You can do it
MR. OBAMA,
YES, YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!
It is true that no individual is omnipotent!
However, it is also true that a person who is in a position of power, such as yourself, can do a lot!
The Israeli government has engaged in an all-out war against the civilians in Gaza, with the blessings and support of the previous US government, the government of George Bush. The US is responsible for the Israeli government's incessant breaking of all the UN resolutions and international agreements. The Israeli government has to respect and apply them. The US has to support the initiatives to sanction the Isreali violation of international conventions.
Such politics of war and violence have resulted in the suffering of the Palestinian civil society, inflicted both by the militant politics of the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian's own authorities, while the citizens of Israel suffer the militarism of their own state. The politics of violence and humiliation in the Middle East keeps increasing the pain, hatred and desire for revenge, encouraging radicalism in one portion of the Palestinian society, but also in the Arabian community in general.
We, Women in Black, join the numerous demands of the International WiB network to put an end to the violence in Gaza and the West Bank, and for the US and all the European countries stop selling weapons to Israel. This armament is used against the Palestinian civilians, making all these countries accomplices in the aggression.
The population of Gaza and the West Bank, the Palestinian civilians, are paying the price for the inability of the international community to make the Israeli government abide by the international law and put an end to its expansionist politics.
By firing their missiles, Hamas only produces fear and poses a genuine threat to the Israeli civilians. We condemn such acts most severely and Hamas must stop them!
We, Women in Black from Belgrade/Serbia and Madrid/Spain, members of the International Women in Black Against War Network, the organization which was founded in Israel in 1988, send this appeal to you for the sake of peace and justice in the Middle East.
Mr. Obama,
• Yes, you can: Put an end to the crime against humanity in Gaza.
• Yes, you can: Put an end to the siege of the West Bank.
• Yes, you can: Put an end to the US selling weapons to Israel. Otherwise, the US will continue to be responsible for the deaths cause by these weapons.
• 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, but serve only to reinforce the interests of Israel.
• Yes, you can: Urge the government of Israel to appear before the responsible international tribunals, in connection to their multiple violations of international law.
• Yes, you can: Support the initiatives that would put an end to violence, so that the civil societies of Israel and Palestine would build a relationship of trust and peace.
• Yes you can: Take into consideration 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 are for this reason often slandered, accused as criminals, assaulted and even jailed for our non-violent activism in favor of peace.
• Yes, you can: Break your silence. Silence has already been broken worldwide, and the general 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 moral right and legitimacy to demand the respect of human rights on behalf of all the governments in the world, including the US government, because we have first condemned and continue to condemn, demanded and continue to demand, the responsibility for all the crimes committed by the criminal Serbian regime and the Serbian armed forces throughout the ex-Yugoslavia during the 90s. We continue to demand that all crimes should be punished, first those committed in our name, and then all the others as well!
We, Women in Black of Madrid/Spain also have the moral right and legitimacy to demand the respect of human rights on behalf of all the world governments, starting with our own, but of the US government as well. We will continue to demand that all the crimes against humanity should be punished, first those committed in our name, and then all the others as well!
A friend of ours, a member of the WiB Israel, has written: 'My community knows that our safety and well-being are linked to the well-being of the Palestinian people and their safety. We still refuse to be enemies, and we will continue to build a culture of non-violence, justice and peace'.
Belgrade/Madrid, 20th January 2009.
