PRESS RELEASE

August 20, 2003

PHRMG Condemns the Attack on Israeli Civilians in Downtown Jerusalem

PHRMG condemns the suicide bombing attack on a packed bus in Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood in Jerusalem last night that murdered 20 people and injured 110 others. Suicide bombings on innocent people are always illegal.

15 Palestinians and 26 Israelis have been murdered since the hudna began. Last night’s attack was the forth suicide bombing to take place since the cease-fire was announced on June 29, 2003. Moreover Israel had violated the hudna 146 times since the hudna began. Thus, it is a mistake to claim that the previous period since the hudna began had been quiet.

Everyone had expected a revenge attack by Islamic Jihad following Israel’s killing of senior Jihad operative Mohammed Sider last week. Violence begets violence as history and daily life remind us. PHRMG calls on all members of Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, as well as it calls on the Israeli army to stop their assaults on Israeli or Palestinian civilians. Retaliation is a cycle without end and only when the leaders and those with power lay down the violence and seek dialogue and resolution through peaceful efforts, will the vicious cycle be broken.

PHRMG calls on people of both Israeli and Palestinian origin to stop killing civilians. All innocent people; Israelis or Palestinians, are equal and each innocent life needs to be regarded as equal and valuable to others. It is a tragedy when innocent people are the victims.

PHRMG expresses its concern about the recent lull over issues driving the implementation of the Road Map. Both parties have clear obligations as set out in the Road Map and PHRMG calls on both parties to act in a manner that is supportive to the other and not in a manner that makes the Road Map impossible to proceed.

PHRMG expresses its deep concern over the suicide bombing in downtown Jerusalem and reiterates its condemnation and deeply regrets the loss of life as a result. PHRMG calls on stopping killing innocent civilians of both sides. PHRMG also regrets to report that 2322 Palestinians and 773 Israelis have lost their lives since the start of the Intifada on September 29, 2000.

The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (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

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www.phrmg.org

tel. 972-2-582-3372/3

fax. 972-2-582-3385