30 April 2010

To:  Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu  - Prime Minister of Israel

Over the last year, we, citizens from Sderot and the surrounding Gaza region, have enjoyed a period of relative quiet. This is not true of our neighbors in Gaza. Just a few minutes away from our homes, people are living in inhumane conditions, in the largest prison on earth.

There is no justification for the continued siege that Israel has imposed on Gaza for a number of years. It will not bring us security. The opposite is true: the blockade is only harming Israel's safety because it deepens the hatred and the loathing, and it encourages acts of revenge and terror. This is a powder keg of desperation, frustration and fury, that can explode at any moment. Ordinary citizens in Gaza are suffering from this blockade, while the extremists are being nourished and growing stronger by it every day.

The next cycle of violence in our area is just a matter of time. Once again, our lives and their lives will become a nightmare. The siege is causing unjustifiable damage and suffering for a million and a half people. 

There cannot be any justification for this kind of collective punishment. The blockade is preventing the people of Gaza to fulfill their most basic needs. They are denied access to foods necessary for the health of people of all ages, from babies to the elderly. They are denied access to medicines and medical equipment, a denial that has a very detrimental affect on the people there, sometimes causing death of patients and the injured. The blockade has caused great damage to the infra-structure and the supply of basic services to the population: from oil necessary for transportation, for the supply of electricity and water, for asphalt for roads and concrete and steel for construction, including the rebuilding of the many structures that were destroyed during Operation Cast Lead and other military actions.

The siege is dangerous and immoral! We call upon you to work toward ending the siege on Gaza, while making the necessary security arrangements for us, living on this side of the border. We call on you to create opportunities for lives of dignity for our neighbors, and for us. Please, give us hope, and not another round of violence!!

We thank you for your answer,

Members of Other Voice

** Other Voice - www.othervoice.org  - a group of Israeli citizens from Sderot/surrounding Gaza region that call for a non-violent resolution of the ongoing conflict, who have ongoing contact with people from the Gaza Strip