Hope for Gaza? Take action!

Apelo de hoje de "Kairos Palestine - Britain"

Hope for Gaza? Only if justice prevails.

The war in Gaza may be over for now, but unless a long term agreement based on justice and human rights for all in Palestine/Israel is agreed, the cycle of violence will continue.

We call on all Christians to act NOW to ensure that this tragedy cannot happen again.

The situation in Gaza is desperate. Over 1800 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military operation, which lasted four weeks. The UN says the majority of these are civilians, and over 400 of them children. Thousands have been injured, and the health sector is on the verge of collapse. Up to a quarter of the population may have been displaced from their homes. 67 Israelis have been killed, 64 soldiers and 3 civilians.

There have been accusations of grave war crimes by both sides in this conflict, in particular the targeting of civilians. Israel has attacked countless civilian homes, and 6 UN schools housing displaced Palestinians, killing tens of people and injuring hundreds, including UN staff. They have also bombed key infrastructures such as the

main power station, leaving thousands of civilians in Gaza without essential services.

Hamas has continued to target Israeli civilians, firing rockets into population centresin Israel.

Even before this crisis Palestinians in Gaza were suffering immeasurably under Israel’s blockade, which has caused widespread shortages in food, fuel and clean water.

Without a comprehensive peace agreement that allows Gaza to rebuild, recover and flourish economically, the cycle of violence will only repeat itself.

As Christians we are called to be peacemakers and to stand against injustice and oppression. We encourage all those concerned about Gaza to write to their MP (find yourshere) asking them to:

• Use their influence to address the root causes of this conflict - the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory and Israel’s blockade of Gaza which together have caused untold suffering to Palestinians for many years.

•Support the call for an arms embargo on Israel until it complies with its obligations under international law and ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.

• Call for an investigation by the International Criminal Court into potential war crimes committed during this conflict by Israel, Hamas and other armed groups and for both sides to be held to account to end the impunity.

We also call on individuals, faith communities and denominations to:

•Divest from any companies that are profiting from Israel’s military intervention and the illegal Israeli occupation.

•Pray for those suffering and mourning in Gaza and Israel, for an end to the cycle of violence, and for the creation of a just peace for Palestinians, which we believe is the only way to bring about peace and security for Israel too.

Kairos Britain, 6 August 2014.

www.kairosbritain.org.uk

Kairos Britain is a network of individuals, organizations and faith communities seeking a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel.

“The people of Israel and Palestine can live in peace together. They are not born hating each other.”

(Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 18 July 2014)