Our members are speaking loudly and clearly about their values:
ALLMEP stands in solidarity with our members across the region: the brave Israelis and Palestinians who refuse to be enemies, and who are working to shape a reality where events such as those witnessed over the past few days become unimaginable.
Our members are speaking loudly and clearly about the values that unite our community: Opposition to this horrific violence, and a commitment to Israeli/Palestinian partnership on the path to ending it, and achieving peace and equality.
Find here a list of statements from our members:
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The Parents Circle Families Forum are themselves the bereaved families of fallen Israelis and Palestinians. This weekend has seen more families join that list than any before it. They emphasized, “we express our deepest and heartfelt condemnation of the violence in the region… It is an undeniable truth that the time has come to change the situation… This region has endured too much pain, too much bloodshed, & too many tears”. Read their statement in full here.
Rabbis for Human Rights stated “like many here and around the world, we too stand in shock, pain, and horror at the murderous attack that occurred in the southern part of the country…security is not a privilege – it is a fundamental right that every individual is entitled to, simply by virtue of being human. Yet, it is also the thing that has been stolen from all the inhabitants of this land, both Israelis and Palestinians, for far too many years, leaving behind a trail of blood. This cycle must come to an end”. Read their full statement here.
Combatants for Peace stated “the events of the past few days have shaken us all to our core. Our hearts are with all of the victims and their families, and hope both for the safe return of those held captive, and for the safety of the civilians trapped inside Gaza .For our movement, this is a crucial moment where we must all dig deep to find our resolve to move ahead together. The only solution is ending the occupation, uniting Israelis and Palestinians and focussing our collective efforts on achieving peace. We call for non-violence, a renewed sense of humanity, and better days ahead for all of our children”.Read the statements here and here.
SolutionsNotSides stated “The violence is against SNS’ principles. These are our fellow human beings who are suffering missile attacks, bombings, and unimaginable horrors. Celebrating the appalling desecration of human life on either side is abhorrent.”. Read more here.
Standing Together co-director, Alon lee posted this video, and Standing Together released this statement: “A shocking massacre of hundreds of innocents, kidnapped and captives, hundreds of victims in Gaza, loss of control in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, a possible war in the north – the heart cannot contain all the pain, the numbers, the stories, and understand that once again, we, the people who live here, have to pay a painful price…it seems far away, but there is no choice but to say: only true peace can bring us security, which is so lacking now. War, even when the blood boils, will not bring us what we wish for”. Read the full statement here.
Only four days ago, Women Wage Peace and their partner in Palestine, Women of the Sun, rallied hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians in a march for peace. Today they grieve for unimaginable loss, while they continue to keep the vital links between both peoples alive.
Women Wage Peace have stated “there are no words to describe the feelings of pain, shock and loss. How can one even bear the evil and cruelty of the terrorists, of the bloodbath caused by the lives of young people who were murdered in their joy in nature, of terrified children who were slaughtered while being hugged by their parents. The killers did not distinguish between Jews, Arabs, Israeli citizens, or foreign citizens”. Read more here.
Search for Common Ground stated “the outbreak of war triggered by Hamas’s widespread, coordinated attacks from Gaza inside Israel is more than simply the latest round in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict…Now, in the past 24 hours alone, hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed, thousands more wounded, and dozens taken as hostages in what we fear is only the beginning of a war that will result in unprecedented violence and devastation between Israel and Hamas, in which civilians are already the primary victims”. Read their full statement here.
B8 of Hope, stated “the morning of saturday shocked us all as we awoke to the horrifying scenes of attacks on civilians in Israel. We, B8 of Hope, unequivocally condemn any form of violence…peacebuilding, already a challenging endeavor, faces even deeper obstacles at this critical juncture”. Read more from their statement here.
Abraham Initiatives stated that “Israel and Gaza are going through very difficult times … We must all remember that the day after the war we will remain Jews and Arabs here, in the neighborhood and in close proximity. We will continue to live here together, we have the duty and responsibility to preserve what is there.” Read more from them on their twitter feed here.
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies have declared they will continue their “dedication to environmental diplomacy and peacebuilding in the face of political conflict…We call for the immediate protection of civilian life, for urgent steps to de-escalate the situation, and to prevent spiraling to even further tragedy”. Read more from them here.
Watch this video update from Churches for Middle East Peace’s Executive Director Rev Dr Mae Cannon, and read their statement here: “As Israel and the world are in shock at the news of past days, grief, lament, and horror are appropriate responses to the violence that has occurred. For Palestinians, many feel their own suffering and catastrophes, at the hands of a decades-long military occupation and encroaching settlement expansion and violence has long been ignored. Neither tragedy negates the other. If there is ever to be long-lasting and sustainable peace, the core causes of the conflict must be addressed and resolved”
Extend Programs stated “We are here because of the misguided belief that freedom and safety can be achieved by subjugating another people”, they continued with “We write in horror and heartbreak at what has happened in Israel and Gaza in the last two days. Innocent Israelis murdered in their homes by Hamas militants. Grandmothers, sons, sisters, and fathers kidnapped as hostages and taken into the Gaza Strip, where they are being held at this moment. A bombing campaign in Gaza that is killing innocent Palestinian civilians. “Whoever kills a person,” it is written in the Talmud, “destroys an entire world.” Every Israeli life lost is the loss of an entire world. Every Palestinian life lost is the loss of an entire world”. Read their full statement here.
Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel stated “Three days of war, and the deluge of worry and heartbreak leave little room to process the moment. But we are reminded that dehumanization is the fuel of violence, bloodshed, and brutality. This is the danger that Hand in Hand exists to combat”. Read their statement here.
Jerusalem Peacebuilders states “Rockets, sirens, screams, and gunfire revealed that Hamas guerillas were attacking soldiers and civilians alike. The reports of indiscriminate carnage and cruelty are as sickening as they are tragic and heartbreaking … Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) stands with the families of the victims in condemning these acts of hate… Even with billions of dollars of military training and technology, the quest of one side for security and the other for statehood remains elusive. War begets only war, hatred begets only hatred … Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Druze do not wish to live like this.” Read their statement in full here.
The Jerusalem Youth Chorus have been “listening to JYC albums to stay grounded while taking buses through the war-torn south”. They state “in this time of fear, we hold fast to each other, and to our music”. Read and hear more, here.
The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue states: “our hearts are impossibly heavy as we send our condolences to the families of the deceased, and pray for the injured and those missing and kidnapped.” Read their statement in full here.
Seeds of Peace states: “This weekend’s attacks by Hamas and the Israeli response mark a new level of devastation for a region already suffering … Today, as always, we affirm our belief that Israelis and Palestinians deserve freedom, justice, equality, and the right to live in safety. The killing and capturing of civilians is wrong, no matter who is responsible.” Read their entire statement here.
The Shalom Hartman Institute said: “These are extremely painful times for all of us. We mourn those murdered and killed and fear for the safety and health of those in captivity as well as the injured, the soldiers, and citizens. We hope for the peaceful return of all hostages and the success of those defending Israel.” Read more here.
עמותת סיכוי-אופוק جمعية سيكوي-أفق, Sikkuy-Aufoq, states that “the pain is enormous and the loss is unbearable: the residents of the south, the residents of the unknown villages in the Negev, the citizens of the state, and the residents of Gaza all experience the magnitude of the event: hundreds of dead in Israel and Gaza, thousands of wounded,” expressing their shock and heartbreak over the hundreds of abductees. Read their full statement here.
The Schechter Institutes, Inc. stated, “we share in the loss and pain of thousands who have been killed, injured, or kidnapped by terrorists, and especially in the pain of TALI Board member Eyal Kaminka whose son Yanai z”l fell in the line of duty,” and extended its “love and encouragement to all the inhabitants of the south and especially to those who live in the towns and Kibbutzim near Gaza, including many of our students and graduates.” Read more here.
Tech2Peace said: “In times of violence, while anger, frustration, and sadness are natural emotions, we must also embrace empathy, compassion, and understanding as they are the foundation for a better future within our community.” Read their statement here.
עמותת תפוח Appleseeds stated the organization is “sharing in the grief of the families of the murdered and praying for the safety of the wounded and kidnapped,” and expressed its hope for quieter days ahead. You can read their statement in full here.
Hechalutz movement – Hamidrasha at Oranim/החלוץ – להגשמה משותפת released a statement expressing pain and mourning upon hearing of the deaths of their employees and graduates in the south. Read their entire statement here.
Yozmot Atid recalled the shock and pain felt by all with the beginning of the war, wishing with great hope for better and quieter days ahead. Read the full statement here.
Mehazkim states: “in these moments, it is important that we remember that right now, in Israel and Gaza, there are mothers and fathers who hug their children in their arms, and just want to live in peace and security.” Read their statement here.
Sustainable Israeli-Palestinian Projects stated “We are heartbroken by the tragic and horrific events of the past several days. Nevertheless, we are determined to carry on SIPP’s work”. Read the full statement, and more about SIPP’s work here.
The Road to Recovery בדרך להחלמה are “praying hard together with the families for our volunteers who were kidnapped on Shabbat by the wrongdoers from Hamas” and they are sending “a strong hug to each and every one and praying for your safety and the peace of your loved ones”. Read their message here.
