September 20, 2007

 

GAZA: A CALL FOR URGENT ACTION

Jews for a Just Peace Vancouver deplores the unanimous decision by the
Israeli cabinet to impose sanctions on supplies of electricity, fuel and
other basic goods and services to the civilian population of Gaza, and calls
upon the international community to prevent this crime against humanity from
being carried out. Indeed, the very legal framework invoked by Israel to
carry out this illegal and immoral act - declaring Gaza a "hostile entity"
within a "conflict short of war" - has absolutely no standing in
international law. The collective punishment of an entire civilian
population, by contrast, is explicitly prohibited and is another example of
Israel's disregard for and contempt of international law.

We call on the Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, to urgently
convene the Security Council in order to tell the Israeli government that
this step is completely unacceptable and must be rescinded.

We call on the governments of the world, and in particular the Canadian
government, to censure this blatant disregard for human rights.

We call on the world's religious leaders to condemn this fundamental assault
on human life and dignity, made especially poignant as it is being
implemented during the holy month of Ramadan. As Jews, we call upon Jewish
leaders to speak out unequivocally against this offense against Jewish
values on the eve of Yom Kippur.

And we call upon the peoples of the world to let their officials and leaders
know of their repudiation of this cruel, illegal and immoral act - an act
that stands out in its cruelty even in an already oppressive Israeli
Occupation. Jews for a Just Peace condemns attacks on all civilians, be they
Israeli or Palestinian. Violations of international law by governments
affecting millions of people are, however, especially egregious and must be
denounced.

Israel's decision to punish Gaza's civilian population, with all the human
suffering that entails, constitutes an instance of State Terrorism against
innocent people who have been denied the right to self-determination and
their right of return, and have been subject to an illegal and inhuman
occupation. Only when Israel is held accountable for its actions and
international law upheld will a just peace be possible in the Middle East.

Jews for a Just Peace
Vancouver, BC Canada
www.jewsforajustpeace.com
info@jewsforajustpeace.com

Adapted from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions'
statement released September 19th 2007.



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