We need your help

There is an emergency situation right now in the Gaza Strip and the
town of Rafah, in particular, with scenes that bring to mind Israel’s
invasion of Jenin and Nablus in the spring of 2002. So far today, 18
Palestinians were killed, but the action continues. Last weekend, 116
homes were destroyed, making over a thousand people homeless
(www.btselem.org). Hundreds more are slated for destruction. Amira
Hass, filing dramatic daily reports from inside Rafah, describes the
scenes of people grabbing their children and whatever comes to hand and
fleeing their homes, anticipating the entry of the bulldozer-tanks
(www.haaretzdaily.com). Even Yossi Sarid from the Yahad Party
(formerly called Meretz), normally a staunch defender of the IDF,
described actions in Rafah as "war crimes". My friend In’am called me
from Gaza trembling with fear, and reported that the Palestinian news
broadcaster broke down in tears as he spoke.

Many — Israelis, internationals and Palestinians — are desperately
trying to halt the bloodshed. The Israeli women’s peace movement just
placed an ad in Ha’aretz calling for an immediate halt to the violence
and renewal of negotiations for a peace agreement that will extract us
from all the occupied territories ("True and enduring solutions," we
wrote, "are attained by negotiation, not destruction, revenge or
humiliation"). This morning, forty women drove to Gaza to see if they
could intervene physically, but they are being prevented from entering
Gaza by the army. The women have set up an encampment at the Sufa
checkpoint and say they will not leave until the army stops its actions
there. Other peace and human rights organizations have placed
newspaper ads, and many are organizing a larger delegation to join the
women on Friday.

International figures have begun to speak out, but we need more, and
quickly. Can you please take a moment to write a letter (email or fax)
or make a phone call to any or all of the list below? A sample letter
is appended.

Please take a minute to try to save someone’s life or home. Imagine
that you had to walk out the door of your home at this very moment,
with nothing but what your arms can carry, and you would never see your
home or its contents ever again. Please make a couple of calls.