Sunday 25 January 2009

Statement concerning the visiting delegation of Israelis


On Saturday 24th January, Cambridge Gaza Solidarity were visited by four Israeli students who were interested in discussing our position with us. They put a question to us. What about the people of Sderot, and other Israelis who have come under fire from rockets over the last eight years? We want to make our position on this clear. We do not condone the killing of innocent civilians. We believe that peace can be achieved through open, equal and inclusive engagement, and that the power to initiate this is in the hands of Israelis. We hope that we can give you a little more confidence to build peace through engagement with your government, and with those suffering on the other side of the wall. We ask the same of the Palestinians, and one of the major benefits of our occupation has been the opportunity to come together as individuals from different backgrounds, and all learn from each other.

3 comments:

  1. It's not hard to say that you *condemn* Hamas's attacks on civilians, and you condemn the ideological commitment to violence in Hamas's charter. It's not to hard to say that Hamas ought to renounce violence. It's not hard to say that there is wrongdoing on both sides in this conflict.

    So why not say it? What's so hard? It would help a lot. You might even want to think about adding this sensible statement to your currently one-sided demands.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hamas is already a terorrirst organisation and the EU the USA have all put sanctions on them.

    Your request for the occupiers to condemn them is unfounded b/c if you search this website you will find it as I have done.

    What your post attempts to do is detract from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and insult the memory of over 1000 dead and many hundreds of thousands without water and demolished homes.

    Peace can never be achieved without justice. The reason Israel comes up so often is either:

    1) everyone's anti-semitic, including the recent statments by the ICRC, the UN and the DEC.

    2) Israel consistently disobeys international law and the world remains silent. No sanctions. Whereas Hamas is punished.

    3) ppl just know it'll get on your nerves and so they just do it for sadistic reasons.

    The only logical and substantiated reason would be no. 2. Anyone remember Israel's repetitive stupid actions in Lebanon war recently? Gaza war? Sabra and Shatila and Beit Hanoun Massacres? etc.. list goes on.

    ReplyDelete