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Saying no to Israeli occupation

Dear Editor:To protest the 40th anniversary of Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, people around the world are joining together June 10-11 to proclaim, “The World Says No to Israeli Occupation.”A majority of Israelis and Palestinians want a two-state solution; an independent, viable Palestinian state and a secure Israel. There is no way to militarily achieve peace between Israel and Palestine. Security for Israel will come only from a peace agreement that deals fairly with the Palestinians.We in the U.S. claim to oppose apartheid and injustice, but our government provides Israel with military and economic support to sustain and expand control of the occupied territories, therefore we Americans are accessories to Israel’s crimes and complicit in the human rights abuses inflicted on innocent Palestinian civilians.There is no discussion about this among either Democrats or Republicans, in part because AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobbies accuse those who criticize Israel’s policies of anti-Semitism. As responsible citizens, we must insist that our policy-makers have the courage to address this grave situation. Call or write your representatives and ask them to support the Geneva Accord, promoting a just peace based on equality, human rights and international law, and the full implementation of all relevant U.N. resolutions.U.S. security is also at issue. By Osama bin Laden’s own admission, the Sept. 11 attack was due in part to Arab anger over U.S. support of Israel. Therefore, we must demand that all presidential candidates prove their dedication to achieving national security by stating that Israel must comply with international law as a requirement to receive economic support, and pledging to bring about negotiations to end the Israeli occupation and produce a free and secure Palestinian state.Sue GrayCarbondale

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