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WASHINGTON, D.C. --
U.S. Greens praised the courage of thousands of Jewish and Palestinian
Israelis who faced a brutal police reaction last week as they
demonstrated against Israel's decades-long occupation and current
invasion of Palestinian territories. Greens continue to urge an
immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces, suspension of U.S.
military aid to Israel, intervention by a U.N.-led international
peacekeeping body, and negotiation leading to the establishment of a
Palestinian state.
"Greens around the world are urging the Israeli government to allow
high-level members of European Parliaments (MEPs) to meet with
Arafat," noted Annie Goeke, co-chair of the International Committee
of the Green Party of the United States and a member of the
international peace network Women in Black. "One of these MEPs,
Green Party ministers Alima Boumedienne, is in Jerusalem right now and
trying to meet with the people in the Nativity Church in
Bethlehem."
Women in Black, which has held vigils, peace marches, and checkpoint
demonstrations in Israel in the face of military blockades and tear gas,
includes many Israeli and Palestinians who have lost family members in
the conflict.
On April 3, Jewish and Palestinian Israeli women marched from Jerusalem
to Kalandia, a checkpoint at the entrance to Ramallah, in support for a
Palestinian women's group, and were met by an Israeli army roadblock as
they tried to deliver trucks of medicines and food. As they waited for
the relief trucks to arrive, the peace activists were tear gassed and
beaten by Israeli border police without provocation, resulting in
numerous injuries. The Israeli police violence was repeated the next day
at the A'Rahm checkpoint.
Yehudit Harel, a member of the peace group Gush Shalom, said of the
Kalandia incident, "Two Israeli 'faces' surfaced today. One is the
decent and humane face of the Israeli Anti war movement -- an alliance
of Israeli citizens -- Jews and Arabs, adamant to struggle together for
Justice for the two peoples -- justice for all and on all levels, the
social one included. The second is the ugly and brutal face of the
Occupation mentality and practices that are gaining an upper hand in our
society, threatening to crush not only the Palestinians but us as well,
and everything we believe in...."
In Israel, 15,000 people participated in a peace rally held by a
coalition of organizations in Tel Aviv on Saturday, April 6, that began
with a march from Rabin Square to the Defense Ministry at the Kirya.
Across the U.S., Greens have joined peace rallies opposing the Israeli
invasion, and will march in support of peace and in protest against
Bush's foreign policies on April 20 in Washington, D.C., as well as at
solidarity demonstrations in dozens of cities on that date.
"Israel's actions are grave breaches of international humanitarian
law as formulated in the Fourth Geneva Convention," said Charlie
Pillsbury, Green candidate for Congress from Connecticut's 3rd District.
"The murder of Palestinians in the Jenin camp, including the
shelling and bulldozing of family homes with people inside, was
confirmed by the Palestinian Red Crescent. Israeli forces have
obstructed and shot at ambulances and medical personnel and blocked
access to food and water. We fear a repeat of the Sabra and Shatila
refugee camp massacres of 1982, which took place under Ariel Sharon's
orders."
Greens also praised Israeli 'refusenik' soldiers and the 62 young people
who signed an open letter to Prime Minister Sharon on August 19, 2001
stating their refusal of military duty in the Israeli Defense Forces'
occupation of Palestine. Two of the signers have already been
imprisoned, as have other conscientious objectors.
"Global Greens support those on both sides who are in favour of
peace and continue to condemn violence," said Catherine Greze,
Green Party of France and European Federation of Green Parties Committee
member. "We appeal to all political parties to put pressure on
their governments on their governments for a political
outcome."
Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com
More Information:
The Green Party of the United States http://gpus.org
http://www.gp.org
National office:
1314 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Index of Green Party candidates in 2002 http://www.gp.org/patience.html
Independent Media Center - Palestine http://jerusalem.indymedia.org
Israeli-Palestinian coalitions and other organizations for peace:
Gush Shalom http://www.gush-shalom.org
Coalition of Women for Peace http://www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org
Bat Shalom http://www.batshalom.org
Women in Black http://www.igc.org/balkans/wib/
New Profile http://www.newprofile.org
Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People http://www.rapprochement.org
Jewish Voice for Peace http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
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