Israeli Air Strikes on Gaza, 26/12/08. Call for signatures and international support for the immediate end the bloodbath in Gaza

To:  International Community Members

Yesterday, the Israeli army carried out massive air strikes against the most densely populated area on the planet – an area already suffering from a crippling two years siege the likes of which have not been witnessed since the Middle Ages.

Israeli F-16s slammed over a hundred tons of missiles into the 360 sq km Strip home to over 1.5 million people.

Today at least 278 have been reportedly killed, many of them civilians, and more than 1,000 have sustained heavy injuries. We expect the number to continue to rise throughout the day as more bodies are uncovered from the rubble, more casualties succumb to their wounds, and more bombs continue to fall.

These attacks have been the bloodiest in over 41 years of Israeli occupation.

The authors and underwrites of this petition hereby condemn:

1. The Israeli “myth” of disengagement in Gaza and the ongoing siege of the Palestinian people.
The State of Israeli remains in control of the airspace, waterways, and borders of Gaza. They have prevented the entry of food, fuel, goods, medicines, medical supplies, humanitarian assistance and journalists. The lives of the people of Gaza has been made all but liveable for far too long.

2. Israel’s policy of collective punishment prohibited by international law.
Yesterday’s attacks were not a matter of Israeli self-defence or a war against Hamas, but rather a war conducted on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

3. The ruthless targeting of civilians.
Yesterday Israel targeted hospitals, Mosques and jails. Furthermore, considering the physical nature of the Gaza Strip and the incredible density of 4,117 persons per square kilometres, it is impossible for the Israeli Air Forces to hit only the so-called ‘security targets’.

4. The disproportionate use of force.

In regards of those facts, we call the State of Israel to:

1. End the violence and the aggressions against the Palestinian population immediately;

2. End the siege on Gaza and return to a negotiated ceasefire;

3. Take immediate steps to end the 41 year old Israeli occupation, and implement the Arab peace initiative.

Furthermore, we call on the International Community to:

1. Urgently pressure their governments to condemn the attack and to intervene: politically, economically against Israel, and to pressure them to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention regulating the behaviour of the occupying power.

2. Urgently pressure the International governments to end the war crimes in Gaza and to investigate, condemn and punish those responsible.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Israeli Air Strikes on Gaza, 26/12/08. Call for signatures and international support for the immediate end the bloodbath in Gaza Petition to International Community Members was created by and written by Bahia Amra (palestinemonitor@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.