To
Tel-Aviv,
Mr. Jimmy Carter
Former President of the
Dear Mr. President
I am writing to you on behalf of Gush Shalom, The Israeli Peace Bloc, to congratulate you on your wise and
courageous decision to meet in
As an increasing number of people are coming to
realize, the policy of boycotting Hamas, starting on the day that the movement
won the democratic elections held among the
Palestinians, has failed utterly and caused terrible suffering and bloodshed to
both peoples. The Government of Israel, with the support of the present US
Administration, has undertaken large and small military operations; constantly
sought to foment civil war among Palestinians; and imposed an inhuman economic
boycott of the Gaza Strip, which exactly today reaches a cruel new peak with the denial of fuel to a
million and half people. Not only did all these acts fail to break Hamas'
power; on the contrary, they resulted in increasing its popular support and
severely weakening Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) who is more and more perceived as a
collaborator, unable to bring his people any real achievement.
The time has come to turn a new page, based on
recognition of reality: Hamas is a significant force among Palestinians, and
will continue to be such, for better or worse, in the foreseeable future. It is
impossible to reach an Israeli-Palestinian Agreement - and actually implement
it - without Hamas
being a party to that agreement.
Your visit to our region, Mr. President, has the potential
of imparting an enormous momentum to removing the obstacles presently hindering
serious negotiations aimed at ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the
Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands conquered in 1967. To the mind of
myself the my fellow activists, what is most urgently
needed at present includes:
* A full ceasefire, between all Israelis and all
Palestinians, which will proved a safe daily life to the inhabitants of the
Gaza Strip as to those of the Israeli communities near to it;
* Removal of the shameful economic siege, which is
a terrible collective punishment for
* Achieving at last an exchange of prisoners which
would restore to their homes and families the captured Israeli soldier Gil’ead
Shalit as well as a significant number of Palestinian prisoners
* Encouraging the creation of a Palestinian
National Unity Government, representing all important factions and able to
negotiate on behalf of the entire Palestinian people - instead of the complete
veto which the governments of Israel and the US at present impose on the
creation of such a government among Palestinians.
It would have been best for all of us, Mr. President, were you able to
go to Damascus with a full mandate from the Government of Israel and from you
successor in the White House, to promote to the best of your ability the
solution to the conflict in our region and the end to both peoples' suffering.
But even in the absence of an official government mandate, know that you are
going to
Most Sincerely Yours
Uri Avnery
Former Member of the Knesset
On behalf of Gush Shalom
(The Israeli Peace Bloc)
+972-505-306440