Palestine-Israel Peace Forum

Comment

Comment by Irit Hakim-Keller on March 21, 2009 at 11:26pm

Shin Shalom was one of the greatest poets of Israel .(he also was my father's teacher). He was very minded to relationship between Israelis and Palestinians.The poem below was translated by Dr.Ada Aharoni.
I am dedicated it with love to all peace seekers.

Ishmael,Ishmael
Ishmael my brother
How long shall we fight each other?

My brother from times bygone,
My brother, Hagar's son,
My brother the wandering one.

One angel was sent to us both,
One angel watched over our growth,
You in the wilderness dying of thirst,
I a sacrifice on the altar, Sara's first.

Ishmael my brother hear my plea-
It was the angel who tied you to me,
The caravan of life progresses
Why steal our children's breath
And bring us all to death?
Why should we blind each other's eyes?
Let us be brothers - brother arise!

Ishmael, my brother,
How long shall we fight each other?
The heat has narrowed our minds,
Let's not forget our common father Abraham,
Let"s throw away conflict and hatred,
Let's again be brothers, and forever
End our fight.

Comment by luisella valeri on March 21, 2009 at 2:12pm

Peace in Israel and Palestine is inseparable from international peace. The conflict affects stability and security in the Middle East and in other regions.

Comment by luisella valeri on March 21, 2009 at 2:06pm

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/wwppi/resources/wcc-policy-on-palestine-israel.html
Sixty Years of WCC Policy on Palestine/Israel, 1948-2009
Message
It's time for Palestine.
It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace.

It's time to respect human lives in the land called holy.
It's time for healing to begin in wounded souls.
It's time to end 60 years of conflict, oppression and fear.
It's time for freedom from occupation.

It's time for equal rights.
It's time to stop discrimination, segregation and restrictions on movement.
It's time for those who put up walls and fences to build them on their own property.
It's time to stop bulldozing one community's homes and building homes for the other community on land that is not theirs.
It's time to do away with double standards.

It's time for Israeli citizens to have security and secure borders agreed with their neighbours.
It's time for the international community to implement 60 years of United Nations resolutions.
It's time for Israel's government to complete the bargain offered in the Arab Peace Initiative.
It's time for those who represent the Palestinian people to all be involved in making peace.
It's time for people who have been refugees for 60 years to regain their rights and a permanent home.
It's time to assist settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to make their home in Israel.
It's time for self-determination.

It's time for foreigners to visit Bethlehem and other towns imprisoned by the wall.
It's time to see settlements in their comfort and refugee camps in their despair.
It's time for people living 41 years under occupation to feel new solidarity from a watching world.

It's time to name the shame of collective punishment and to end it in all its forms.
It's time to be revolted by violence against civilians and for civilians on both sides to be safe.
It's time for both sides to release their prisoners and give those justly accused a fair trial.
It's time to reunite the people of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It's time for all parties to obey international humanitarian and human rights law.

It's time to share Jerusalem as the capital of two nations and a city holy to three religions.
It's time for Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities to be free to visit their holy sites.
It's time in Palestine as in Israel for olive trees to flourish and grow old.

It's time to honour all who have suffered, Palestinians and Israelis.
It's time to learn from past wrongs.
It's time to understand pent-up anger and begin to set things right.
It's time for those with blood on their hands to acknowledge what they have done.
It's time to seek forgiveness between communities and to repair a broken land together.
It's time to move forward as human beings who are all made in the image of God.

All who are able to speak truth to power must speak it.
All who would break the silence surrounding injustice must break it.
All who have something to give for peace must give it.
For Palestine, for Israel and for a troubled world,
It's time for peace.

Comment by Grete Soleng on March 21, 2009 at 1:09pm

I just watched on tv that during the massacre the military rabbies told the soldiers that this was a religious war . They was supposed to kill as many palestinian as they could. They were told to ruin all entrancedoors and shoot all people they could find.

Comment by Mahmood Sairally on March 21, 2009 at 12:47pm

It is a disgrace. Why should anyone not criticise the Israeli Government when committing war crimes.

Comment by Joanna Zilsel on March 21, 2009 at 7:59am

Below is an email I sent to 100's of people today regarding Canada's decision to deny George Galloway entry,

Hello friends,
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney today banned British MP George Galloway from entering Canada. Galloway--who's huge caravan of humanitarian aid got in to Gaza a day after the Code Pink delegation--was about to embark on a speaking tour here. See delegate Kim Elliot's article:

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/kim-elliott/jason-kenney-bans-george-galloway-canada

This outrageous decision is in keeping with an ongoing campaign to silence criticism of Israel in Canada. In the weeks leading up to our departure for Gaza, universities across the country were being pressured by B'nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress to prevent discussion of the Palestinian conflict, with B'nai Brith urging donors to withhold funds from universities hosting "anti-Semitic hate fests". Shockingly, both the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail declined to publish an Op-Ed piece signed by over 150 Jewish Canadians expressing concern about this. I have included it at the end of this email.

Lastly, please take a moment to watch the following video by DemocracyNow producer Anjali Kamat, who travelled with the CodePink delegation in to Gaza. It will give you a small sense for the horror that Operation Cast Lead wreaked on the people of Gaza.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/20/palestinian_doctor_peace_advocate_recounts_israeli

Thanks for your support.

Joanna

Statement: Jewish Canadians Concerned about Suppression of Criticism of Israel

We are Jewish Canadians concerned about all expressions of racism, anti-Semitism, and social injustice. We believe that the Holocaust legacy “Never again” means never again for all peoples. It is a tragic turn of history that the State of Israel, with its ideals of democracy and its dream of being a safe haven for Jewish people, causes immeasurable suffering and injustice to the Palestinian people.

We are appalled by recent attempts of prominent Jewish organizations and leading Canadian politicians to silence protest against the State of Israel. We are alarmed by the escalation of fear tactics. Charges that those organizing Israel Apartheid Week or supporting an academic boycott of Israel are anti-Semites promoting hatred bring the anti-Communist terror of the 1950s vividly to mind. We believe this serves to deflect attention from Israel’s flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.

B’nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress have pressured university presidents and administrations to silence debate and discussion specifically regarding Palestine/Israel. In a full-page ad in a national newspaper, B’nai Brith urged donors to withhold funds from universities because “anti-Semitic hate fests” were being allowed on campuses. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff have echoed these arguments. While university administrators have resisted demands to shut down Israel Apartheid week, some Ontario university presidents have bowed to this disinformation campaign by suspending and fining students, confiscating posters, and infringing on free speech.

We do not believe that Israel acts in self-defense. Israel is the largest recipient of US foreign aid, receiving $3 million/day. It has the fourth strongest army in the world. Before the invasion of Gaza on 27 December 2008, Israel’s siege had already created a humanitarian catastrophe there, with severe impoverishment, malnutrition, and destroyed infrastructure. It is crucial that forums for discussion of Israel’s accountability to the international community for what many have called war crimes be allowed to proceed unrestricted by specious claims of anti-Semitism.

We recognize that anti-Semitism is a reality in Canada as elsewhere, and we are fully committed to resisting any act of hatred against Jews. At the same time, we condemn false charges of anti-Semitism against student organizations, unions, and other groups and people exercising their democratic right to freedom of speech and association regarding legitimate criticism of the State of Israel.

Jewish Canadians Concerned About Suppression of Criticism of Israel

James Deutsch, M.D., Ph.D. 416 363-3751 Ext 2011

Judith Deutsch, M.S.W., R.S.W. 416 929-8180

Miriam Garfinkle, M.D.

plus ~150 other signatories:

Comment by Grete Soleng on March 21, 2009 at 3:04am

I suppose you heared the latest news of George Galloway? He`s now in America and in a few days he should go to Canada. He`s now banned there and are not allowed to get in!!!! A lot of people are waiting for him in Toronto to listen to his speech about Gaza. Canada is calling him a terrorist because the convoy gave the money they had collected to the legally elected leader of Hamas. Well,I think they eventually will let him in. I guess a lot of people in Canada will protest. I have talked to some already and they are in schock.If George Galloway is a terrorist,than I guess I`m one too.

Comment by Grete Soleng on March 20, 2009 at 5:27pm

A lot of people in my hometown,Tromsø,in Norway are working for peace in Palestina. We are the Norwegian friendshiptown of Gaza. I`m also a member of the Palestinian Committee and on sunday we are having an event where all incoming money will be given to Gaza. There will also be a lot of lectures about Gaza and Mads Gilbert will talk about the war. He worked in Shifa hospital during the war.

Comment by Majed Abusalama on March 20, 2009 at 5:19pm

all of us witnesses about what happen in Gaza?
as Palestinian we still have the hope and need to see the difference future
let us to work togther for the peace.
distribute the Hope
viva Gaza, viva Palestine

Comment by Grete Soleng on March 20, 2009 at 2:02pm

Welcome home and thanks for sharing your story. Fortunately I got daily reports from the English Convoy and they have told about how life was inside.I also have a young friend in Gaza who has told a lot about their difficult situation,but you can never hear enough of this stories and spread them around.I hope you will tell much more later.
Love

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• …
• 37
• Next ›
• Page