ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

 

Join those of us who support Israel and abhor terrorism, but reject the path of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. It is easy to read the news from the Middle East and feel overwhelmed with feelings of fear, frustration, and hopelessness. But we do not have the luxury of sitting back and watching the violence continue. Too many people have died, too many dreams have been displaced by nightmares for us not to respond. It is time to let our leaders know that we will not wallow in despondency, nor sit back as the situation spins out of control. Israelis recognize that settlements in the occupied territories are impediments to peace, and they are willing to evacuate all settlements from Gaza and locations near West Bank Palestinian population centers in the context of a peace agreement. Yet Prime Minister Sharon is unwilling to discuss the evacuation of a single settlement. Meanwhile, the lives of Israeli soldiers are at risk and hundreds of millions of dollars in the Israeli budget are spent each year just to support the settlement movement.

 

In response to this situation, Peace Now urges the Bush Administration to:

 

1        Convene with all due haste a regional peace conference including Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and key Arab states, to take up the proposals of Crown Prince Abdullah and those which came close to agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at Taba in January 2001.

2        Ensure the reorganization of the Palestinian security services into a unified force under a single command that is committed to thwarting terror attacks, and hold it accountable.

3        Urge Prime Minister Sharon to show his commitment to a settlement of the conflict by withdrawing Israeli forces and evacuating Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip and from the heart of Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, in response to a significant reduction in terror;

4        Press all parties to reach an agreement drawing a border between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza: a border which will be recognized by Arab nations endorsing the peace treaty, fenced and patrolled, reinforcing Israel’s defenses against terrorist attacks.

These measures will offer political incentives for the forces of moderation in Palestinian society who favor the resumption of negotiations towards a two-state solution with Israel to triumph over extremists who seek an escalation of terror. Israel's lines of defense against terrorism will be shortened. The territorial dimension of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be resolved on a basis clearly acceptable to a majority of both Palestinians and Israelis.

 

We believe there is a better way than perpetual war to strengthen Israel's strategic position and fortify its security.

 

You can help Peace Now's efforts through the Americans for Peace Now support campaign. Send your donations to Americans for Peace Now to the address below, or contribute online at www.peacenow.org. Please indicate "Chicago Peace Now" on the comments line.

 

Enough of the violence and bloodshed and enough of dead-end policies that only produce more of the same. ENOUGH!

 

Americans for Peace Now

1815 H Street, NW, Suite 920

Washington DC 20006

(202) 728-1893

 

To become involved with Chicago Peace Now's efforts, see our website

http://www.chicagopeacenow.org