MIFTAH Calls for International Solidarity with the Palestinian People

RAMALLAH, West Bank – The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) urges the international community to take immediate action to end Israel’s military aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. In particular, we call upon members of civil society institutions, global human rights organizations, and the relevant United Nations bodies to take concrete steps to pressure the Israeli Government to stop its ongoing assaults against unarmed Palestinian civilians in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.

Since the early hours of last Wednesday, 1 November, 2006, Israeli military forces have brutally murdered a total of 42 Palestinians and wounded 200, 30 of whom are reported in critical conditions. The attacks, part of Israel’s military operation “Autumn Clouds,” constitute a grave escalation in Israel’s premeditated offensive campaign against civilian population centres in the Gaza Strip since June 2006, during which 300 Palestinians have been killed.

We utterly condemn the horrendous atrocities being committed by Israel against our civilians in the Gaza Strip, and are equally dismayed with the continued silence of the international community towards these crimes; this lack of intervention will only provide Israel with the convenience to continue its violation of international and humanitarian law.

In light of these alarming developments, and with a sense of urgency and desperation, MIFTAH calls for the international community’s solidarity and support to protect the Palestinian people from further Israeli military assaults.

We call for the immediate suspension of diplomatic relations with the state of Israel until Israeli military forces are withdrawn from areas within the Gaza Strip, and military campaigns are unconditionally stopped. We call for a concerted and collective effort by the member states of the United Nations to boycott the Israeli Government, and take concrete action to bring Israel to abide by the provisions of international law, most notably the 4th Geneva Conventions of 1949, which unequivocally stipulate the protection of civilians in times of conflict.

We also reaffirm our position that Israel’s various pretexts for attacking civilian centres in the Gaza Strip are a short-sighted attempt to mislead the international community into accepting/absorbing its aggression against the Palestinians.

– The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, MIFTAH, is a non-governmental, non-partisan Jerusalem-based institution dedicated to fostering democracy and good governance within Palestinian society through promoting public accountability, transparency, the free flow of information and ideas and the challenging of stereotyping at home and abroad.

For further information, please contact:
Media and Information Programme, MIFTAH
Tel: +972 2 585 1842
Fax: +972 2 583 5184
E-mail: mip@miftah.org
Website: www.miftah.org

Urgent Call from Palestinian NGOs Network

The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) calls on the United Nations and the International Community to immediately intervene to stop the war crimes committed by the Israeli occupational forces (IOF) on Palestinian civilians and their properties in the Gaza Strip, mainly in the northern town of Beit Hanoun, which for the fourth day is under Israeli siege and attacks from tanks and air strikes. As of last Wednesday morning at least 42 people have been killed and another 175 injured, most of these were children, women, journalists and medical aid workers. Israeli occupational forces have destroyed many houses and bulldozed a wide track of cultivated land.

Tens of thousands of people living in Beit Hanoun town suffering from lack food and medical services due to the siege and curfew imposed by the IOF on the town. In addition, the IOF are denying the sick and injured access to medical treatment.

Yesterday IOF attacked a peaceful women’s march to condemn Israeli aggression and end the siege of Beit Hanoun. Two women were killed and ten more were injured. The IOF attacked historical buildings, Mosques, NGO offices and private homes and continues to violate international agreements and conventions.

The International Community has maintained a silence in the face of disproportionate Israeli aggression in the form of daily attacks and crimes.

PNGO is a coordinating body for more than 100 NGOs calls on the International Community to urgently to protect Palestinian civilians and pressure the Israeli occupation Government to stop its aggression on Palestinian people and end the siege.

Continued Israeli aggression will lead to a health and humanitarian catastrophe in Beit Hanoun, PNGO believes that condemnation of the Israeli violations is not sufficient, and demands effective pressure on Israel to ensure respect for international law and treaties, including the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War.

PNGO calls on the International Community and legal and humanitarian organizations to bring Israeli perpetrators to international justice

PNGO also calls on the international NGOs to intensify their efforts to pressure governments to work on ending the Israeli escalation of aggression on Palestinian civilians. End Palestinian NGOs Network “PNGO”

For more information please call :

PNGO Gaza office :
Tel : 00972 8 2847518
Fax : 00972 8 2835889
mobile : 00972 599401297
Email: pngo@palnet.com

PNGO Ramallah office :
Tel : 00972 2 2975320/1
Fax :009722 2950704
Email: pngonet@pngo.net
Website : www.pngo.net