On the 99th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth, revolutionaries and anti-imperialists worldwide remember Cuba’s historic commitment to the Palestinian struggle—a commitment rooted not in opportunism, but in the principles of internationalism, anti-colonialism, and resistance to Zionism as a tool of U.S. imperialism.
Fidel’s Condemnation of Genocide: A Stand Against Zionist Expansion
In 1979, at the United Nations General Assembly, Fidel Castro delivered a blistering indictment of Israel’s settler-colonial project, denouncing its violent expansion into Palestinian land as genocide—a term few global leaders dared to use at the time.
“We repudiate the ruthless persecution and genocide Nazism unleashed against the Jewish people,” Fidel declared. “But I can think of nothing more similar in our contemporary history than the eviction, persecution, and genocide that imperialism and Zionism are carrying out today against the Palestinian people.”
Fidel’s words were not mere rhetoric. They reflected Cuba’s material and diplomatic support for Palestine since the early days of the revolution. While Latin American governments, under U.S. pressure, aligned with Israel, Cuba broke ranks. In 1959, Che Guevara and Raúl Castro visited Gaza, signaling Cuba’s defiance of imperialist dictates. By 1964, Cuba became one of the first nations to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and in 1973, it severed all diplomatic ties with Israel.
Beyond Words: Cuba’s Tangible Solidarity
Cuba’s solidarity went beyond speeches. When Yasser Arafat visited Havana in 1974, he was received as a head of state—even as Western powers refused to recognize Palestinian sovereignty. Cuba awarded Arafat the Playa Girón Order, its highest honor for anti-imperialist fighters.
Mansour Tahboub, former director of the Arafat Foundation, noted:
“Cuba trained Palestinian cadres, provided political and military support, and stood with us unconditionally. Fidel’s stance was not about diplomacy—it was about revolutionary principle.”
Even under the brutal U.S. blockade, Cuba continues to offer 150 annual scholarships for Palestinian students to study medicine and engineering—a lifeline for youth under Israeli apartheid.
A Revolutionary Principle: No Rewards Expected
Fidel’s support for Palestine was consistent with Cuba’s broader internationalism—from Angola to Vietnam. In his own words:
“Revolutionaries expect nothing. They devote themselves to a cause without expecting material gain.”
This principle clashed sharply with the imperialist logic of “aid for influence.” While the U.S. and Europe armed Israel to maintain dominance in the Middle East, Cuba stood with the oppressed—not for profit, but because it was right.
Arafat’s Tribute: “Fidel Wore the Palestinian Keffiyeh with Pride”
Yasser Arafat, who visited Cuba eight times, once told Fidel:
“Every Palestinian holds in their heart the image of you wearing the keffiyeh—proof of our cause’s justice and Israel’s crimes.”
Arafat’s words resonate today as Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues. While Western powers fund and arm the occupation, Cuba remains one of Palestine’s fiercest defenders.
The Struggle Continues
Even after Fidel’s passing, Cuba upholds his legacy. In 2014, Fidel signed a global manifesto demanding Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Today, as Israel escalates its ethnic cleansing, Cuba’s voice remains vital in the Non-Aligned Movement and at the UN.
For Nepal’s leftists and anti-imperialists, Cuba’s stance is a reminder: solidarity is not charity—it is a duty. As Fidel showed, true revolutionaries do not stand with the powerful, but with the oppressed.
Long live Cuba-Palestine solidarity!
Long live internationalism!
—Online People’s News, Nepal(onlinepeoplesnews.com)
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