WSWS: 25 years of fighting for truth and justice, from Balkan wars to Gaza genocide

Analysing global protests from a working class point of view, the World Socialist Web Site charts a unique path for the anti-war movement.

Incisive articles published by WSWS critically analyse the unfolding crisis in Gaza, its historical context, and the deliberate escalation of tensions. | Photo Credit: By Special Arrangement

The two-month bombardment of Gaza sparked a wave of protests and outrage across the globe. Several organisations and individuals in the Western bloc openly condemned Israel’s military intervention and their governments’ dubious roles. Among the most vocal critics was the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS), an online news portal affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and its Socialist Equality Parties.

Founded in 1998, the WSWS has consistently offered “an intelligent appraisal of the problems of contemporary society,” addressing societal dissatisfaction and challenging the “mainstream reactionary media”. It aims to provide a political perspective for those affected by social and economic inequality, recognising that tackling these issues requires “the growth in the influence of a socialist political movement guided by a Marxist world outlook.”

Marking its 15th anniversary in 2013, the WSWS’s International Editorial Board compiled a comprehensive chronology of significant events from 1998 to 2013, drawn from its archive of over 45,000 articles. This chronicle begins with the imperialist wars launched by the United States against Yugoslavia, the rise of neoconservatives, and the election of George W. Bush Jr., leading to the wars in Iraq. This period, starting with ominous pronouncements of the “end of history”, witnessed wars on terror, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a drastic decline in working class living standards, and unprecedented attacks on democratic rights.

Regarding Gaza, the WSWS argues that while global demonstrations are crucial, the fight against war must be rooted in the working class to acquire a distinct character. Its incisive articles critically analyse the unfolding crisis in Gaza, its historical context, and the deliberate escalation of tensions. The editorial board’s October 27th statement highlighted the “general mass movement developing in response to the war crimes committed against the Palestinian people,” emphasising the need to expand and develop spontaneous protests worldwide, including in the United States.

The WSWS advocates for strikes and other protest actions by the working class in every country. It also calls for protests within Israel itself and urges reservists to defy “criminal orders” from the Netanyahu government. Additionally, it condemns the US and its NATO allies (Germany, France, UK, Italy, and Canada) as full partners and accomplices in this “genocide”, noting the suppression of peaceful protests in many of these nations and the slanderous labelling of some as “anti-Semitic”.

Marking its 15th anniversary in 2013, the WSWS’s International Editorial Board compiled a comprehensive chronology of significant events from 1998 to 2013, drawn from its archive of over 45,000 articles | Photo Credit: By Special Arrangement

The editorial exposes these claims as “foul slander” by governments that have “cultivated and promoted fascists and anti-Semites”, citing the presence of the anti-Semitic and fascist Alternative for Germany party within the German Parliament as an example. Ultimately, the WSWS calls for the expansion and broadening of protests to counter “imperialist and capitalist barbarism in its most brutal form” witnessed in Gaza and sees this fight as a continuation and extension of the global war waged by the US-NATO axis, initiated by the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

WSWS reporters meticulously documented major pro-Palestinian protests and demonstrations worldwide, interviewing participants in cities across the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and London. Their detailed reports consistently found no trace of “anti-Semitism” in the speeches, placards, and slogans, leading the WSWS to conclude that despite Western propaganda, the broad mass of workers and youth globally stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The WSWS firmly believes that the working class must be mobilised against imperialist war. To achieve this, it proposes harnessing the international working class’ social power through a political general strike. Furthermore, it advocates for working class action to halt the shipment of any military supplies to Israel. Ultimately, the WSWS contends that the anti-war movement’s success and strength hinge on its development as a global working class and socialist movement.