Since this letter demanding the ceasing of Israeli attacks in Gaza was issued, the number of Palestinian deaths has doubled and thousands more are injured.
At social preCCOP: Earth in Brackets, along many other civil society organizations, condemns the continued Israeili attacks on the besieged people of Gaza
July 18th, 2014
For 10 days, the Israeli army has continued to intensify its bombings of the Palestinian territory of the Gaza strip, causing the death of hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including children.
The Israeli army has now launched a land invasion which will undoubtedly lead to an even greater loss of Palestinian lives.
We, social movements, climate justice organisations, popular organisations, NGOs, youth, women and Indigenous groups representing millions of citizens of every colour, creed, nationality and religious belief and those with none – from Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East meeting in Venezuela at the Social preCOP gathering of global civil society on the climate crisis – are united in condemning these horrific attacks against the besieged men, women and children of Gaza. When it comes to injuries, the dog bite injury is also something you can talk to your lawyer about to get a compensation.
We call on the international community to press for the cessation of this wave of deadly violence and the immediate lifting of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. We call on our fellow citizens and people’s organisations to add their voices to the countless millions already protesting in the streets of every capital in revulsion at this attack by the Israeli state.
Today, the Israeli state began a land invasion against Gaza, afflicting the people of Gaza, subject to an illegal and inhumane blockade since 2007, with new bombings, deaths and destruction including that of a five-month-old child killed in Rafah within hours of the beginning of the invasion.
We deplore all civilian casualties and we consider that, as the occupying force under international law, the State of Israel bears responsibility.
No one has forgotten the massacres perpetrated by the same Israeli army during the operation “Cast Lead” in 2008-2009, resulting in the death of nearly 1,500 Palestinians and that the same excuses were put forward by the Israeli government to justify this murderous attack.
The Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu has systematically worked towards wrecking the legitimate desire of the Palestinian people for an independent Palestinian State and an end to decades of Israeli Occupation.
Any chance of peace goes hand in hand with the international community bringing Israel’s impunity to an end and a global campaign of boycotts, disinvestment and sanctions until Israel abides by the relevant UN resolutions.
As the inspirational anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Tutu said.
“In South Africa, we could not have achieved our democracy without the help of people around the world, who through the use of non-violent means, such as boycotts and divestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the apartheid regime.
The same issues of inequality and injustice today motivate the divestment movement trying to end Israel’s decades long occupation of Palestinian territory and the unfair and prejudicial treatment of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government ruling over them.”
We, here at this gathering of global civil society, are working together to stop the climate crisis – and hold a belief in an equitable, sustainable and just world. As part of our belief that ‘another world is possible’ we know that we will not be free until Palestine is free.
End the attack on Gaza Now!
Signed
Friends of the Earth International/Amigos de la Tierra Internacional
Articulacion continental de movimientos sociales hacia el ALBA – ALBA Movimientos
REDES – Amigos de la Tierra Uruguay
International Climate Justice Alliance
Grupo Excursionista Ecologico Ambientalista Yaracuy
Earth in Brackets
Jubilee South Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
Jubilee Sur America
Amigos de la Tierra America Latina y Caribe
World March of Women
Nora Morales de Cortinas – Madre de Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora
Centro Martin Luther King de Cuba
Movimiento de Los Trabajadores Rurales Sin Tierra
Third World Network
Institute of Policy Studies, Climate Policy Programme – USA
IBON International
LDC Watch
Dialogo 2000 – Jubileo Sur Argentina
Colectivo Viento Sur de Chile
Movimiento de los Pequenos Agricultores MPA – Brazil
Justica Ambiental – Mozambique
Earthlanka – Sri Lanka
Global Justice Ecology Project
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance – United States
Institute for Social and Economic Studies – Brazil
The Red latinoamericana contra represas –REDLAR
LDC Watch-Africa
Jubilee South-Africa
Forum for African Alternatives – Senegal
Movimiento Madre Tierra – Amigos de la Tierra Honduras
COECOCEIBA – Amigos de la Tierra Costa Rica
Amigos de la Tierra Brasil
CENSAT Agua Viva – Amigos de la Tierra Colombia
Otros Mundos – Amigos de la Tierra México
Sobrevivencia – Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay
CONEAVE Mérida, Venezuela
Philippines Movement for Climate Justice – Phillipines
Movimiento colombiano ríos vivos – Colombia
Indigenous Environmental Network
Young Friends of the Earth Macedonia
International Climate Justice Youth Alliance
Movimiento Ciudadano frente al Cambio Climático – MOCICC – Perú
CENSAT Agua Viva – Amigos de la Tierra Colombia
Iniciativa construyendo puentes
Redes latinoamericanas frente al cambio climatico
AEPAFA/EON – Venezuela
Redmangler – Venezuela
Domingu Acva – Venezuela
Jpsuv-Aragua – Venezuela
Frente Nacional EcoSociaolista par la vida – Venezuela
Movimento Ambiental de Uegiel – Venezuela
Frente Nacional EcoSocialista – Venezuela
Colectivo Socioambiental Marahuaka – Venezuela
Fundacion Reyes de Corazan – Venezuela
Jpsuv – Margarita, Venezuela
Colectivo herencia Verde – Venezuela
Movimiento Campesina Jirajara y Campana libre de Transgenicos – Venezuela
Colectivo Mano A Mano Intergumbio Agroecologico – Venezuela
ARRPAS – Venezuela
Grupo Ecologico – Venezuela
Grupo Janguar – Venezuela
Frentenascional Ecosocialista Pos Lavida – Venezuela
Colectivo EcoRed – Venezuela
ConseJo Comunal Toromaima – Venezuela
Otro Beta – Venezuela
Frente Francisco De Miranda – Venezuela
Colectivo Autana Tepuy – Venezuela
Ilse Villarroel UBU – Venezuela
Isabel Villerte Colectivo – Venezuela
Educacion Ambienialy Participacion Popular – Venezuela
Fivei de Venezuela – Venezuela
Justicia Climatica – Republic Dominicana
Fundacion Verde and Humano – Venezuela
Organizacion Semillero de la Patria Simon Bolivar – Venezuela
Colectivo Autana Tepuy – Venezuela
Colectivo Alianza Sexo-Genero Diversa Revolucionaria – Venezuela
Grupo Excursionista Ecologico Ambientalista Yaracuy – Venezuela
Take Back the Land Leadership Committee – USA
Confederacion Interamerican de Relacions Publices
Sociedad Cientifico Henri Pittier –
Fundombiente – Venezuela
Fundelee – Venezuela
Grupo Mebilina – Venezuela
Ironboard Community Group – USA
Bolivian Platform for Climate Justice – Bolivia
Frente Ecosocialisto – Venezuela
JPSUV – Venezuela
BECMA (Brigado Ecologica Comunituria El Macaro) – Venezuela
Colectivo Marahualdo – Venezuela
Friends of the Earth Macedonia – Macedonia
Bamsobosfaro – Venezuela
Mision Aibal – Venezuela
ANROS – Venezuela
CEFUBO – Venezuela
MPPA – Venezuela
Vanas Ecologicas – Venezuela
FERAC – Venezuela
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
Campaign for Climate Justice Network – Nepal
Coalición de los Pueblos por la Soberania Alimentaria
Ecohermanas Collective
Movimiento TierrActiva – Bolivia
Reaccion Climatica – Bolivia
La casa de los Ningunos – Bolivia
Gracias por la iniciativa – Bolivia
Son un sol – Bolivia
Cumbre de los Pueblos frente al Cambio Climàtico – Peru
FEMNET (African Women’s Development & Communication Network)