Shooting unarmed demonstrators on the Gaza border would be a terrible and unforgivable crime
The Government of Israel has turned the Gaza Strip into a pressure cooker and the biggest open-air prison in the world,
through maintaining a siege in violation of International Law and depriving a poor populating of a million and half of
gasoline and basic products.
Those who created this pressure cooker cannot wonder that it now threatens to explode in their face. If the threat to
open fire and kill unarmed Palestinian demonstrators on the Gaza Strip border is implemented, no one would be able to
claim innocence of this heinous crime: neither the ministers and army commanders on top, nor those who pull the trigger
on the ground said Gush Shalom in messages sent tonight to the bureaux of PM Olmert, Defence Minister Barak and Foreign
Minister Livni.
"When Qassam missiles are shot, the Government of Israel is quick to accuse the Palestinians of violent terrorism. But
now, also the possibility of mass non-violent protest is presented as a threat justifying the brute force. There have
been many cases when the army faced rampaging settlers, who resorted to the worst of violent behaviour - and not a
single drop of blood was ever shed.
The light finger on the trigger is reserved only for Arab demonstrators - but tomorrow, the whole world will be minutely
watching the behaviour of the State of Israel and its armed forces. Your acts tomorrow might cause many to feel ashamed
of being Israeli, and lose Israel a large part of the few international friends it still has".
ENDS