Peace and Justice for Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel now!

PETITION

Whereas the peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine have been unilaterally suspended;

Whereas the suspension of the said negotiations has given rise to systematic, and large scale violence (including the aerial bombing of residential neighbourhoods, deprivation of the right to water, torture, destruction of homes and agricultural lands cultivated for thousands of years, , arbitrary arrests, arbitrary detention without charge and trial for unusually long periods of time, deprivation of access to [emergency] health care, often leading to death, arbitrary search and seizure, the building of by-pass roads that entail the destruction of vineyards and olive groves cultivated since time immemorial, and which serve to isolate the indigenous communities from each other, bombings and strafing of entire communities, and other gross violations of human rights that have been thoroughly documented by the United Nations Human Rights Commission), are widespread and routine throughout the Palestinian territories, while suicide bombings and kidnappings also occur in Israel;

Whereas the relentless pursuit of aggression has given way to a spiral of violence, that, in addition to putting a definitive end to the possibility of a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Palestinian question, is also likely to put all nations and peoples of the region in jeopardy such that the outbreak of a regional, if not world war is becoming an ever-increasing possibility;

Whereas the violence has spread to Lebanon, which has fallen victim to a series of extremely violent attacks that have destroyed important aspects of that countrys infrastructure in flagrant violation of international law, such that serious war crimes, and crimes against humanity have been, and continue to be, wrought upon Lebanon yet again;

Whereas the Right of Return and fair compensation (to be determined by actuarial calculations) are, as rights recognized by international law, inalienable to displaced indigenous persons and their descendants, which, if not recognized and upheld by the international community, would result in a travesty of justice that could only exacerbate tensions, leading to increased aggression that sets the stage for war;

Whereas the right of Lebanon, Israel and Palestines to exist in peace and security is an inalienable right recognized by International law, and must be upheld by the international community;

Whereas the entirety of the Lebanese population has the right to live in peace and dignity;

Whereas the refusal to recognize these basic rights is leading to ever greater confrontation thereby setting the stage for an extremely violent conflict;

Whereas it is incumbent on the international community to do its utmost in order to reverse, and/or pre-empt the cycle of war and aggression currently plaguing the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Israel, such that veritable negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people can be resumed forthwith, and that all occupation forces effectuate an unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon, with a view to ending the large-scale loss of life, thereby guaranteeing the security of all nations and peoples while pre-empting the outbreak of a world war;

Whereas the international community has thus far abdicated its responsibility in these regards;

Whereas the United Nations is the foremost reflection of the international community;

Whereas some concerns have been expressed as to the veritable neutrality of United Nations Peace keeping forces ;

and

Whereas such forces are crucial to the promotion and preservation of a climate conducive to the conclusion of a negotiated just and peaceful resolution of the Israel/Palestinian conflict, and may be essential to restoring Lebanons integrity;

We the undersigned hereby call upon Your Excellency, Mr. Kofi Annan, in your capacity as United Nations Secretary-General, to use the full power of your office in order to ensure that all the rights of the Palestinian population of the occupied territories, the people of Lebanon, and the peoples of Israel are upheld and to do your utmost in order for peacekeeping forces from neutral countries to protect the populations of the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Israel from further acts of aggression, and to ensure that all settlements consisting of parties entirely extraneous to the region, as well as those erected by the occupying power in the Palestinian territories, be either vacated by the nationals of the occupying power (as well as those from elsewhere), or dismantled, depending on the will of the People living under occupation, in order to promote greater fairness in the negotiations.

We also call upon Your Excellency to use the full power of your office to ensure that a full and unconditional withdrawal of such foreign forces as are wont to occupy and/or destroy Lebanon, be effectuated and maintained, and that full reparations be made by such forces as have been wreaking the destruction in question.
In addition, we urge Your Excellency to direct, or cause to direct the said forces to protect the sites Holy to Judaism, Islam and Orthodox, Catholic, as well as mainstream Protestant Christianity therein, as well as in Jerusalem, in order to provide security to adherents of the religions whose sacred places are located in the said areas, until such time as full and fair negotiations between the parties are concluded.