This week’s news of thousands of Gazans flooding the border into Egypt demonstrates the urgency of the Gaza crisis, which has been building over some time, but has now escalated in a dangerous way. In a January 20th op-ed, "Defusing the Gaza Time Bomb", Robert Malley presciently warned that Gaza is the "most likely trigger for the next Arab-Israeli war" with the cost of continued escalation "enormous loss of life, a generation of radicalized and embittered Gazans, and another bankrupt peace process."  In a letter to Secretary Rice earlier this month, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) expressed her concern that "this fragile [peace] process will become derailed by the continued violence in Gaza". 

ELCA Policy and Background on Seeking Israeli-Palestinian Peace

ELCA Policy

The ELCA has consistently supported an end to all acts of violence by all parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of the people living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  It has also supported all efforts to reinvigorate the peace process (direct negotiations), including the Road Map for Peace, that would lead to a final status agreement that brings about a viable, contiguous, independent Palestinian state and a secure Israel.

Background

Mr. Lynn Pascoe, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs recently described current situation to the UN Security Council as follows: “The crisis in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel has escalated dramatically since last Tuesday, 15 January 2008. The precursor to this escalation has been daily rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli civilian residential areas by several militant groups from Gaza and regular Israel Defence Force (IDF) military attacks on and into Gaza. There are also the tight Israeli restrictions on crossings into Gaza for the stated purpose of bringing about a cessation of rocket fire.”

The IDF entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, 15 January, and were engaged by Hamas militants in a heavy battle, which included IDF air and tank operations. Hamas claimed responsibility for sniper and rocket attacks against Israel. Since then, over 150 rockets and mortar attacks have been launched at Israel by militants, injuring 11 Israelis, and a sniper attack killed an Ecuadorian national on a kibbutz in Israel.

Forty-two Palestinians have been killed and 117 injured by IDF, which has launched 8 ground incursions, 15 air strikes and 10 surface-to-surface missiles in the past week. Among the dead are a number of Palestinian civilians, who have been killed in ground battles between IDF and militants and in Israeli air strikes and targeted killing operations.”

While indiscriminate mortar and rocket fire against civilians is totally unacceptable and must be condemned, all parties have an obligation under international humanitarian law to not endanger civilians.  Furthermore, an occupying authority is obliged not to inhibit the provision of humanitarian aid to civilian populations.

The crisis in Gaza poses a threat to the recently revived negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. While the Gaza crisis itself needs to be resolved, the effort of further steps toward peace must not be brought to a halt as a result of the current situation.  Indeed, a quick resolution of the Gaza crisis will be important in maintaining the commitment of both parties to continue their talks.

Take Action

Send a message to Secretary Rice: End Gaza Crisis Now and Restore Hope for Peace

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Key Points:  

• As an American Christian, I am greatly concerned about the escalating Gaza crisis. I ask for your urgent diplomatic effort now to help bring about a ceasefire and avert a further humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• The rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and imposed suffering on the general population of Gaza, including the cutoff or the threat of cutoff of vital food, fuel, electricity and adequate access to medical attention, must stop.
• We offer our prayers and support for your urgent action to ensure that the diplomatic process begun at the Annapolis conference can succeed and a peace agreement can be reached by the end of this year.