JVP statement on Gaza: “We mourn the loss of all life, and the universe extinguished with each death”

A ball of fire is seen during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City May 4, 2019. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1537A1C380

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STATEMENT
May 5, 2019
Contact: Sonya E Meyerson-Knox | sonya@jvp.org | 929-290-0317
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We recommit to organizing for an end to the root causes of this violence

(New York, NY) May 5, 2019 – We are deeply concerned with the current situation in Gaza. Reports continue to clarify the details, we will update this statement as we learn more.

In the last 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes have killed eleven Palestinians, including a 14-month-old baby and her pregnant aunt. Seven of the eleven were identified as Saba Abu Arar, Falastin Abu Arar, Balal Muhammad al-Bana, Abdullah Abu al-Atta, Mahmoud Subhi Issa, Fawzi Abed Wadi, and Khaled Muhammad Abu Qleiq.

Three people have been killed in Israel from rockets launched by Hamas — including Bedouin citizen of Israel, Zaed al-Hammamda, 50, and two more Israelis killed in a separate rocket strike later Sunday, at a factory.

We mourn the loss of all life, and the universe extinguished with each death. We send love and prayers to their grieving families.

We recommit to organizing for an end to the root causes of this violence — that for over a decade Israel has placed Gaza under siege, illegally sealing its borders of land, sea and air, trapping two million people inside and causing intense shortages of medicines, food, electricity and clean water.

Palestinians in Gaza who have been protesting these conditions every Friday for over a year have been met with live fire. Just this past Friday, Israel shot dozens of unarmed Palestinians at the demonstration in Gaza, killing four people.

We understand that this violence won’t end until there is justice, equality and freedom for all in Israel/Palestine.

                                                                   

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Jewish Voice for Peace is a national, grassroots organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for a just and lasting peace according to principles of human rights, equality, and international law for all the people of Israel and Palestine. JVP has over 200,000 online supporters, over 70 chapters, a youth wing, a Rabbinic Council, an Artist Council, an Academic Advisory Council, and an Advisory Board made up of leading U.S. intellectuals and artists.

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