CONVOCATION 20 JANUARY 2009: MR. OBAMA, YES YOU CAN COLLABORATE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Women in Black groups of Madrid and Belgrade, common convocation

Letter
MR. OBAMA, YES YOU CAN
COLLABORATE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Mr. Obama,

For years, Israel has engaged in a policy of generalized colonial war against Palestine: the war in Gaza, the Wall, the settlements in Trans-Jordan, the usurpation of water and other resources, in great measure because the governments of the USA have supported and permitted it. The United States is responsible for the continual violation of the resolutions of the United Nations and international treaties on the part of the governments of Israel. This war policy has caused the civil society of Palestine to live under the boot of oppressive militarization of the Israeli governments, as well as that of its own governors; and the civil society of Israel under the boot of oppressive militarization of their own. This policy of violence and humiliations increases the pain, the hatred and the zeal for revenge, causing a radicalization of a part of the Palestinian and Arab society, in general, and provoking a wave of global repudiation towards Israel and the USA.

Women in Black join the multiplicity of petitions that have been signed by numerous women of the International Network of Women in Black to the end that the permanent violence in the Gaza Strip and Trans-Jordan cease, asking that the USA, the countries of Europe and other countries cease their sale of arms to Israel, because that weaponry is being used against the civil population, which means that they are accomplices in the aggression.

The people of Gaza and Trans-Jordan, as well as all Palestinians, many of them refugees from war, pay the price of the inability of the international community to oblige the government of Israel to respect international law and to draw an end to their policy of colonialism.

Certainly, with the launching of rockets, Hamas generates fear and constitutes a threat for the civil population of Israel. These actions are to be condemned and must stop -- but enough already of impunity towards the government of Israel and the blackmail of its leaders.

How is it possible to support, defend or stay silent about the policy of aggression of the government of Israel?

We, Women in Black of Belgrade-Serbia and Madrid, members of the International Network of Women in Black Against War, an organization born in Israel in 1988, call on you in the name of peace and justice in the Middle East. The cease-fire unilaterally decreed by the government of Israel does not contribute to peace.

Mr. Obama

♀ Yes, you can: Stop the crime against humanity in Gaza.

♀ Yes, you can: Put an end to the siege being experienced by the Gaza Strip and Trans-Jordan.

♀ Yes, you can: Put an end to the United States sale of arms to Israel. Otherwise, the US will continue to be responsible for the deaths they produce.

♀ Yes, you can: Revise all the agreements with Israel, as well as immediately nullify the agreements subscribed to on the 16th of January by the representatives of Israel and the United States, Tzipi Livni and Condoleeza Rice, because they do not contribute to peace. They serve only to reinforce the interests of Israel.

♀ Yes, you can: Urge the government of Israel to appear before the responsible international tribunals, and that these tribunals pass judgment on their multiple vitiations of the principles contained in the treaties and resolutions of international law.

♀ Yes, you can: Support the initiatives that judge these violations of international conventions. Israel must respect and comply with them. We must put an end to impunity.

♀ Yes, you can: Set in motion the change that will end so much violence, so that the civil society of Palestine and Israel can develop relationships of understanding and confidence propitious for the building of peace.

♀ Yes, you can: Listen to the voices of the Arab, Israeli and USA pacifist civil organizations and those of the international community who call out for peace and justice and who, on occasion, are slandered, accused as criminals, assaulted and jailed for our non-violent activism in favor of peace.

♀ Yes, you can: Break your silence. World silence has already been broken, and the general l message is to stop the crimes against humanity and open a dialogue that will include all parties to the conflict.

We, Women in Black of Belgrade/Serbia have the right and moral legitimacy to demand that all the governments of the world, including that of the USA, respect all human rights, because we have always and from the very first condemned, demanded and continue demanding findings of responsibility for all the crimes committed by the criminal Serbian regime and its armed forces in all the territory of the former Yugoslavia. We continue demanding that the crimes be punished, first the ones committed in our name, as well as those committed by others.

We, Women in Black of Madrid, have the right and moral legitimacy to demand respect for all human rights by all governments, first of all, our own, and also that of the USA. We will continue to demand that all the crimes against humanity be brought to justice, first the ones committed in our name, and also those committed by others.

One of our friends, a Woman in Black from Israel, affirms: “My community recognizes that our own security and well-being are connected with the well-being of the Palestinians and their security and prosperity. We refuse to be enemies; we will continue creating a culture of Non-violence, Justice and Peace.”

Belgrade/Serbia and Madrid, 20 January 2009

Translation: Trisha Novak, USA