We, the Women in Black Network - Serbia, join our friends who, on June 9, 2007 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War, through which Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem. This is the longest military occupation in the world today. The presence of the Israeli Army, the seiges of villages and cities, the Israeli government’s repression, the continued settlement in the territories, and the construction of a wall which makes it impossible for Palestinians to move freely are proof that Israel does not want to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories, but to intensify the increasingly brutal occupation.
The presence of Israel in the Occupied Territories is an obstacle to creating a just and lasting peace. The violence of the Israeli military in these territories stokes the responses by Palestinian armed groups. Their mutual accusations and attacks deepen the spiral of violence and increase the obstacles to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Violence in the region continues and is supplied by 'The War on Terror', which is led by the US and is formulated as a long, preventative global war which justifies revoking civil rights, supporting repressive regimes, and attacks on refugees. The most recent example is the Lebanese Army attack on the Nahr al Barad Palestinian Refugee Camp.
Throughout the world, actions against the occupation will take place from June 5 to 11 and the global day of action against the occupation is June 9.
We invite you to join us on June 7, 2007 at 3:30 at The Square of the Republic in Belgrade, in black and in silence, to express our solidarity with all of our friends who, on this day, in their cities throughout the world demand the end of the Israeli occupation.
Women in Black
Belgrade, June 6, 2007
