Statement of Korean Groups for Peace:

We Urge Israel to Stop Slaughtering Palestinians

April 11. 2002

Israel is killing Palestinians for two weeks with its fiercest attack in recent 20 years, ignoring the UN Security Council's resolution to withdraw and international society's demands.

Upon international pressure, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recently withdrew tanks and troops from Qalqiliya and Tulkarem. The two cities, however, are still under Israeli blockade, and other Palestinian towns and refugee camps are under even stronger military attacks. In his speech to Israeli parliament on April 9, Sharon emphasized that "military attacks would continue until the mission is completed" and said the purpose of the killings is "to uproot suicidal terrors." He needs, however, to remember that the very root of the suicidal terrors is Israel and the United States. We do know that Sharon is a war criminal who is responsible for Mideast War, the attack on Lebanon and death of 2000 Palestinians in refugee camps in Sabra and Shatila. Only on April 7, George W. Bush, who has been silent regarding Israel's attack so far, urgently pleaded Israeli military to pull back.  This, however, looks like a mere gesture of hoping the Israel's prominent military attack does not get in the way of the United States' attempt to expand their war to Iraq.

According to Israeli officials, nearly 200 civilians have been killed in ten days since March 29.  The Israeli military raged on the ambulance which were evacuating the injured, UN's relief vehicles and peace activists from all over the world. Foreign reporters are not able to cover the situation and terrified to death. One of them has been already killed. The medical situation is serious, and there are no food or water available and no place to live. Only the cry of Palestinians who are victimized by insane war fills the area.

In the midst of all this, there is increasing number of voices from international society against Israel's slaughter of Palestinians. There are protests against Sharon's campaign even in Israel, not to mention Mideast and Europe. On April 6, there was a protest of 7000 people in Tel Aviv, Israel, against the massacre. In addition, there are more and more conscientious Israeli objectors against guns.

We deeply admire all those, including Palestinians and Israelis, who protest against Sharon's massacre, and will fight with them until Israel stops slaughtering Palestinians and true peace and justice come to Palestine.

For that reason we demand the following:

1. Israel should stop killing Palestinians.

2. Israel should stop occupations immediately.

3. The United States should stop aiding Israel with arms and imperialist intervention.

4. For their right to live and settlement of peace, Palestinians should be provided with medical supplies, food, drinking water, electricity and housing.

List of Participating Organizations:

가톨릭평화지기 / 경제정의실천연합 / 녹색연합 / 민족화해자주통일협의회 / 민주노총 / 민주화를위한전국교수협의회 /비폭력평화연대 / 사회진보연대 / 새사회연대 / 인권과 평화를 위한 국제민주연대 / 인권실천시민연대 / 인권운동사랑방 / 전국학생회협의회 / 좋은 벗들 / 청년·학생 반전위원회 (녹색연합늘푸른청년모임·다함께·서울대교구가톨릭대학생연합회·원불교전국대학생연합회·전국가톨릭대학생대표자협의회·전국철학과학생회연대·천주교글라렛학생선교회·15기서울지역총학생회연합) / 참여연대 / 평화를만드는여성회 / 평화인권인대 / 한국노총  / 한국여성단체연합 / 한국여성민우회 / 한국여성의전화연합 / 한반도평화를위한시민네트워크 / 함께가는사람들 / 환경운동연합 / 민주노동당 서울시 지부 / 민주노동당 서울시 학생위원회 / 사회당