Tue Sept 18
From GUSH SHALOM - pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 - http://www.gush-shalom.org/
Many of us signed the following petition (and one of us, Yehudith Har'el, is among the organizers). This weekend the ads will appear in Hebrew, Arabic and English as newspaper ads and will be sent as letter to Koffi Anan and to the Embassies of the US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, China and Japan.
In the wake of the recent horrendous and tragic events in the US, followed immediately by a most brutal Israeli onslaught on the Palestinian people - today, Jewish New Year Eve - more than 600 Israelis and Palestinians are appealing to the International public opinion demanding an international force to be sent immediately to protect the Palestinian people from the Israeli occupation and to protect all of us from the reckless and dangerous policies of a belligerent Israeli Government.
The initiators of this petition deplore and condemn the despicable terrorist act against innocent civilians in New York and Washington. We express our profound grief at the human tragedy and our feelings of solidarity with the families of the victims and the American people. It is our firm opinion that terrorism threatens the struggle for peace and provides the enemies of peace with a powerful pretext to intensify violence and repression.
We warn that the Sharon Government is using the tragedy in the US in order to intensify the brutal military assault and repression against the Palestinians, presenting it falsely as part of the war against terror . We believe that in these days, when the US government is reviewing its policies in the Middle East and in the World at large, one of the necessary conclusions should be that the Israeli occupation is illegitimate, dangerous and explosive. Furthermore, it represents a denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination and freedom. Therefore we call on the US government to act for the immediate end of the occupation, to achieve a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and thus secure stability in the region.
Appeal for an international Protection force
We the undersigned, Palestinian and Israeli intellectuals and activists, view with grave concern the unbearable and inhuman situation imposed on the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. Such a situation has been brought about by the repression, blockades, and daily humiliation exercised by the military occupation and by the daily harassment that settlers inflict on the Palestinian population. We cannot remain unmoved while the suffering of Palestinians and the violation of their human and political rights continues undeterred. The recent seizure of Palestinian institutions (including Orient House) in Jerusalem and environs can only exacerbate the situation and lead to more bloodshed and suffering of innocent people. We feel it is our duty to support the call for the immediate provision of an international force to protect the Palestinian people in its struggle for the exercise of its right to self-determination and freedom, and to put an end to the military occupation of its land.
We urge all those concerned, everywhere, to join us in voicing their strong opposition to the continued occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, and to support our call for the provision of effective international protection for Palestinians from the aggression and repression of the Israeli occupation. Such an international force, we believe, would greatly facilitate the resumption of serious and meaningful negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli leaders and the settlement of the conflict on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions and a two states solution.
Among the Israeli signatories are Shulamit Aloni, Uri Avnery, Meron Benvenisti, Yehuda Shenhav, Joseph Agassi and Adi Ofir; among the Palestinian signatories are Haider Abdel Shafi, Hanan Ashrawi, Edward W. Said, Rashid I.Khalidi, Elia Zureik, Camille Mansour and Khalil Hindi. The letter is igned by hundreds of academics, physicians, lawyers, writers, artists, and activists.
The initiative came from a group of Israeli-Palestinian academics and intellectuals coordinated by Jamil Hilal, Lev Grinberg, Ghassan Abdullah, Oren Yiftachel, Islah Jad, Baruch Kimmerling, Rema Hammami, Yoav Peled, Saleh Abdel-Jawad and Yehudit Harel. The group is especially concerned with the increasing wave of violence and the absence of protection for the Palestinians, exposed to the repression of the occupation that cause desperate Palestinian reactions like suicide bombs. The intention of an international force is to put an end to the vicious cycle of violence and the loss of human lives, that evidently the Mitchell report recommendations have failed to provide. This situation cannot be permitted to go on undeterred.
During the coming weekend the letter and signatures will be published in Hebrew, Arabic and English in newspaper ads. We will also be sending a letter to Koffi Anan, Secretary General of the UN and to the Embassies of the US,UK, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, China and Japan. For additional information contact:
Ghassan Abdullah - 972-2-2401087
Lev Grinberg, Tel: 972 - 52 - 227432
Saleh Abdel Jawad, Tel: 972 - 2 - 295 5450
Oren Yiftachel, Tel: 972 - 8 - 647 2003
Yehudit Harel, Tel: 972 - 56 - 263 145
The ads are so far being financed by the signatories alone. Financial support for future ads can be sent to POB 9013, Jerusalem 91090
A list of the first 300 signatories is to appear in this weeks ads and a second one in the coming ones - depending on our financial resources. Israelis and Palestinians who didn't see this before and still want to sign are requested to mailto:ye_harel@netvision.net.il