Other Voice – A group for a civil solution in the Sderot-Gaza region

 

"Other Voice" consists of citizens who live in Sderot and Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. It is a non-partisan group; we are not affiliated with any political party or organization. Other Voice represents a wide array of the public and its members come from diverse backgrounds and hold a broad range of opinions and beliefs.

 

We live in a violent and unstable region, in which thousands of people from both sides of the border have been killed, wounded and hurt, including children, the elderly and other innocent civilians. The ongoing violence and escalation of the conflict have deepened the mutual fear and hatred, and destroyed feelings of personal safety.

 

We call for creative action that will bring about a long-term and real solution to the region. We call for creative action that will take the civilians out of the circle of violence.

 

Members of the group hold the hope that the region in which we live will be quiet and peaceful, with a high quality of life, good education and thriving economy. We believe that this hope can only become a reality with the cessation of violence and through active and public cooperation of Israeli and Palestinian citizens of the region.

 

The Palestinians are also suffering. They, like us, strive for a quiet and peaceful life and for a better future. We believe that only by working together can we reach a long lasting solution. Therefore, our group is in ongoing contact with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who believe, as we do, in non-violence and mutual respect that will bring about the much anticipated change.

 

We call upon our Palestinian neighbors to join the initiative and to reach out to those brave people that are already willing to stand up publicly and say that the time has come to end this useless and senseless conflict and work towards a long lasting solution. The shared pain and shared hopes are the building blocks upon which we can stop the vicious circle of fear and suffering and build a new and better future.

 

We call upon our Israeli partners in the region, to join our initiative and to work with us for the future of our friends, our families, and our communities. All previous attempts by the establishment have failed, and we are fed up with their empty promises. It is time for brave, civilian, humane actions that will bring hope to the whole region.

 

We call upon our leaders in Israel and upon leaders throughout the world to listen to the voices of the citizens and to do all that can be done to reach a peaceful solution that will strengthen the region instead of destabilizing it. This solution must include full cessation of all hostilities on both sides of the fence in order to bring hope back into the lives of people.