria. This is the only way to achieve peace.

We will not allow our voices to be silenced. In defence of fundamental social and democratic rights, we express our opposition to genocide and call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

Vote for the GAZA list

For peace, neutrality and justice