An
Open
Letter
for
Delivery
to
the
Consulate
of
Israel
in
New
York
and
the
Mission
of
the
Palestinian
Authority
to
the
United
States
May
11,
2002
We
have
gathered
today
in
front
of
your
respective
buildings
to
amplify
the
message
of
the
Coalition
for
Peace
which
is
rallying
in
Rabin
Plaza
in
Tel
Aviv
at
this
same
moment.
As
American
Jews
and
Zionists
affiliated
with
Meretz
USA,
Habonim
Dror,
Hashomer
Hatzair,
and
the
Labor
Zionist
Alliance,
we
have
steadfastly
advocated
a
just,
negotiated
peace
between
Israelis
and
Palestinians
which
would
establish
security
for
the
State
of
Israel
and
its
citizens
and
the
creation
of
a
sovereign
Palestine
whose
borders
and
security
would
be
based
on
UN
resolutions
242
and
338.
This
continues
to
be
our
fervent
hope.
We
have
assembled
to
say
to
you,
and
to
our
fellow
Americans,
that
the
breakdown
of
the
Oslo
peace
process
and
the
violent
confrontation
between
Palestinian
factions
and
the
Palestinian
Authority,
on
the
one
hand,
and
the
State
of
Israel
on
the
other,
must
end.
The
cause
of
Palestinian
statehood
has
been
done
inestimable
damage
by
those
Palestinians
who
have
conducted,
condoned,
financed,
or
failed
to
stop
suicide
bombings
of
Israeli
civilians,
Arab
and
Jew
alike.
We
call
upon
the
Palestinian
Authority
to
immediately,
vigorously,
consistently,
and
demonstrably
act
to
inhibit
and
end
all
such
attacks.
While
substantial
majorities
of
Israelis
(and
American
Jews)
support
the
creation
of
a
Palestinian
state,
this
democratic
consensus
will
be
understandably
subordinate
to
the
need
for
physical
security
and
the
belief
that
those
who
represent
the
Palestinian
people
and
their
aspirations
mean
Israel
and
the
Israeli
people
no
harm.
That
is
a
daunting
task,
but
it
is
essential
and
urgent.
We
also
believe
that
Israel's
occupation
of
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza
is
wrong:
a
provocation
to
the
Palestinian
people
and
a
waste
of
Israeli
resources
and
lives.
Israel
must,
immediately
and
demonstrably,
cease
building
new
settlements
and
publicly
commit
itself
to
withdrawal
from
all
settlements
in
Gaza
and
all
outlying
settlements
in
the
West
Bank,
save
those
which
were
to
be
incorporated
into
Israel
in
exchange
for
Israeli
territory
as
posited
in
the
Taba
negotiations
of
2001.
This
too,
is
a
daunting
task,
but
it
is
essential
and
urgent.
Because both parties have failed to end the violence, we believe that a third-party peacekeeping force, preferably staffed and led by Americans, must be placed on the ground immediately to separate the parties and help guarantee the security of civilians on both sides.
We
pray
for
the
peace
of
Jerusalem
-
an
open
city-
which
can
serve
as
the
capital
of
two
nations
if
the
leaders
of
Israel
and
Palestine
show
the
wisdom
and
courage
which
their
two
peoples
deserve.