Sir:
We are writing to you, as Israeli peace and human-rights
organizations and activists, in support of increased United States
involvement in advancing the Middle East peace process.
We are committed to a strong and democratic Israel in which Jews -
as well as all its other citizens - can live in freedom and safety.
Yet living in constant warfare with our neighbors is not true
safety, and oppressing another people is not true freedom. Sadly,
we must note that the current impasse results from the policies of
the Netanyahu government - which prefers continued colonization of
the occupied territories to advancement of the peace process begun
by Messrs. Rabin, Arafat and Peres. We see a reversal in
Jewish-Arab roles concerning peaceful partition, from 1947 when the
Jewish leadership accepted partition, but the Palestinian
leadership rejected it, to the current situation wherein the
Palestinian leadership is calling for compromise and the Government
of Israel rejects it.
We can well understand Secretary Albright's frustration at the
ongoing disintegration of the peace process. But for the US to pull
out now would be to abandon the Palestinians to hopelessness, with
all the dangers that entails. Mr. Netanyahu calls for allowing the
two parties to settle the problem by themselves, but this really
means allowing the stronger of the two to force its own solution on
the weaker. Israel, who has consistently ignored United Nations
resolutions opposing Jewish settlement of occupied lands and
seeking to safeguard Palestinian rights, can hardly be expected to
serve as the protector of the rights of the Palestinians. Only firm
action - by the United States, the Europeans and the United Nations
- can lead to a just solution.
Cognizant as we are of our country's security needs, we believe
that Israel is strong enough to allow a viable Palestinian state to
replace the occupation. We applaud your efforts to help us achieve
these ends.
Sincerely,
Shalom Achshav - Peace Now Gush Shalom (the Israeli Peace
Bloc)
Bat Shalom (Women's Joint Venture for Peace) Tandi (Movement of
Democratic Women in Israel) Rabbis for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights
The East for Peace
Osim Shalom (Social Workers for Peace and Social Welfare)
