Sir.

As a group of Israeli--Jewish and Palestinian women we wish to protest the current wave of attacks/threatened legal procedures etc against Gush Shalom. In sending letters to senior officers who have allegedly committed, or are likely to commit, illegal acts in times of war, or who have given, or have executed, illegal acts in times of war, Gush Shalom is fulfilling its function as a protest organization in a democracy.

Unlike many other protest groups of a different political persuasion, Gush Shalom has not used inciteful language, has not threatened injury or harm to the recipients of the letters, nor. has the group broken any law.. Instead, they have acted in a way that any decent organization, or individual, would do: they have protested what they perceive to be war crimes, actual or potential, and indicated their willingness to put this perception to the test of law.

The recipients of the letters may, if formally accused, in time to come have an opportunity to clear their names.. If innocent, they have nothing to fear.. If guilty, is it not appropriate that they should be brought to trial ?. Surely this is the epitome of the rule of law?

At a time when we are witnessing the policies of extra-judicial executions of alleged terrorists by our government, rampant abuses of the human and civil rights and denial of provision of humanitarian aid to a civilian population under siege by Israeli armed forces,. as well as countless incidents of abuse of innocent Palestinians by invidiual soldiers and security personnel,. we Israeli women who care about our country, feel that Gush Shalom is a voice of moral consience in the wilderness... The witch-hunt that has arisen around.. their thoughtful and very creative action is not only absurd, it is dangerous to the very fabric of our democracy.

Yehudit Keshet,

on behalf of MachsomWatch - Checkpoint Watch, Women Against the Occupation.