Gaza Media Statement

Gaza Media Statement

Monday, January 5, 2009

The following statement reflects only the views of those signatories whose names appear below. Signatories of other statements or authors of articles and blogs on our IAJV website are not to be taken as endorsing this statement.

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We are Australian Jews who join thousands in Israel and around the world condemning ongoing Israeli military attacks on Gaza. Together with Israeli peace group Gush Shalom, we condemn the current war as “inhuman, superfluous” and “abominable”.

While Israel has the right to protect its citizens and to demand an end to the crime of Palestinian rockets that target civilians, this cannot be used as a pretext for the grossly disproportionate military assault on Gaza because it was Israel that violated the fragile truce on November 4, 2008. Furthermore, Israel ignored Hamas’ diplomatic initiatives to re-establish the cease-fire since it expired on December 19.

The crude home-made rockets have caused relatively few Israeli casualties. By contrast, Israeli bombardment has caused around 400 deaths and 2,000 casualties including a large proportion of women and children. The bombardment has included civilian targets such as a university, television station, factories, mosques, ministry offices, parliament and refugee camps. Since Hamas is a legitimate, democratically elected political party that controls the government, security-related institutions are also civilian targets including police departments and uniformed officers.

History has demonstrated that military punishment has never broken the spirit of a people or produced peace. On the contrary, the assault on the population of Gaza will only inflame hatred of Jews and of the State of Israel while doing nothing to protect the lives of Israelis. Above all, it will undermine the prospects of joining with peace-seeking Palestinians to negotiate a lasting, just solution to the conflict.

The war on the population of Gaza comes after the Israeli blockade that had already created a severe humanitarian crisis under which the Palestinians suffered from lack of food, electricity, medicines, hospital equipment and other basic necessities of life. The blockade was condemned by the UN as a violation of international law and, like the massive Israeli air-strikes, constitutes illegal collective punishment prohibited by the Geneva Conventions.

We call for an immediate end to attacks on civilians by Palestinians and Israelis. However, since Palestinians have no means of self-defence against the most powerful military force in the Middle East, we particularly call on Israel to end its brutal assault on the vulnerable Palestinian people of Gaza and to reconsider its rejection of the UN Security Council’s call for a cease-fire.

Israel has refused to accept Hamas’ consistent offer of negotiations since its election win in 2006. There can be no solution to the conflict without Israel being a willing partner to dialogue.

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At Jan 24, 2009, Current total = 221

1. Aarons Debra
2. Abarbanel, Avigail
3. Amaterstein-Winton, Shirley
4. Asoulin, Eran
5. Balint, Dr. Anthony
6. Bancroft, Russell
7. Barak, Sivan
8. Barnes, Margaret
9. Bartels, Dr. Ditta
10. Bamberger, Judy
11. Beauchamp, Alice
12. Beinart, Liza
13. Belnick, Judith
14. Benjamin, Professor Andrew FAHA
15. Bersten, Bruce
16. Bersten, Robyn
17. Berzin, Pat
18. Bilander, Celina
19. Bilander, Berish
20. Bilander, David
21. Bilander, Isy
22. Binder, Geoffrey
23. Blay, Ben
24. Blay, Danny
25. Blay, Paul
26. Bloch, Dr. Barbara
27. Blooman, Geoffrey
28. Bloomberg, Karen
29. Bloustien, Dr Dave
30. Blustein, Shiffi
31. Bokor, Imre
32. Boniface, Harry
33. Braun, Leo
34. Briskman, Linda
35. Brook, Steve
36. Brull, Michael
37. Buckrich, Judith
38. Buckstein, Ron
39. Bush, Jenny
40. Carleton, Jenny
41. Carleton, Susie
42. Carey, Allan
43. Cass, Moss (former ALP)
44. Chaitman, Lynn
45. Clemens, R.
46. Cohen, Harry AM
47. Cohen, Ian MLC
48. Cowen, David
49. Cox, Eva
50. Crafti, Dr Naomi
51. Dahlstrom, Bronwyn
52. Dapin, Mark
53. D’Aprano, Leonie
54. Dean, Tamara
55. DeSaxe, Ian
56. DeSaxe, Mannie
57. di Suvero, Henry
58. Douglas, Greg
59. Dowse, Sara
60. Dryen, Fred
61. Dryen, Robyn
62. Dwyer, Joan
63. Ebel, John
64. Edwards, Julia
65. Edwards, Julie
66. Elson, Shane
67. Epstein, Jonathan
68. Erlich, Nicole
69. Esdaile, Peter
70. Fagueret, Corinne
71. Faire, Shoshana
72. Faye, Dr. Esther
73. Fine, Beverley
74. Fink, Michelle
75. Flax, Gabrielle
76. Fox, Louise
77. Fox, Mim
78. Fraser, Anne
79. Freadman, Anne
80. Frenkel, Professor Steve
81. Fried, Nadia
82. Galbally, Rhonda
83. Gill, Dr. Flora
84. Glasbeek, Harry
85. Gold, Suzie
86. Goldberg, Aaron
87. Goldflam, Russell
88. Goldman, Arnold
89. Goodman, Professor David S G
90. Gordon, Michael
91. Grant, Dr Joan
92. Grossman, Associate Professor Michele
93. Harris, Marshall
94. Hermolin, David
95. Helfand, Sylvia
96. Holloway, Simon
97. Horsburgh, Jennifer
98. Horsburgh, Maurice
99. Imber, Madelaine
100. Jacobs, Margaret
101. Jaivin Linda
102. Kamerman, Sol
103. Kay, Hanna
104. Kaye, Dr. David
105. Kaye, Margaret
106. Kitching, Professor Gavin
107. Klempfner, Nicky
108. Kosky, Jan
109. Kosky, Yvonne
110. Koval, Peter Jnr
111. Krantz, Katie
112. Lambert, John
113. Langsan, Vic
114. Leber, Sylvie
115. Legge, Bill
116. Leigh, Sue
117. Leonzini, Victor
118. Levey, Dr. Geoffrey Brahm
119. Levy, Dr James
120. Levy, Valerie
121. Lindell, Geoffrey
122. Loewenstein, Antony
123. Loewenstein, Jeff
124. Loewenstein, Violet
125. Marasifgan, Maria
126. Markiewicz, Anne
127. Macredie, Rochelle
128. Marin, Paul
129. McLean, Jean
130. Midalia, Dan
131. Midalia, Harry
132. Midalia, Leon
133. Miller, Jamie
134. Moore, Stefan
135. Morris, Dr. Alan
136. Morris, Jenny
137. Munz, Martin
138. Nahvi, Emma
139. Nathani, Sharon
140. Neering, Ian
141. Nestle, Joan
142. Nimni, Ephraim
143. Nissen, Alex
144. Nissim, Rivkah
145. Otterman, Michael
146. Pataki, Tamas Dr
147. Philips, Michael
148. Pogos, Abe
149. Porter, Marlon
150. Porzsolt, Vivienne
151. Potipa, Naomi
152. Prestel, Claudia
153. Raber, Richard
154. Rantzen, Vicki
155. Reed, Ann
156. Reed, Karl
157. Rich, Dr Joe
158. Riemer, Andrew
159. Romer, Marta
160. Rosenblatt, Julio
161. Ross, Dr. Edna
162. Rothfield, Andrew
163. Rothfield, David
164. Rothfield, Pam
165. Rubinstein, Keren
166. Rubner, Paul
167. Rudner, Allan
168. Salom Margot
169. Samorzewski, Meika Loofs
170. Samuels, Amanda
171. Sarkadi, Andrew
172. Schenk, Alan
173. Schetzer, Louis
174. Schonstein, Dr Eva
175. Seeligson, Bella
176. Segall, David
177. Shapiro-Liu, Rosemary
178. Shenfield, Gillian
179. Shimmin, Dr Nick
180. Silverstein, Jordy
181. Singer, Esther
182. Singerman, Deborah
183. Slezak, Dr Peter
184. Smit, Jack H
185. Solomon, Robyn
186. Sosnowski, Marika
187. Sperling, Leone
188. Starfield, Sue
189. Steen, Marc
190. Stein, Yasmin
191. Stockman, Lanie
192. Stratton, Jon
193. Tambour, Anna
194. Tillman, Clive
195. Tropp Fred
196. Tsukasov, Rene
197. Varga, Susan
198. Vorsay, Avril
199. Walton, Peter Leman
200. Wand, Leslie
201. Wasowski, Vera
202. Weisser, David
203. White, Kevin Judah
204. Witton, Nic
205. Witton, Ron
206. Wolkenberg, Gaby
207. Zagor, Matthew
208. Zilko, Julie
209. Zion, Deborah
210. Zion, Lawrie
211. Zyngier, David Dr

Plus 10 Anonymous.