|
MIFTAH Condemns Israel’s Military Terror in the Palestinian Territories
JERUSALEM – 11 April 2006: The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) strongly condemns Israel's latest military escalation against the Palestinians in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which has claimed the lives of 14 people (including an 8-year-old girl), and has injured scores of innocent bystanders since Friday, 7 April 2006. MIFTAH cautions the international community, particularly the US and the EU, against its clear double standards concerning the current situation in the Palestinian territories, whereby the Israeli government is indirectly permitted to slaughter innocent civilians (through international silence and lack of action), while the Palestinian people are being collectively punished for democratically electing their government (namely through diplomatic and economic isolation). MIFTAH urges the international community, particularly the Middle East Quartet, to take immediate measures to stop Israel’s assaults and to pressure the Israeli government to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law. Repeated international calls upon Hamas to accept "Israel's right to exist" can only be viewed as ‘hypocritical’ if they are not met by equal pressure on Israel to put an end to its harsh military measures against the Palestinians, and to accept the Palestinian people’s right to live in freedom and security, under the protection of international law. - END - The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, MIFTAH, is a non-governmental, non-partisan Jerusalem-based institution dedicated to fostering democracy and good governance within Palestinian society through promoting public accountability, transparency, the free flow of information and ideas and the challenging of stereotyping at home and abroad.
For further information, please contact:
http://www.miftah.org |