As of the writing of this statement, the Israeli bombardment and invasion of Gaza is now in its twelfth day and has resulted so far in the deaths of more than 770 Palestinians, a significant proportion of them non-combatant civilians. Thousands more have suffered injuries, many of them life-threatening.
The blockade of Gaza - imposed by Israel, the United States, the European Union and Egypt following the victory of Hamas in the January 2006 legislative council elections - has crippled the ability of hospitals to care for the wounded. Food, water and electricity have also been cut as Israel surrounds population centers and pummels infrastructure from air and sea. The United Nations and aid agencies are warning of a humanitarian disaster (www.ochaopt.org).
The disproportionate loss of life among non-combatants and wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure - not only water, electricity, sewage containment, hospital facilities and food production and distribution, but also important cultural centers, including the Gaza Islamic University - violate international conventions governing legitimate use of force and the responsibilities of occupying powers for civilian safety and dignity. Despite the Israeli declaration of an end to their rule over the Gaza Strip and the subsequent eviction of Jewish settlers in September 2005, Israel has maintained de facto control over and occupation of the territory and the people of Gaza to the present day. Israel's actions violate Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that states No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed. Collective punishment and all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited. A significant number of independent international observers, including some UN officials, have attested to the violation of mandates of International Law, including barring the International Red Cross access to the wounded.
As concerned Ohio University faculty, students, and members of the Athens community, we, the undersigned, call upon the international community to demand an immediate end to the Israeli bombardment, withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza, complete and permanent opening of border crossings to humanitarian aid shipments, and swift introduction of armed international cease-fire monitors. We also call upon the International Court of Justice to open investigations into possible war crimes committed by the Israeli government in this bloody assault on Gaza. Finally, we call upon the incoming Obama Administration to undertake a serious and sustained initiative that addresses the roots of the conflict by ending Israel's occupation, colonization and siege of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, and enabling a viable and truly independent Palestinian state to come into existence alongside Israel.
Gene Ammarell, Neil Bernstein, Elizabeth Collins, Grant Gilcher, Gui Guenther, George Hartley, Steve Hays, Savas Kaya, Loren Lybarger, Muslim Students Association, Laura Schaeffer, Bob Sheak, Thomas Walker and Robert Whealey signed this letter.
4 Opinion
