Cuba and Palestine: A Bond Forged in Anti-Colonial Struggle
Campaign News | Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Stephen Wilkinson, Editor of The International Journal of Cuba Studies, writes the history and the ongoing support of Cuba for the Palestinians
In the complex web of international relations, few partnerships have been as consistent and principled as Cuba’s support for Palestinian self-determination. For over 70 years, from well before the revolution to the present day, Cuba has stood firmly with Palestine – often as a lone voice in the Americas.
An Early Stand Against Partition
Cuba’s solidarity with Palestine began dramatically in 1947, when it became one of only two non-Muslim countries to vote against the United Nations partition plan for Palestine. At a time when most Latin American nations followed the United States’ lead in supporting partition, Cuba took a bold stance based on principles of self-determination and international law.
Dr Ernesto Dihigo, representing Cuba at the UN, argued passionately that the partition violated the fundamental right of peoples to determine their own destiny. He pointed out that Palestinians, who constituted 90% of the population after World War I, had shown remarkable hospitality by welcoming Jewish immigration and upholding religious freedom, only to face the forceful appropriation of half their land.
Che Guevara’s Historic Visit
The relationship deepened significantly after the Cuban Revolution, symbolised by Che Guevara’s historic visit to Gaza in 1959. Touring the region just months after the revolution’s triumph, Che witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of displacement on Palestinian communities. The City of Gaza proclaimed him “the great liberator of the peoples,” and his visit marked a crucial moment when Palestine’s struggle began transforming from a regional conflict into part of a global anti-colonial movement.
From Words to Action
Cuba’s support wasn’t merely rhetorical. Following Che’s visit, the country began providing practical assistance to Palestinians in multiple ways:
- Granting citizenship to displaced Palestinians
- Hosting solidarity conferences
- Providing thousands of university scholarships to Palestinian students
- Offering military training to Palestinian resistance fighters
- Opening its doors to Palestinian diplomatic missions
By 1973, Cuba took the decisive step of breaking diplomatic relations with Israel, becoming an early adopter of what would later evolve into the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
A Shared Struggle Against Imperialism
The Cuban-Palestinian relationship was strengthened by their parallel struggles against what they saw as imperial powers. Just as Palestinians faced displacement and occupation, Cuba confronted US attempts to overthrow its revolution, including the Bay of Pigs invasion and numerous assassination attempts against its leaders.
This shared experience of resistance helped forge a deep bond. When the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) opened its first Latin American diplomatic mission in Havana in 1974, it symbolised the merging of two anti-colonial struggles. Later, during the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, Palestinian and Cuban representatives stood side by side at victory celebrations, demonstrating their united front against imperialism.
People-to-People Solidarity
Cuba’s support for Palestine went beyond government policy to include grassroots solidarity. Despite facing severe economic challenges due to the US embargo, Cuba continued providing medical training and education to Palestinians. This generosity was particularly remarkable given Cuba’s limited resources and the economic pressure it faced.
The relationship was reciprocal. Throughout the 1970s, the PLO provided training and assistance to revolutionary movements across Latin America, viewing the struggles for justice in both regions as interconnected.
A Continuing Legacy
Today, Cuba’s support for Palestinian self-determination remains unwavering. At the United Nation, Cuba consistently votes in favour of Palestinian rights and condemns Israeli occupation policies. Cuba is the only country in the world where, on public demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinians, the marches have been led by the President.
The country continues to provide educational opportunities to Palestinian students and maintains its principled stance despite diplomatic pressures.
This seven-decade relationship represents one of the most enduring examples of South-South solidarity in modern history. It demonstrates how two geographically distant peoples, facing different but related struggles against powerful opponents, can maintain lasting bonds based on shared principles of self-determination and anti-colonialism.
As new generations of both Cubans and Palestinians continue their respective struggles, the historical depth of their relationship serves as a reminder that international solidarity can endure even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. In an era when geopolitical alliances often shift with prevailing winds, the Cuban-Palestinian partnership stands as a testament to the power of principled international solidarity.
Further Reading
For a comprehensive academic analysis of this relationship, see:
Austin, Robert (2024). Cuba, Palestine and Israel: Forgotten Histories. https://doi.org/10.3366/hlps.2019.0217
This detailed study examines Cuba’s seven-decade solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle through the lenses of race, class and colonialism, drawing on responses from Jewish, Palestinian, Cuban and other respondents across Latin America and the Middle East. The research provides in-depth analysis of Cuba’s transformation from pre-Revolution constrained solidarity to comprehensive internationalism under Socialist Cuba.
