Another brave step in the direction of peace and justice. The importance of such a statement in these times is profound, and must be given the attention it deserves in the media, especially in the U.S. Especially meaningful is the presence of so many Israeli signatories--a reminder that as people we stand united against corrupt and harmful governments be they Israeli, American, British, Saudi or any other.
For a long time I have stressed to anyone who would listen the importance of recognizing that across the illusionary divisions of national borders exists the world's true majority--the people who resist aggression, exploitation, division and hatred. It is imperative at this critical point to actively begin to define a new consciousness, a new type of solidarity independent of ideology. The big ISMs have failed in a big way. Capitalism, Communism, Zionism, Islamism, and so many others that define themselves in opposition to each other have produced nothing but tension the world over. Too long the world's elites have availed themselves of grand ideas in their collective pursuit of power and wealth.
The difficult road that we must all walk together or not at all is being built. Understanding and peace are only possible with truth and the courage to demand it with dignity and in a spirit of healing and reconciliation. There is precious little time left for the silent majority in this world to assume responsibility for the future of humankind. The true meaning of faith is best divined by having faith not in god but in each other. Whatever our beliefs, the realization that we are all connected be it by god, nature, or our common biological ancestry is paramount. An injury to one is an injury to all and regardless of the arguments made on behalf of unconscionable actions, direct or indirect, active or passive, it is our moral obligation if morality has any meaning left, to bring sense back to the world, to face reality, engage it and transform it at whatever cost to ourselves.
I thank those who authored and signed the following statement as one with them in struggle and urge their example be emulated by people everywhere and by partisans of all stripes.
-GE
>5 August 2006
>
>An Open Letter
>
>Beginning on 12 July 2006 the State of Israel began a massive
>military assault against Lebanon which continues until today. At
>least 900 civilians have been killed. The infrastructure of Lebanon
>has been devastated. Roads, bridges, and the airport have been
>bombed and are not usable. Civilians live under a condition of
>constant bombardment and siege. Homes and villages have been razed
>to the ground. Access to the outside world, to medical care and
>relief, and to resources of food and water is severely compromised.
>
>This assault does not stand alone, but participates in earlier and
>continuing attacks by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
>and in the West Bank.
>
>We, Jewish writers, scholars, poets, translators, and artists of
>diverse national origin, offer this open letter in order to
>communicate our solidarity with our Lebanese and Palestinian
>colleagues who are living under siege.
>
>We wish to register before the international community our grave
>concern at the growing violence carried out by the State of Israel
>against the peoples of Lebanon and Palestine. Our concern is
>amplified by the condoning of this violence, and the deaths which
>it has caused, on the part of Jewish leaders, institutions and
>organizations in Israel, Europe, the United States of America and
>elsewhere who have labeled each "collateral damage."
>
>We share our sorrow for all of the lives that have been so uselessly
>damaged and cut short, and recognize that the current attacks by the
>State of Israel form a part of a long history in which Israel has
>sought to dispossess the Palestinian people and to erase from
>memory the history of this dispossession, erecting a state upon the
>ruins of the lives of others.
>
>We reject the logic that the State of Israel and those who speak for
>it require - a logic which demands that human beings be separated
>according to religion, language, nation of origin, and situation of
>ethnic or cultural belonging, and we reject the political
>application of this logic in all of its legal and juridical forms
>and manifestations.
>
>We reject all attempts on the part of the State of Israel, its
>spokespeople, leadership, institutions and political parties, to
>speak on behalf of Jews as such - to speak for our concerns or
>aspirations, for our hopes or fears, for our pasts or for our
>futures.
>
>We affirm that any attempt to impose a military solution upon the
>"Middle East conflict" participates in the violence which initiated
>it. Such measures shall only prolong and amplify the suffering which
>the peoples of the region continue to endure.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Professor Ammiel Alcalay, Queens College & CUNY Graduate Center, New
>York, USA
>Livia Alexander, New York, NY, USA
>Professor Daniel Amit, Istituto di Fisica, La Sapienza, Roma
>Leeam Azulay-Yagev, New York, NY, USA
>Sigal Barak, Tel Aviv, Israel
>Chana Bloch, Berkeley, CA, USA
>Naomi Braine, Sociologist, New York, NY , USA
>Professor Sally Charnow, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York,
>USA
>John Comaroff, University of Chicago, American Bar Foundation,
>Chicago, IL, USA
>Professor Alexander Elinson, Hunter College, New York, USA
>Elaine Elinson, San Francisco, CA, USA
>Sulaf Elsalfiti, Engineer, Canada
>Professor David Theo Goldberg, University of California, Irvine, USA
>Brigham M. Golden, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
>Marilyn Hacker, City College & CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY,
>USA
>Adam Horowitz, Philadelphia, PA, US
>Hubert Krivine, Physicist, Paris University
>Susan Landau, Philadelphia, PA, USA
>Professor Robert V. Lange, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
>Colombe Leland, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
>Professor Mark LeVine, University of California, Irvine, USA
>Shane Minkin, New York University, New York, NY, USA
>Dr. Marcy Newman, Visiting Professor, American University of Beirut,
>Beirut, Lebanon
>Michael Palm, New York University, New York, NY, USA
>Professor Gabriel Piterberg, UCLA, USA
>Avi Raz, University of Oxford, UK (Israeli citizen)
>Loren Ryter, Leiden, the Netherlands
>Sarah Sachs, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
>Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
>Catherine Samary, Economist, Paris University
>Elaine G. Schwartz, Ph.D., Albuquerque, NM, USA
>Evalyn F. Segal, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Psychology, San Diego
>State University, USA
>Sam Sternin, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
>Max Weiss, Stanford University, Beirut, Lebanon/Berkeley, CA, USA
>
>Institutional affiliations are listed for informational purposes
>only. If you wish to sign this letter please e-mail
>open_letter_2006. Please include your name, country and city of
>residence, and, if you like, institutional affiliation.
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