Saturday, December 1, 2012

To my Palestinian Friends - 29th November 2012

To my Palestinian friends and to all people who yearn for freedom to live their lives in dignity:
 
Mabruk on the UN vote. This is historic. Hopefully, one day very soon, there will be an independent democratic Palestinian state – a state no longer under occupation, a state which promises and implements freedom for all of its citizens.
 
If/when the Netanyahu-Lieberman parties win the upcoming Israeli elections in January, and, once again, form the government, it is hard to imagine that good things will be on the horizon – for either the Israelis or the Palestinians.  These parties and 'leaders', which exhibit arrogance and anti-democratic, anti social-justice and fascist lines, are a danger to us all.
 
But let us rejoice in the moment and continue to work for a region that can be a much better and healthier place for all Palestinians and Israelis.
 
We are often the pawns in the dangerous and destructive 'games' of war. Instead of our leaders protecting us, and initiating processes that can create good, solid societies that care for their citizens, we find ourselves caught in a web of hatred and violence, that bears little, if any, resemblance to social justice, human dignity, and peace.
 
Let us rejoice in the moment - when change appears possible and disregard of human dignity is publicly recognized as being unacceptable.
 
Let us rejoice in the moment and keep our eyes, minds and hearts focused on the prize of freedom, justice and peace.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, November 23, 2012

Quiet outside, quiet inside

We have had a ceasefire for one and a half days. The only sounds and sights that we have now are lightening and thunder, wind and rain. Hopefully the rain is washing away the filth tht the ugly war left behind. Unfortunately it can't wash away the hurt and pain inside all of us - Israelis and Palestinians - who lived through this latest violence.

It's raining it's pouring
the old man is snoring
bumped his head when he went to bed
and he couldn't get up in the morning
rain, rain
go away
come again some other day



I hope that the only booms we hear from here on out are booms of thunder
and the only 'burning houses' are the small leaves set on fire by fireflies

The Hamas and Israeli governments put us - their civilian populations - at terrible risk for 8 days. They disregarded our lives and rejoiced in the pain inflicted on 'the other side.'

Hanukkah - 8 days that commemorate light and freedom and banishing of darkness - begins in a few weeks.

During Hanukkah, I will be lighting many candles of freedom, light and brother/sisterhood - for those of us in Israel and Palestine (and beyond - why not?). Perhaps if we all light these candles, the light will be bright enough for our 'leaders' to see that their paths of war, hatred and destruction are not our ways.

To days of thunder, lightening and rain
To days of washing away the ugliness that mars the outside
To days of washing away the anger and hatred inside that can never solve anything

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

My mind has turned to mush


Since the war began, my mind has turned to jelly. I seem to have a very difficult time deciding which bus to take to Jerusalem, and what time or how to go back home. I can't decide whether or not to stay outside and clean up the leaves that have overtaken the garden, or if I should keep the doors and windows open or shut in the house.

The reason for this severe difficulty is not dementia or a blod clot in my brain. At least not as far as I know.

The reason is the war.

The constant sirens announcing the onslaught of the constant rockets and the constant booms, one right after another, so close and so loud have turned my mind into mush. I begin one thing only to find myself starting another. I start a sentence, lose my train of thought, and then begin another, completely different, conversation. I feel myself holding back tears many times during the day, but am no longer sure who or what I am upset about. I try writing this blog, which usually seems to almost write itself, and find that I don't know what I want to say, or how I want to say it.

Yesterday, when my oldest son and I tried to go from Beer Sheva to Jerusalem by bus, I came very, very close to freaking out. On the way from the kibbutz to Beer Sheva, I was pressed against the door, ready to roll out of the car and take cover if a siren went off. When we got to Beer Sheva, we saw the bus that had been hit by the rocket just a few minutes before we got there. At the bus station, the 9:10 bus to Jerusalem never showed up, and we had two sirens. The bus station, which has now turned into a huge construction site, does not have available safe rooms, unless you are standing right next to one. We - a hundred of us or so - ran into one of the new rooms that they are building. It had a roof, but plaster walls. There is no floor, and there are construction materials all around. Nothing safe about this safe room. When we went to inquire about the bus that was take us away from this nightmare, that never appeared, the answer we got from the Egged administration was: "We don't know. Sorry. Yes, we agree that its chutzpa that no bus came and that we're not sending another one."

Yes, yesterday morning did a lot to bolster my sense of security.

A bus came that stops at every bus stop from Beer Sheva to Jerusalem, but I refused to get on. This ride would have taken an hour more than the express bus AND it would have had the extra advantage of driving through many of the places that are being constantly  hit by rockets these days. No way was I going to get on a bus that was sure to put me in danger for 2.5 hours.

I felt trapped: I so desparately wanted to get away from this life-threatening madness, but couldn't get out! Since my mind had turned to jelly, I couldn't decide what to do: Should we look for a taxi-sherut that is going to Jerusalem, but is also, very likely to stop at different stations along the way dropping people off and picking up others? Should we get on a bus and go to Tel Aviv and from there get a bus to Jerusalem - making the whole ordeal twice as long? Should we give up and go back to the kibbutz that is under rocket attacks, and where we have no safe rooms?

I had an insight - for the first time in my life, I began to understand, just a tiny, tiny bit what the Gazans must feel during this war. What they must feel most days of their lives. They are trapped and can't get out. They are bombed, and have no safe rooms. They are cornered and cannot make a clear decision about what to do.

Yesterday, I truly understood the meaning of helplessness and fear, or what it means to be trapped.

My son and I eventually got on an express bus to Jerusalem and arrived safely after an hour and twenty minutes. When we were having lunch with my sister and niece at a cafe in Jerusalem, there was a siren when a rocket was fired toward Jerusalem.

Yesterday, while my mind was a jelly mold, I felt deep pain for myself, for other Israelis and for Gazans.

Let's see what today will bring.












Monday, November 19, 2012

Lying, Running, Crouching, Shaking

At 9:40 on the way back from a doctor's appointment in Beer Sheva, with my husband and oldest son in the car - there was a siren at the moshav we were passing. We stopped the car and we all laid down on the road, covering our heads. The booms were very close. After a few minutes, we got up, dusted off our clothes, and drove on to our home - 2 minutes from there. My son and I came into the house to put down our things and get bags for the store.

Walking over to buy some food, there was another siren. We dashed into one of the offices and shut the door. We then noticed that unfortunately in this small office, the window was open - so that wasn't much protection. But since the rockets were already hitting, so we didn't dare go outside. They were very loud and VERY close. We crouched on the floor, holding one another. After a few minutes we tried going out again. The sirens began again and we dashed into the dining room, to the stairwell, next to the place where the mirrors used to be (they took them down so that they wouldn't break if a rocket hit the building). We couldn't count all those booms - that were so close, you felt them inside your body.

 
We eventually got to the store, which was mostly deserted, and bought what we needed. We then got a text message to stay indoors and off the sidewalks if at all possible because of the ongoing rocket attacks.

I had just finished talking to one of my dear friends in Gaza right before we found ourselves lying on the ground, near the moshav where the siren went off. She told of horrific things she is seeing. I wonder what all this is doing to her psyche, and how she can take care of herself. I know now she only wants to help others - women and children - who are the main victims of this war.

We parted with words of love and care for one another and to be safe. I will try to call her later today.

After the morning adventures, more sirens, This time my son and I are in our house, that has no safe room. We go into the corridor and close the doors to the bedrooms. He gives me a hug and a peck on the forehead. Shouldn't I be doing this to him?

I hope that I do not need to continue to lie down on the ground, run for cover, crouch on the floor, hug my loved ones, feel the bombs bursting inside anymore, or anything worse...

We Palestinians and Israelis must ban together and say NO MORE WAR; NO MORE BLOODSHED. We are all fed up being sitting ducks in this killing carnival

Sunday, November 18, 2012

This craziness has got to stop


 

Sometimes I can’t believe that this is happening to me. The siren cuts through like a knife; I find it hard to breathe. I close the doors to the bathroom and the bedrooms. David and I stand in the corridor, our ‘safe room’, hugging one another, hoping that the rocket will not hit (near) our house. There is one boom, then another, and a few seconds later, a third one. The first two sounded very close; the third one perhaps a little further away. We wait another minute to make sure that the booms are over, before leaving our ‘safe room’ – a corridor separated from the bedrooms by plaster walls. We are lucky once again; the rockets did not hit close enough to cause physical damage. David returns to finish his dinner; I return to playing Spider Solitaire on the computer.  

When I first met people from Sderot in 2008, who had been living with the rocket attacks, day after day, for years, I wondered why they stayed in that crazy, dangerous city. When I heard their children talk about their parents putting them at risk, since they refused to move away from that dangerous city, I wondered how long the children would resent their parents for putting them at risk, every day. Would the children ever forgive their parents for choosing to live in an area that took away much of their childhood? I secretly judged the parents, though I knew I shouldn’t. I secretly thought that I would never put my family in such danger, that I would never expose them to rocket fire day after day, more than once a day.

That was before Urim became one of the many communities that received the not-sought-after status of being in rocket range.

When I first met those ‘crazy, irresponsible’ parents in Sderot, I ‘forgot’ that I was teaching at the Sapir College, located across from that dangerous city, that also suffered rocket attacks on a regular basis. I ‘forgot’ that I had to drive those dangerous roads to get to the college, in order to teach students, many of whom were traumatized from years of living with rocket fire. I ‘forgot’ that I often parked my car very quickly when I got to the college, so that I could rush indoors, and be near a safe room. I ‘forgot’ these minor details since Urim, at that time, was a safe haven, and knowing that I lived in a community that was outside rocket range, freed me from having to reflect on why I insisted on remaining living, where I did.

All of that changed in late 2008, before the onset of Operation Cast Lead/The Gaza War, when Urim also became one of those communities within rocket range. All of that changed when the home front division of the Israeli army came to examine people’s homes, and told us that our corridor, separated by plaster walls, was our ‘safe’ area. It was then that I finally understood that ‘their’ crazy and dangerous reality had now become my crazy and dangerous reality and that I had become one of those ‘irresponsible’ parents and grandparents who insisted on living in a war zone.

For over a year we have been able to tell time according to what the media call the ‘newest round of violence’. Every three months, like clockwork, we have a weekend of massive rocket attacks (from them) and they (the Gazans) have a weekend of massive air force bombing from us. Days of 60, 70, 150 rockets became the norm, four times a year for us on the Israeli side. The Palestinians in Gaza have it much worse. After those weekends, things would go back to ‘normal’ – days of ‘only’ one or two rockets that hit ‘open fields, no damage’ and they, the Gazans, would ‘only’ have drones and helicopters and planes hovering above, sometimes shooting, sometimes ‘just’ on reconnaissance – making their lives constantly unbearable.

Two months ago, the clock changed. In our new, worse reality, we had helicopters and warplanes flying overhead every day, constant bombing in Gaza, and rockets fired into our area. Entire populations of kibbutzim, moshavim and towns and cities live in dread of the ongoing violence. Entire populations, in Gaza and in Israel, have forgotten what it is to relax, how not to look up at the sky, not listen for booms, not run for shelter.

Yesterday, the clock changed again when we got our newest war – Pillars of Clouds. Since the assassination of Ahmed Jabari – Hamas’ military head – hundreds of rockets to this area, bombing from air and sea in Gaza, three killed here, over 60 killed there, many more wounded - both physically and psychologically - on both sides. The numbers are sure to rise.

Netanyahu, Barak and Lieberman, and other Israeli ‘leaders’ tell us that help is on the way. They promise those of us who do not have ‘safe rooms’, tons of reinforced concrete so that we can feel secure during the endless rain of rockets. They tell us to remain calm since they are obtaining more Iron Domes to keep us safe from the endless rain of rockets. They tell us that they will keep us safe by assassinating Gazan terrorists, by perhaps sending in our ground forces, by showing them who’s the boss.

Our ‘leaders’ have created a region that is even more crazy and dangerous than before.

I do not want their reinforced concrete or Iron Domes or helicopters and war planes flying overhead day after day after day. I want peace and security. I want to drive to Sapir without wondering if I really will pull my car quickly over to the side, jump out and lay down on the ground, with my hands protecting my head, if the siren goes off while on the road. I want our ‘leaders’ to finally admit that years of siege on Gaza, reconnaissance and targeted assassinations have made our area one of the most insecure on the planet.

I understand that I must be crazy for continuing to allow our ‘leaders’ to blatantly disregard our lives. I look at my ‘leaders’ and think that they must be heartless for continuing to believe that might makes right and for exposing more and more of us to terrifying dangers.

The time for military options is over. It is time for the Israeli government to find the ways to negotiate with the Hamas government in Gaza, and to arrive at a long-term ceasefire. I want my corridor back. I demand my life back.

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Rachel Corrie's Message Lives On


                                                                                               
 
 
August 28, 2012

Dear Craig and Cindy,

We were very saddened and angry to learn that Judge Oded Gershon in the Haifa court found Rachel’s death to be an accident, and not a killing, when she acted as a human shield against the demolition of a home in Gaza, and was run over by an army bulldozer.
 
We remain deeply touched by her courageous actions and her aspirations to defend human rights.  

We are members of Other Voice (www.othervoice.org ) – comprised of Israeli citizens from the Sderot region (adjacent to Gaza) – that calls for a non-violent end to the conflict between Israel and the Hamas. We believe in human dignity, peace, and the rights of all peoples of the Gaza-Sderot region to live lives of dignity and security. We have a number of contacts in Gaza and do what we can to spread the message that violence, killing, siege, and Occupation are no solutions, and they dehumanize us all.

Please accept our condolences; we believe that Rachel’s death was not in vain. Her actions have been a light for us all. We are hopeful that our work, which also reflects Rachel’s commitment to human dignity, will ring more loudly across this land.

 

In solidarity,

Members of Other Voice (We all either live and/or work in the Gaza-Sderot region)

Dr. Julia Chaitin – Kibbutz Urim, and Sapir College

Dr. Naomi Benbassat, Moshav Ein Habsor

Nomika Zion, Kibbutz Migvan, Sderot

Daniel Lazare, Kibbutz Sa’ad

Arnon Ronen, Moshav Sde Nitzan

Rafi Davidson, Beer Sheva

Eric Yellin, Kibbutz Migvan, Sderot

Dr. Eitan Shahar, Kibbutz Lahav, and Sapir College

Moran HarTuv, Sderot

Roni Keidar, Moshav Nativ Ha’asara

Dr. Tami Razi, Sapir College

Yirmi Patishi, Sderot

Zohar Avitan, Sderot and Sapir College

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A few nights ago there was an attempt to lynch a young Palestinian in Jerusalem. The teens who beat this boy, Jamil Julani, who ended up in the hospital in intensive care, is a hate crime.
 
They beat him and tried to kill him because he is Palestinian. Just for that reason.
 
 
 
Unfortunately, this story is not unique. Unfortunately, this story is a (near) re-run.

Emmett Till was murdered in 1955 in Mississippi, when he was 14, for supposedly flirting with a white woman.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jamal Julani, who is 17, was brutally beaten in Jerusalem, in a lynch attempt for supposedly flirting with a Jewish woman.
 
 
Our children have grown up, learning from us, that just as the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening, hatred of the other is a given.
 
The teens (including girls who were involved) were not born hating anyone. They were not born with the belief that it is okay to violently harm someone because of his nationality/ ethnicity/religion/skin color. They were taught this along the way.
 
We taught them this.
 
This is a terrible education to be ashamed of, and to fight against
 What good is it if children can read, write and do basic math, but grow up in hatred and with the incentive to harm others, just because they are different from them?
Our children have grown up in a region where Occupation is okay, oppression is okay, trampling of human rights is okay, violence is okay.
 
.
It is not okay.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

They tried to get me to accept that Ariel was a university, I say No No NO...

Now we have a big problem (it's not that we didn't have one before, but now it's in our [academic] field.

Ariel was pronounced a university. It will receive more money from the government and it will be equal to all of the other Israeli universities. Therefore, if I, as a faculty member, am uwilling to personally cooperate with researchers/academics from Ariel, I can decide to ignore their existence (I can also do this with other academics from other universities...). But, if I organize a conference in my college, for example, and I send out a call for papers, and an academic from Ariel sends in an abstract (for a conference that is not my private conference - after all, I am not holding it in my house), how can I refuse to consider his abstract? It's true, the problem existed before when Ariel was 'just' a college, but now the problem has gotten much bigger.

This is not a personal problem of any one academic. After all, each one of us will continue to act in ways that reflect his/her principles (for example, in the past, when I was asked to cooperate with academics from Ariel, I refused because I saw Ariel as being an illegitimate academic institution, because of the Occupation. Turning Ariel into a university does not change my principles and does not alter my personal behavior). We are talking about a serious social-political problem.

So what can we do? Here are some ideas (with a bit of humor...)
1. We can continue to pressure the presidents of our institutions to refuse to cooperate with Ariel and to send out a huge cry that this was a terrible mistake, on many levels. If they refuse to cooperate, this might change the decision.

2. We can flood the administration of Ariel, and the lecturers as well, with demands that they open up their gates to Palestinian students and academics. (We need to be prepared that this attempt won't really succeed, but we will certainly have fun doing it!) if Ariel accepts Palestinian students and academics (and perhaps even puts them into positions of power), then our opposition will probably lessen.

3. We can write creative "call for papers" - for example, we can put out the falling: "This call is only for academic institutions that are located in area X of Israel. The reason for this geographical limitation is..."  (and then make up a creative reason that excludes Ariel).

4. Continue fighting the Occupation (this is good in any event)

5. Recruit colleagues from abroad to protest this travesty. They should flood Ariel administrators and faculty with their objections. The letters should express the significance and negative consequences of having an Israeli university in Occupied territory, in the center of a population that is denied its basic rights.

6. We should reward every faculty member that decides to resign his/her position in Ariel. For example, each lecturer will receive a credit of 2 peer reviewed articles on his/her CV for resigning. Every faculty member that persuades an Ariel faculty member to resign will receive a credit of 3 peer reviewed articles for his/her CV...

And some final words...
The decision to make Ariel into a university is not only an immoral one, it is also an anti-Zionist one. It negates principles of democracy, equality, human dignity. It formally discriminates against an entire population. It contradicts our Declaration of Independence.



They tried to get me to accept Ariel as a university, but I said NO, NO, NO...





עכשיו יש לנו בעיה גדולה (לא שלא הייתה לנו לפני כן, אבל עכשיו זה ממש במגרש [האקדמי] שלנו


אריאל הוכרזה כאוניברסיטה. היא תקבל עוד תקציבים והיא תהיה שווה ערך לכל אוניברסיטה אחרת בישראל. לכן, אם אני, כמרצה פרטית, לא מוכנה לשתף פעולה עם מרצים/חוקרים אחרים מאריאל, אני יכולה להחליט להתעלם מהם (הדבר הנכון גם לגבי מרצים מכל מוסד אחר בארץ...). אבל, לדוגמא, אם אני מארגנת כנס במוסד שלי, ואני שולחת קול קורא ומרצה מאריאל שולח לי תקציר לכנס (שהוא לא שלי פרטי , כי הרי הכנס לא יתרחש אצלי בבית), כיצד אני יכולה לסרב לשקול את התקציר? נכון, הבעיה הזאת הייתה גם קודם, אבל עכשיו הבעיה התעצמה עוד יותר.

 אין כאן בעיה אישית של מרצה זה או אחר. הרי כל אחד מאיתנו ימשיך לנהוג על פי העקרונות שלו (לדוגמא, בעבר, כאשר נתבקשתי לשתף איתם פעולה, סירבתי כי ראיתי את אריאל כמוסד אקדמי לא לגיטימי, בגלל הכיבוש. הפיכת אריאל לאוניברסיטה לא משנה את עקרונותיי או את ההתנהגות האישית שלי). מדובר על בעיה חברתית פוליטית חמורה.

 אז מה כן ניתן לעשות? הנה כמה רעיונות (וקצת הומור כאן):

1.      אפשר כן ללחוץ על הנשיאים של המוסדות שלנו להקים צעקה שהחלטה זה שגויה ופוגעת ברמות רבות. אם הם יסרבו לשתף פעולה עם ההחלטה, זה יכול להזיז משהו.

2.      אפשר להציף את הנהלת אריאל בדרישות לפתוח את שעריה לפלסטינים ולמרצים פלסטינים (יש להבין שהתרגיל לא באמת יצליח, אבל יהיה נחמד לעשות אותו). אם יהיו שם סטודנטים פלסטינים ומרצים פלסטינים (אולי גם בתפקידים בכירים), יתכן שההתנגדות שלנו תרד קצת.

3.      אפשר לנסח "קולות קורא" בצורות יצירתיות (לדוגמא – קול קורא זה מיועד לכל מוסד אקדמי שנמצא באזור X של המדינה... הסיבה להגבלה הגיאוגרפית היא [ולהמציא סיבה כלשהי שמוצאיה את אריאל מהקריטריונים)

4.      להמשיך להילחם נגד הכיבוש [זה טוב בכל מקרה]

5. לגייס עמיתים בחו"ל להציף את מקבלי ההחלטות, וגם הנהלת אריאל והמרצים שם, במכתבי מחאה. לשקף להם את המשמעות של קיום אוניברסיטה בשטחים כבושים בלב אוכלוסיה ללא זכויות בסיסיות.

6.      לתת תמריץ לכל מרצה שעוזב את אריאל (לדוגמא - כל אחד שפורש יקבל 2 מאמרים אקדמיים לזכותו בקורות החיים שלו וכל מרצה שישכנע מרצה לעזוב את אריאל יקבל 3 מאמרים לזכותו/ה)



וכמה מילות סיכום

אני רואה בהחלטה זו, ובהרחבת הכיבוש, לא רק אקט אנטי אנושי, אלא גם אקט אנטי ציוני מובהק: הוא מנגד עקרונות של דמוקרטיה, שוויון, ערך האדם. הוא מפלה בצורה פורמאלית אוכלוסיה מסוימת.  הוא מנגד את מגילת העצמאות של המדינה שלנו.


Thursday, July 5, 2012

Stop targeting the innocents! A call for a long-term cease fire between the Hamas and Israeli governments

Our letter of condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery to the innocent people harmed by the latest round of violence in the Gaza-Sderot region is gaining more and more support.

Currently 66 people have signed this letter - Israelis and Palestinians, Germans and North Americans.

Pass on the letter, send me your signature and I will add your name.

Let our Israeli, Palestinian, European, American and Canadian leaders know - No more targeting of innocent people! The time has come for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas governments. Let us live in peace.




                                                                                                                                                      5  ביולי 2012



מכתב תנחומים ורפואה שלמה

Letter of condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery

رسالة تعزية وأمنيات بالشفاء العاجل





למשפחתו של עלי אל שאווף וליקריו בעזה,

לוולדימיר ויסילטצקי משפחתו ויקיריו בארץ,



ברצוננו להביע את השתתפותנו הכנה בצערכם העמוק על האובדן הכבד שספגתם במהלך הסבב האחרון של האלימות באזור עזה-שדרות בשבוע שעבר.



הידיעה על אובדנכם מכאיבה ומצערת ומעוררת זעם על המשך מדיניות האלימות באזור. מדיניות אשר ממשיכה לגבות קרבנות ולגרום סבל לאנשים חפים מפשע הן בעזה והן בישראל.



אנו נושאים בליבנו תקווה עמוקה כי יבוא הקץ על הכאב, האימה והשכול באזורנו וכי העתיד שלנו יהיה עתיד של אי אלימות ושל כבוד הדדי בין כל בני האדם החיים באזור הזה, ובעולם בכלל.

שלא תדעו עוד צער.





בברכה

החותמים שמופיעים בהמשך







إلى عائلة علي الشّوّاف ولمحبيه في غزّة

إلى فلاديمير فيسلسكي وعائلته في البلاد



تقبلوا تعازي الحارّة لفقدان الأعزاء في المصاب الجلل الذي أصابكم بسبب أعمال العنف الأخيرة في منطقة غزة سديروت الأسبوع الماضي.



هذا العنف الفظيع يؤدي لاستمرار المعاناة لأناس أبرياء في غزة وإسرائيل. آلمنا ما حصل لكم ويغضبنا أن أعمال العنف هذه ما زالت تصيب أناس أبرياء.



أملنا كبير بأن مستقبلنا المشترك سيكون مستقبلاً بدون عنف مبني على الاحترام المتبادل وأن يحترم كل من يعيش في هذه المنطقة..



نامل أن تكون هذه آخر أحزانكم



مع الاحترام

قائمة الموقعين في نهاية الرسالة





To Ali al Shawaf's family and loved ones in Gaza,

To Vladimir Visiletzki and his family in Israel,



Please accept our heartfelt condolences for your horrific loss and for the injuries that were caused to you during the last round of violence in the Gaza-Sderot region last week.



This awful violence continues to cause suffering to many innocent people - in Gaza and in Israel - and we were so sorry to hear what happened to you, and very angry that this violence continues to target innocent people.



With deepest hopes that our future will be one of non-violence, human dignity and respect for all peoples of the region, and that you and yours will know no more pain.



With deepest regard

All of the signatories who appear below







Name
City
Country
Dr. Julia Chaitin
Kibbutz Urim/Sapir College (near Gaza border)
Israel
Biri Rottenberg- Rosler
Givtayim
Israel
Dr. Tamar Lavi
Sderot (near Gaza border)
Israel

Rachel Max
Modi’in
Israel

Ghadir Hani
Hura
Israel
Dr. Chaim Noy
Jerusalem
Israel
Michal Goldberg
Modi’in
Israel
Lirona Rosenthal
Tel Aviv
Israel

Anat Marnin
Tel Aviv
Israel
Charles Greenbaum
Jerusalem
Israel
Ruth Ben Asher
Ramat Gan
Israel
Noga Gilad
Haifa
Israel
Anat Raphael
Herziliya
Israel
Ayala Gasko
Tel Aviv
Israel
Ilana Sivan
Haifa
Israel
Arnona Zahavi
Ramat Hasharon
Israel
Sharon Benheim
Kibbutz Ketura
Israel
Gila Svirsky
Jerusalem
Israel
Dr. Nava Sonnenschein
Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam
Israel
Irit Halperin
Hod Hasharon
Israel
Dr. Zivya Seligman
Tel Aviv
Israel
 Dr. Riva Bacharach
Ra’anana
Israel
Dr. Avner Dinur
Sderot (near Gaza border)
Israel
Roni Keidar
Nativ Ha’asara (near Gaza border)
Israel
Romi Ovnat
Sderot (near Gaza border)
Israel
Dr. Yitzchak Mendelsohn
Jerusalem
Israel
Dan Schachter
Tel Aviv
Israel
Nissim Avissar
Ramat Gan
Israel
Dr. David Senesh
Tel Mond
Israel
Sunny Gordon Bar
Rosh Ha’ayin
Israel
Tova Buksbaum
Kfar Vradim
Israel
Rotem Ohana
Sderot (near Gaza border)
Israel
Nechama Bassewitch Frankel
Ramat Gan
Israel
Maya Mukamel
Tel Aviv
Israel
Liora Sotto
Kadima
Israel
Racheli Bar-Or
Tel Aviv
Israel
Prof. Yonathan Anson
Beer Sheva
Israel
Hagar Arad
Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak (near Gaza border)
Israel
Dr. Sara Helman
Beer Sheva
Israel
Pedro Goldfarb
Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak (near Gaza border)
Israel
Dr. Miriam Levinger
Ramat Gan/Sapir College (near Gaza border)
Israel
Orit Rubin
Tel Aviv
Israel
Perle Rine
Tel Aviv
Israel
Yafa Sulimani
Jerusalem
Israel
Gadi Kenny
Tel Aviv
Israel
Nehama Dar
Jerusalem
Israel
Janet Dallal
Tel Aviv
Israel
Frida Tarrab
Tel Aviv
Israel
Rebecca Kopelman
Tel Aviv
Israel
Dudo Shilo
Jerusalem
Israel
Sulaiman Khatib
Ramallah
Palestine
Badder Al Rub
Ramallah
Palestine
Ahmed Helou
Jericho
Palestine
Jamal Mqbal
Beit Omar
Palestine
Gerburg Rohde-Dahl
Berlin
Germany
Monika Sellmayr
Munich
Germany
Brigitta Mahr
Wurtzberg
Germany
Marco & Christiane de Carvalho
Wiefelstede
Germany
Andreas Beier
Nurtingen
Germany
Lydia Shend
Berlin
Germany
Prof. Michael Nagler
Tomales, California
USA
Esther Franklin
Sacremento, California
USA
Dr. Laurel Mark
Madison, Wisconsin
USA
Prof. Herbert Kelman
Cambridge, Massachussetes
USA
Dr. Richard Matthews

Canada