In this difficult time of great suffering we want to share our thoughts and feelings with you. Left with hopelessness we feel that telling the stories about our daily life is one of the most important things we can do. Since last week there has been a dramatic escalation of violence in the West Bank and Gaza: extensive closures, senseless killings and severe torments of the civil population. We are living in constant fear with the uncertainty of what is going to happen tomorrow or even tonight.
Dear friends and partners
In this difficult time of great suffering we want to share our thoughts and feelings with you. Left with hopelessness we feel that telling the stories about our daily life is one of the most important things we can do. Since last week there has been a dramatic escalation of violence in the West Bank and Gaza: extensive closures, senseless killings and severe torments of the civil population. We are living in constant fear with the uncertainty of what is going to happen tomorrow or even tonight.
Of course everybody is affected by this situation and in the YWCA we struggle to keep our programs running.
Jericho is under closure again. This is a severe blow to the YWCA food production project, which was really flourishing. But now, how will we get the products out of Jericho? For how long can we keep the staff?
Ramallah is also under closure. This affects the work in Jerusalem as our staff members living there find it almost impossible to pass the checkpoints. They are at risk because of the uncontrolled shooting by soldiers. In Qalandiyah the soldiers shot at the car of our general secretary. Another member of our staff was refused to enter her hometown yesterday, and had to stay overnight at the YWCA in Jerusalem. Some of our students are not able to reach the school in Jerusalem.
Last week it happened three times that the soldiers didn’t allow pregnant women in labor to pass the checkpoints. One baby died, one father-to-be was shot and killed and two of the women were seriously injured.
Right now, Thursday afternoon, we learned that there has been an incursion in Balata Refugee Camp (northern West Bank), 10 people killed so far and 100 injured.
These are just a few of all the stories from the last days, but this should be enough! We ask ourselves for how long can this go on? How many more lives will it take?
We are at great risk and constantly feel endangered by this brutal military occupation.
Therefore we, the YWCA of Palestine, appeal to friends and partners to support us in this difficult situation by:
-approaching your politicians and key decision-makers to take an active role against the illegal occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East-Jerusalem, and to condemn Israel’s excessive use of force.
-raising awareness and engaging your constituencies to work for a just peace between Israel and Palestine
-contacting your local media in order to counteract stereotypes and false images of Palestinians
Jerusalem, 28th of February,
YWCA of Palestine
P.O. Box 20044 JERUSALEM Tel +972 2 628 2593
E-mail: ywca@ywca-palestine.org Fax +972 2 6284654
