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- Written by PPRC, AUPHR PPRC, AUPHR
- Published: 10 January 2009 10 January 2009
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Event: The Call for a Cease-Fire in Gaza Returns to Pioneer Courthouse
Square.
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Pioneer Courthouse Square, SW Yamhill & Broadway, downtown
Portland, Oregon.
Contacts:
Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights
Hala Gores (503) 307-9339
Peter Miller (503) 358-7475
Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
William Seaman (503) 888-7455
The Call for a Cease-Fire in Gaza Returns to Pioneer Courthouse Square.
"Anyone who justifies this war also justifies all its crimes. Anyone who
sees it as a defensive war must bear the moral responsibility for its
consequences. Anyone who now encourages the politicians and the army to
continue will also have to bear the mark of Cain that will be branded on his
forehead after the war. All those who support the war also support the
horror."
Gideon Levy, Journalist and Editor
"The time of the righteous"
Ha’aretz (Israeli daily newspaper)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054158.html
Local peace and social justice groups will today again converge on Pioneer
Courthouse Square to protest the Israeli assault on Gaza, now entering its
third week. The demonstration is set to begin at 3:00 PM. Among the groups
involved in this latest mobilization are Americans United for Palestinian
Human Rights, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, Sabeel North America,
American Jews for a Just Peace, Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land - A
Ministry of Central Lutheran Church, American Friends Service Committee and
others.
Organizers for the demonstration today are calling for the following as part
of today’s protests:
· Immediate and unconditional cease-fire by Israel NOW! This is a
Humanitarian Crisis. The world and our leaders cannot stand by in silence –
CEASE-FIRE NOW!
· Open Gaza's borders -- end the imprisonment of the people of Gaza; allow
all humanitarian aid to enter.
· Stop this blind support of Israel's policies and instead commit all
efforts towards peace and justice.
· End U.S. military support to Israel. Our tax dollars are buying the
weapons that are being used against the civilian populations of Gaza and the
West Bank. This is in serious violation of international law and is totally
immoral.
“Each day we wake to news of more atrocities by the Israeli military, with
dozens more killed and hundreds wounded, and a humanitarian crisis unfolding
before our eyes,” said William Seaman, a volunteer with the Portland
Peaceful Response Coalition and a member of American Jews for a Just Peace,
two of the groups supporting the demonstration today. “And each day the
world stands aghast at the complicity of the United States in these crimes,
the silence from the incoming Obama administration, and the disgraceful
statements of support for Israel’s crimes by members of Congress and the
right-wing punditry.”
Organizers are quick to point out exceptions such as Oregon Representatives
Blumenauer and DeFazio who have both called for an immediate cease-fire.
“These two Representatives recognize that being in support of security for
the people of Israel does not mean that you support the war crimes of the
Israeli government in Gaza,” said Seaman. “Opposing the US wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan doesn’t make you ‘anti-American’, and condemning the Israeli
crimes in Gaza does not make you ‘anti-Israel’; the carnage of this latest
Israeli war is planting seeds of future calamity for all people of the
region, Palestinian and Israeli alike.”
The stated aim of Israel's military campaign in Gaza is to stop the rockets
fired by militants into civilian targets inside Israel. Today, it was
reported, ten rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza. One struck the
Israeli city of Ashkelon injuring fourteen. "The targeting of civilians by
any party to this conflict is a gross violation of international law and
constitutes a war crime," said Seaman. "The fact that the rocket fire was
least during the cease-fire negotiated with Hamas tells us clearly that a
cease-fire and negotiations is the path to bringing these condemnable acts
to a halt, and also demonstrates the hollowness of the Israeli government's
justification for their crimes in Gaza."
For further information, contact Hala Gores at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (503)
307-9339, Peter Miller at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (503) 358-7475, or PPRC at
(503) 344-5078 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please visit the AUPHR and PPRC websites
for updates: www.auphr.org & www.pprc-news.org
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