Sari Nusseibeh, Hanan Ashwari and a large group of Palestinian intellectuals and public figures

We the undersigned feel that it is our national responsibility to issue this appeal in the light of the dangerous situation engulfing the Palestinian people. We call upon the parties behind the military operations targeting civilians in Israel to reconsider their policies and stop driving our young men and women to carry out these operations. Suicide bombings deepen the hatred and widen the gap between the Palestinian and Israeli people. Also, they destroy the possibilities of peaceful co-existence between them in two neighboring states.

We see that these bombings do not contribute towards acheiving our national project that calls for freedom and independence. On the contrary, they strengthen the enemies of peace on the Israeli side and give Israel's aggressive government, led by Sharon, the excuse to continue its harsh war against our people. This war targets our children, elderly, villages, cities and our national hopes and achievements.

Pushing the area towards an existential war between two people living on the holy land will lead to destruction for the whole region. We do not find any logical, humane or political justification for this end result.