[GushShalom] Cycle of force and counterforce leading to disaster

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

GUSH SHALOM - pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 - http://www.gush-shalom.org/

Today's lethal attack on a settler bus, as well as the daily toll in Palestinian lives, 
against the background of the ongoing 24 hour curfew on 2 million people witth no end 
in site....

We were on the brink of forwarding you the appeal of Dr Mustapha Barghouti.
Now the translation of  today's Gush Shalom press release will precede it.

[1]  No Solution By Force
[2] Continuing Curfew Creates Humanitarian Disaster

[1]  No Solution By Force

Press Release from Gush Shalom, the Israeli Peace Bloc
July 16, 2002 

 Brute force does not provide a solution. Even a month of total occupation in the 
Palestinian  cities, ongoing curfew and suffocation which brong the population to the 
edge of stravation, provide no solution and bring us no security. On the contrary - the 
acts of the soldiers who enforce the daily curfew prevent some terrorist attacks - but 
only at the price of increasing the hatred from which ever-new attacks spring. Today's 
lethal attack on a bus near the settlment of Immanuel on the West Bank is a new and 
painful reminder. As long as the people of Israel go on blindly follwing the Sharon 
Government, this government will go on leading the two peoples  on the road to mutual 
killing and destruction.  It is not the escalation of oppression and the deepening of the 
occupation which will give Israel peace, security and prosperity. That can be achieved 
only by an end to the occupation and withdrawal of the army, both from the recently 
reoccupied Palestinian cities and from the Occupied Territories as a whole. For 
that, Israel must again talk to the Palestinians - to the representatives chosen by the 
Palestinians themselves, not to supposed "leaders" which the Sharon Government dreams of 
appointing.  

For further details:
Adam Keller, Gush Shalom Spokesperson 972-3-5565804 or 972-56-709603

[2] Continuing Curfew Creates Humanitarian Disaster
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	"Palestine Monitor Alquds" <palmon at upmrc.org>
Date sent:      	Tue, 16 Jul 2002 12:29:02 +0200


The Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees

Urgent Appeal
Continuing Curfew Creates Humanitarian Disaster
July 16, 2002

For nearly a month, two million residents of the West Bank have been under
almost constant curfew. This deliberate policy by the Israeli government has
created a humanitarian disaster throughout the West Bank. Hospitals, schools,
universities as well as civil and governmental institutions have been completely
paralyzed. Furthermore, the Israeli-imposed curfew has decimated the economy
leaving a considerable percentage of Palestinians under the poverty line and
nearing levels of starvation. The Israeli government’s curfews are intended to,
and have succeeded in destroying the socio-economic infrastructure of Palestine.
Its collective punishment measures represent a severe violation of international
law, and have no justification as security measures. As such, we are astounded
and deeply concerned by the weak response of the international community in
denouncing Israel’s creation of this ever-increasing humanitarian crisis. 

THIS IS AN URGENT CALL FOR ALL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS 
WORLWIDE TO INTERVENE IMMEDIATELY 

For more information, please contact Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi at:
Medical Relief - 00972-59-254-218 or consult our new website: www.upmrc.org

    Palestinian life under occupation, reports and letters
      at: http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html 
		     		
   Why are the volunteer international observers important?
 Because the United Nations didn't send its protection force.
    Information about the International Solidarity Movement 
       - and how to support it in different ways -
            at http://www.palsolidarity.org/

	----
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    the weekly Gush Shalom ad - in Hebrew and English 
    the columns of Uri Avnery - in Hebrew, Arab and English	
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		http://www.gush-shalom.org
 	

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