35 Israeli Jewish and Arab peace and human rights groups called on the far-right government to work towards a ceasefire in Gaza, to bring to the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, and work towards a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict.
An open letter signed by the groups also called on Israel to curb the rampant settler violence in the occupied West Bank and stop the persecution of Palestinian citizens of Israel and of those who express solidarity with the residents of Gaza and oppose the war.
An open letter signed by the groups also called on Israel to curb the rampant settler violence in the occupied West Bank and stop the persecution of Palestinian citizens of Israel and of those who express solidarity with the residents of Gaza and oppose the war.
In a joint statement, the organizations said: “The brutal massacre carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7 left us all – Jews and Arabs – stunned and shocked. In the weeks that have passed since that cursed Sabbath, additional atrocities have been added to the atrocities committed by Hamas: thousands of people have been killed, and are still being killed, by the Israeli bombings in Gaza, many of whose residents have even been cut off from water and electricity. Countless innocent children, women and elderly, lost their lives on both sides; hundreds of thousands lost their homes and their world – harming innocents on one side does not balance the pain of the killing on the other side, it just adds more pain to the immense pain.”
“We have all experienced the rounds of violence. Time and time again it is evident that there is no military solution to this conflict, nor can there ever be one… The only way to stop the bloodshed is a political agreement that will guarantee security, justice and freedom for both nations. There are no winners in war. Only peace will bring security,” it added.
Among the organizations that signed the joint statement are Academia for Equality; Arava Institute for Environmental Studies; Youth Communist League of Israel; Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights; Combatants for Peace; Druze Initiative Committee; The Forum for the Fight Against Incitement; Hadash, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel ; Hands of Peace; Horiya; Itach-Ma’aki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice; Jahalin Solidarity; Jordan Valley Activists; Looking the Occupation in the Eye; Machsom Watch; Mesarvot; Mothers Against Violence; Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality; New Profile; On the way to Sulha; Parents Against Child Detention; Parents Circle Families Forum; PsychoActive; Rabbis for Human Rights; Social Workers for Peace and Welfare; Tandi – Movement of Democratic Women in Israel; Tomorrow’s Women; Torat Tzedek; Women in Black; Woman to Woman; Yesh Gvul; Your Neighbor as Yourself; Youth Against Dictatorship; Zazim – Community Action and Zochrot
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