January
8, 2009
"THIS
CRIME AGAINST PALESTINIAN CHILDREN
AND PEOPLE IN GAZA IS DONE IN MY NAME..."
Dear
all,
I saw this morning pictures of children from what
the sender called 'Gaza Concentration Camp'. This
horror, this cruelty is done in my name, a Jewish
Israeli woman living in West Jerusalem. Israel's crime
against humanity in Gaza is done in my name, a
feminist peace activist. These killings are
done in the name of my loved ones. This
suffering is caused in the name of my community.
This
crime against Palestinian children and people in
Gaza is done in my name.
I feel deep shame.
I
feel pain.
I mourn.
I
feel rage.
I
feel helplessness.
I am part of an activist community.
My
community is active everyday to stop this bloodshed.
My community is active against the occupation for
long years
My community is active for a just solution to the
Israeli Palestinian conflict
My community is in solidarity with the Palestinian
people
My community acknowledges that Palestinian people
aspire to live in peace
My
community is aware of the violent results of
the occupation and the poverty and
despair it brings.
My
community is active against racism
My community is active against poverty and for
social justice within Israel
My community is creating peaceful grassroots
economic and ecological co operations with
Palestinians from the 67 occupied territories
My community is Jewish - Palestinian
My
community is old and young
My
community is active for human rights of the
Palestinians
My community is active for their economic,
social, civil and political rights
My
community acknowledges that our own security and
well being is connected to the well
being of Palestinians and their security and
prosperity
My
community is active against violence and war.
My
community refuses to take part in war and
the occupation
My community is active for justice, prosperity,
ecological awareness and peace
My community is part of a feminist peace political
global network that links between war
and violence against women and sees in them a base
of patriarchy.
My community is active to stop bloodshed and cruelty
in the service of super powers that
combine militaristic, fundamentalist, capitalist and
nationalist structures
My
community is made of many close and far circles of
activism and knowledge
My
community is diverse, varied and rich in its colors
My
community is of women, men and multi gendered
My
community is hetero, lesbian, gay, bi, queer and
transgender
My
community is local
My
community is global
My
community is a world wide women's feminist
peace movement
I
am a Woman in Black in Israel
The
Israeli government is committing crimes against
humanity in Gaza.
I
feel shame.
I
feel rage.
I
feel helplessness
We
did not stop the evil,
We
continue to protest in the
streets, to appeal to decision makers, to widespread
the information, to sign petitions, to send
humanitarian aid, to do direct actions, we write
letters and leaflets
Our
voices are not heard
Our
clear and loud voices are silenced
Our
voices do not reach our sisters and brothers
in Palestine
Our
voices do not stop the fire and destruction
We
will continue to act and hope.
We
will continue to cross imposed patriarchal walls,
borders and ghettos
We
will continue to hear the cry of Gaza
We
will continue to hear the cry of the West Bank
We
will also listen to the cry of women and
children in Congo, North Uganda, South Sudan,
Columbia and elsewhere
The
suffering everywhere is connected and part of the
same patriarchal political culture
We
are saying out loud NOT IN OUR NAME
We
refuse to be enemies
We
refuse to take part in oppressive relationships
In
the south of Israel where they suffer from counter
violence of rockets there are also voices for peace
We
will continue to oppose war and militarism
We
will continue to create a culture of non violence,
justice and peace
We
will continue to serve humanity
May
we learn and teach that all is one
May
we learn and teach that one is all
May
we find transformation, justice and healing
May
we all live in Peace
May
we all live in Joy.
Yvonne
Deutsch
Jerusalem, 8 January 2009