Americans for Peace Now strongly condemns the bombing in Jerusalem today. APN extends its condolences to the family of the woman killed in the horrendous attack and wishes fast recovery to those injured. This latest attack - the first major terrorist attack in Jerusalem in three years, coupled with the recent attack in the settlement of Itamar and the escalating security situation between Israel and the Gaza Strip - underscores the danger posed by the current stalemate on the Israeli-Palestinian track. APN calls on the Obama administration to engage urgently to prevent further escalation and bloodshed.
APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee said:
"Today's terrorist attack in Jerusalem is reprehensible and outrageous. Coming on the heels of last week's terrible murders in the settlement of Itamar and the recent rocket attacks from Gaza, it demonstrates the urgent need for decisive action to end the stalemate and re-launch credible Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
"Recent history demonstrates how quickly Palestinian terrorism and Israeli retaliation can escalate into far more intense and deadly conflict, with dire implications not only for the safety and security of civilians on both sides - already the casualties include a family massacred by terrorists in the West Bank last week, four Palestinian civilians unintentionally killed by a stray Israeli mortar shell in Gaza this week, and now today's repugnant terrorist attack.
"Clearly, President Obama and his Mideast policy staff have a lot on their plates with the US engagement in Libya and the turmoil in Bahrain, Yemen, and other parts of the region. Unfortunately, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, left unattended, will make their lives increasingly complicated and their efforts elsewhere in the region much more difficult. Such an escalation has dire implications, too, for the unsettled political situation in countries across the region. At this important and delicate juncture in Middle East politics, it is vital to U.S. credibility and U.S. interests that such an escalation be prevented. The Obama Administration must be able to multi-task if it is to avoid such an eventuality.
"We call on President Obama to urgently address the situation. He must deal with this personally, engaging with Prime Minister Netanyahu and with President Abbas, and rallying regional allies like Egypt and Turkey to convince Hamas to end rocket attacks on Israel.
We reiterate our call on the Obama Administration to take dramatic action and demonstrate leadership to re-start a credible, productive peace effort - one that will restore hope among both peoples and one that will pave the way for a peace agreement in the near future."
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Right Barry Soetoro (Obama) will really step up to the plate about to help such as these bombing and bring peace doubt it he is to busy bombing countries that are at war with themselves.
APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee speaks of "Israeli retaliation" to "Palestinian terrorism." It seems to me Ms. DeLee has it a bit backwards. One must remember that Israel is the occupying power that has deprived the Palestinians of their human and civil rights for over forty years and these "terrorists" are to many "freedom fighters" defending the Palestinians.
Since 2005 the IDF has used tear gas, rubber coated bullets and even live ammunition to suppress unarmed anti-occupation demonstrations against the Israeli occupation. This brutal supression has resulted in the death of twenty-one Palestinians and thousands, including Jewish and foreign supporters, have been wounded. There were no Israeli casualties. New evidence indicates that the recent stabbing death of a settlement family indicates that the perpetrator of that crime was not a Palestinian "terrorist" but a disgruntled guest worker seeking revenge over unpaid wages.
Both the occupier (Israel) and those suffering occupation (the Palestinians) are guilty of terrorist acts. This carnage is bound to continue until all of historic Palestine becomes part of Greater Israel or the United States forces Israel to live within its pre-1967 borders by imposing economic sanctions on Israel until it does so.
I applaud your concern for working together towards some agreement now, again. Have you noticed how your reporting may seem biased - "massacred", "horrendous" when referring to Palestinian actions, "unintentional" when referring to Israeli actions?
More than Enough blood has been shed. Isn't it time for you to visit Israel? It would mean so much to the people and perhaps turn things around.
The only way the bombing will stop is for Israel to stop building on occupied land , and give back the land they have stolen. Israel know that is the answer to the problem, but keep blaming others, and keep building. The world is getting very tired of Israels self righteous attitude.
hi some one published a EBOOK ..on lulu.com....yesterday.......the first part of the book is about "PEACE NOW".....the name of the EBOOK is "building a man made island over by haweii for the jews".......eney budy in to politics ..or the peace movement ..must look at this book ......this book is going to change the wourld big time..
Complete, effective Boundry. Search/frisk/ID ALL entrants...Anyone carrying weapons or bombs is shot on the spot--bang! Big sign at each Port-Of-Entry gate sez, "Entering Israel--dress modestly--If YOU have nothing good to do, DON'T do it here!" No more bombing...Aaron Allen...
Your opening paragraph is very disappointing. It would be a lot more balanced and closer to the truth if you included 'strongly condemning' the murders of the people in Gaza which occurred in the same time frame, and 'strongly condemning' the East Jerusalem demolition orders
That would be a lot more indicative of a sustainable Peace project.
There is absolutely no evidence that the ITAMAR murders were a terrorist attack and until that is proven, it is irresponsible to decide (like the rest of Israel) that it cannot be anything but a terrorist attack.
Do any gruesome murders occur in the US, in the name of madness and psychosis?
Shame on you.
inka