End terror on both sides!

Submitted by AWL on 28 June, 2002 - 11:04

from Solidarity 3/9 25th June 2002
In the last issue of Solidarity we eported on the incident on the Palestine demonstration on 18 May when Tirza Waisel from Just Peace UK made a speech. Tirza is an Israeli Jew. She faced attempts to shout her down, had bottles thrown at her and people trying to climb on the stage to pull her off, but insisted on finishing her speech.
Yet, as the text of the speech shows here, she expressed uncompromising solidarity with the Palestinians. This underlines the anti-semitism behind the behaviour of that section of the crowd which tried to stop her speaking.

Friends, As you already know by now, there are many Jews among us
here. And Israelis. We are standing here together with our
Palestinian friends against the occupation and for peace.
Still, I can see some anti-Jewish slogans here, and I want to tell
you - anti-semitism will not help the Palestinian struggle! And thank
you Afif [Safieh of the PLO] for speaking so loud and clear against
the anti-semitism. Until we learn to distinguish between Sharon and
the Israeli government and the Israelis and Jews our joint campaign
for peace and against the occupation will go nowhere.
Ending the occupation, now 35 years old, is not only the interest of
the Palestinians. It is also unquestionably in the interests of the
Israelis!
A growing proportion of Jewish communities here and around the world
opposeA this occupation. And oppose the policies of the Israeli
government. More over, a growing number of Israelis oppose this
occupation, and are taking action against it. Many Israeli peace
groups have been working with Palestinians for peace and against the
occupation, in the occupied territories and within the Israeli
society. A hundred thousand people in a demonstration against the
occupation in Tel-Aviv last weekendŠ Ten thousands demonstrate every
other weekend in the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. More than a
thousand soldiers who refuse to serve in the Israeli Occupation Force.
All these are part of our growing worldwide movement, for peace and
against the occupation.
Everyone knows the occupation will have to end eventually.
The occupation is terror. It brings daily horrors into the lives of
Palestinians. And it makes the lives of Israelis unbearable. It
breeds despair in the hearts of young Palestinian boys and girls, to
the point they are ready to give up their lives and their future, to
commit their own terror acts.
But the suicide bombing is not helping the Palestinian struggle.
Whoever is sending these kids - Hamas, Islamic Jihad or Tanzim - are
playing into the hands of Sharon and his government! The suicide
bombing harms the Palestinian struggle for independence and helps
Sharon to put our future of peace even further away.
It is our duty, to be absolutely loud and clear in denouncing all
terror: The terror of the Israeli state. And the terror of the
Palestinian suicide bombers. We need to end all terror to ensure our
future. Our one peaceful future in our two independent states!
It is crystal clear:
Only justice for Palestinians will bring security for Israelis. Only
justice for Palestinians will bring justice and peace for both our
peoples.

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