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Street roots 13 Jan. 9, 2009 Peace will never thrive with hungry, angry neighbors S andy Polishuk a n d Joel Gltch co c h a ir the Portland Chapter of B r it Tzedeh v'Shalom /Jewish A lliance fo r Justice a n d Peace. B rit Tzedeh v ’Shalom is the .U n ite d States largest grassroots Jewish organization dedicated to prom oting a negotiated tw ostate resolution o f the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. BY SANDY POLISHUK A ND JOEL GLICK peace efforts. And yet, if we have learned nothing else CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS from Israel’s six decades of existence, he current violence raging between surely we should have learned that there Israel and th e Palestinians is a is no military solution to this conflict It source of great concern to the cannot be managed, it cannot be entire American Jewish community. We controlled, and as we saw in Lebanon in rightfully worry for the well-being of the 2006, any further efforts to achieve Israelis currently living under threat of military victory are doomed to perpetuate rocket attack, and we wish desperately for the circumstances of violent hostility true peace and security in the region. But if we are truly concerned for Israel’s well-being, we must also be worried about Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the appalling number of deaths and injuries of civilians. The Palestinian people, particularly those living in the Gaza Strip, have suffered much in th e past several years, notably since the victory of Hamas in closely contested elections three years ago this month. The international community was, rightfully, dismayed to see such an extremist organization take over the governing of the Palestinian Authority. Yet all reports indicated that the Palestinian people had voted not for Hamas’s terrorism but for its anti-corruption bona fides - and in spite of these facts, the world responded with a general blockade. The end result was, and continues to be, a humanitarian crisis in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians need food aid every day. In spite of the Bush administration’s constant verbal assurances that it was among the parties. working toward reconciliation, it in fact did T he question is n o t w h eth er Israel’s nothing of the kind, instead failing to governm ent has th e right to p ro tec t its adequately support moderate Palestinian citizens - it’ h as not only the*right, but th e forces, failing to take seriously th e Arab obligation. The question instead must be: Does League offer for an end to the conflict in military action serve to protect Israelis, or exchange for a two-state solution, and in fact further endanger them? Will peace failing to take any serious, concrete action be brought any closer by more Palestinian after convening the Annapolis peace suffering, more excuses for Hamas conference. retaliation, a more deeply non-functioning Moreover, by continuing to encourage Palestinian society? Israeli settlement in the West Bank, and The answer, clearly, is no. Israel cannot keeping Israel from negotiating with Syria live in peace and security as long as its (in spite of repeated overtures), the U.S. government actively undermined future T neighbor is hungry and angry, and parents on both sides are mourning their children. The only thing that can bring peace is negotiation. And after this week, it should be obvious that the only way that Israel and the Palestinian people will come back to the negotiating table is if the American government takes a firm stance and brings them there. When President-elect Obama takes office late r th is m onth, h e m u st take im m ediate action to e n d th e violence and open a new door to peace. T h o se in th e ’’A m erican Jew ish com m unity w ho w ish to se e o u r new adm inistration succeed w here th e last one failed will inundate th e W hite House, Senate, and House of Representatives with calls for a sustained, genuine diplomatic effort, one that calls for compromise on all sides, and has as its goal a mutually acceptable two-state agreement. If we truly love Israel, we will advocate vigorously for true peace. A n Israeli man casts a shadow on his house that was damaged after a rocket attack in Ashkelon on Jan. 5. REUTERS/BAZ RATNER Thank you for helping Sisters meet its new donor match! 07360901 .......a great need! New Sisters' donors in November and December rere matched 1 to 1 by The Rose E. Tucker W ritab le Trust and The Collins Foundation, and all lonors were matched 50 cents on each dollar hrough a generous group o f individuals and jusinesses. Thanks to each o f them, and to each of ,ou w ho chipped in! CALL OR DROP BY TO DONATE OB INQUIRE Although the match is over, w e did no t meet our overall goals fo r November and December, and we Mother Nature’s Earth Friendly Baby Products still need your help. To support Sisters O f The Road and the vital w ork w e do all year long, you can 211 NW DAVIS TIAND, OB 97209 503-228-5657 donate online at www.sistersoftheroadnrg,o r by calling (503) 222-5694, o r by mailing gifts to 133 N W Sixth Ave., Portland OR 97209. thank you for all your support! 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