Gush Shalom, the Israeli Peace Bloc, calls for an immediate ceasefire with the Hamas leadership, in order to end the dangerous escalation in the Gaza Strip and its environs. We now face the inevitable results of the stupid and irresponsible policy undertaken by the government of Israel in the past months - to negotiate with those who represent at best half of the Palestinian people and wage war with the other half. When the IDF kills ten Palestinians in Gaza on a single day, nobody in Israel pays attention – but it should have been clear from the start that causualties will not forever remain on one side of the border and that Israeli civilians and soldiers would pay the price. Invading the Gaza Strip and waging a bloody war of conquest in the streets of its cities, or draconian collective punishment against its million and half inhabitnats who already now live in terrible squalor, would only fan the flames higher and higher. The Government of Israel must end the policy of Divide and Rule, include Hamas and its leadership in the negotiations and reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and its environs and put an end to the escalation, as well as a prisoner exchange which will restore Gilead Shalit and many Palestinian prisoners to their families. That is the only policy which a sane and responsible government should have undertaken.

Contact: Adam Keller adam@gush-shalom.org