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CEASE FIRE NOW

Peace Now-UK adds its voice to those from the other members of the Peace Now family – Shalom Achshav – Peace Now Israel, Americans for Peace Now, Canadians for Peace Now and La Paix Maintenant - and insists on an immediate cease-fire by both Hamas and the IDF.

Having already raised questions about and anxieties for civilian loss of life, especially amongst innocent Palestinians, Peace Now-UK urges Defence Minister Barak to implement his 2 day lull as proposed at today’s cabinet meeting. We believe that the various international cease fire appeals should be heeded. Nothing further can be gained from continued aerial bombardments of Gazan targets where loss of innocent civilian life is inevitable, and nothing can be achieved by Hamas in rocketing Israeli towns.

We echo the views of David Grossman expressed yesterday to “Stop. Hold your fire”. His demand for Israeli self-control and the necessity to protect innocent Gazan lives is as justified as his insistence that the IDF does not cross the line between legitimate response to rocket attacks and participation in an upward spiral of violence.

With him we say that the lessons of Lebanon July 2006 must be learned and that a two-day cease fire now may enable diplomatic efforts for renewed longer term calm.

For further comment please call 07903-682880