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PHRMG condemns the attack on the Haifa
bus yesterday that murdered 15 innocent people and injured
40 others. Suicide bombings and all attacks, military and
otherwise, on innocent people are ALWAYS illegal. It is a
tragedy that more children were killed in yesterday’s
violence.
It is a mistake to claim that the past
two months have been “quiet” in regard to violence.
Although there has not been a suicide attack since January
5, 2003, in the past two months since this attack, 13
Israeli and 119 Palestinian people have been killed.
PHRMG calls on people of both Israeli
and Palestinian origin to stop killing civilians. All
innocent people, be they Israeli, Palestinian, American,
etc., are equal and each innocent life needs to be regarded
as equal to others and valuable. The nationality of the
innocent victim does not matter—it is always a tragedy when
innocent people are murdered. PHRMG calls the international
community, namely the United States, to treat all murder of
innocents as equally condemnable, without favoritism or
political bias.
Violence begets violence as history and
daily life too often remind us. PHRMG calls on the Israeli
army to stop their assaults on Palestinian civilians, as
brute force and occupation continue to breed more deaths of
innocents. Retaliation is a cycle without end and only when
leaders and those with power are brave enough to lay down
the violence and seek dialogue and resolution through
peaceful efforts, will the vicious cycle be broken.
The greatest tragedy is that although
government leaders, militaries, and militants take the
violent action and make the violent decisions, it is always
the innocent civilians who pay the price with their own
blood. A greater value of human life is in dire need in
this area.
PHRMG regrets to report that since the
start of this bloody intifada on September 29, 2000, 1973
Palestinian people have lost their lives and 677 Israeli
people as well.
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The
PHRMG is a Palestinian, independent, non-governmental
organization working to end human rights violations
committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip,
and East Jerusalem, regardless of those responsible. The
members of the Monitoring Group believe that the strength of
democracy and civil society in Palestinian society will be
determined by the Palestinian people, through their defense
or neglect of human rights.
Ragheb
Nashashibi Street 5
Sheikh Jarrah-Jerusalem
P.O. Box 19918
East Jerusalem 91198
admin@phrmg.org
www.phrmg.org
Tel. 972-2-582-3372/3
Fax. 972-2-582-3385 |
