18th March 2009

Address to the European Union, Brussels organized by Peace Lines.

‘Open the Door Campaign’….End the Siege of Gaza

I would like to thank Peace Lines for giving me the opportunity to speak at this
Press Conference in support of their ‘Open Door’ Campaign.

I fully support the Open door campaign, calling for an end of the Siege of Gaza and fully opening the borders to enable the people of Gaza to reconnect to the outside world, visit families, get medicines, food, and materials to rebuild their infrastructure, and also for the release of Col. Shalit and Palestinian political prisoners.

I went to Gaza on the FreeGaza boat last October, 2008. I was shocked by the suffering of the people as a direct result of the Israeli policy of collective punishment for over 18 months. This illegal policy, in contravention of the Geneva conventions, was supported by the International community, including UN USA and EU, and they too must take responsibility for their part in the subsequent suffering and death of many of the people of Gaza.

During our visit to Gaza we were invited to address the Hamas Parliament and also a meeting of representatives of all Political Parties, including a meeting with Hamas’ Prime Minister Haniyah, (the democratically elected Government of the Palestinian people.) We were very hopeful when we learned that the Political leadership were ready to go to Cairo the following week to talk about Palestinian unity and peace . Tragically the following week the Israeli military bombed Gaza, and Hamas responded with rockets, thus ending the ceasefire. The subsequent Israeli bombardment of Gaza (crimes against humanity) starting in December, 2008, was watched by the world in horror, but mostly silence, as over l,434 people were killed, 900 of whom were civilians. 13 Israelis were also killed during the bombardment. .

I have been to Israel/Palestine many times and in spite of the terrible ongoing
Violence which is causing so much suffering, I believe that peace is possible.
I have great hope for their future and that the siege will be lifted, the occupation ended, and the Palestinian people will have their human rights restored including their
Rights to self-determination. I believe it is possible for the Jews and Arabs to live together in justice and friendship, including and most especially the Jewish people, with their most immediate neighbours the Palestinians. I also believe that a peaceful demilitarized, nuclear free Middle East is possible. We are here in the heart of Europe where after the Second World War people were determined there would never be war again, and set up building economic and political and cultural ties that would enable countries and peoples to live and work together in peaceful co-existence. If this could be done in Europe, why not in the Middle East?

There is an old saying ‘where there is a will there is a way’ and this applies very much
To the ongoing conflict in Palestine/Israel. I do believe that what is missing is the
determination to put an end to violent conflict and begin to enter into serious
Dialogue to implement the necessary steps to justice for the Palestinians, thus also
Safeguarding the peace for Israeli people.

Part of the roots of the problem is the military occupation and the continuing building of an Apartheid system by the Israeli Government within the occupied terrorities.
This is being both violently and non-violently opposed by the Palestinians, some of whom are losing hope and in despair seeing violence as an only option. However, there will not be a military or a paramilitary solution to the problem, just like the situation in Northern Ireland. This fact needs to be acknowledged by all Parties to the conflict, including friends of both Palestinians and Israelis around the world. Stopping the killings on all sides, and continuing with nonviolent resistance and conflict resolution and making a choice for peace will bring about change. This is a political problem and there is a political solution. As Israel is the stronger party in this conflict (it is not the victim – it is the aggressor) it bears the main responsibility to lead in the political solution to end siege and occupation.

I think that along with political solutions by Governments, the most important spiritual movement to take place is that Jews and Arabs build trust and become their own best friends, and begin to take down the walls of fear and separation in their own hearts and minds. This is a spiritual movement which touches on the question of what it is to be human in our world today. It touches on the question of who we are and can we as the human family learn to live without killing each other and destroying our environment and our world?. It is not just the Jewish and the Arab world which must face these questions and find the solutions, it is the whole world. We are all on this journey together, and that is why the conflict in the Middle East is so important for us all.

It is important that the European Union, the UN and USA change their Foreign policies in the Middle East to recognize that Israel/Palestine must be treated fairly and equally, that talking to Hamas and the Political rep. of the Palestinian people, insist on the upholding of international law, and having unconditional, all inclusive dialogue, is the only way forward.

In Northern Ireland we made peace by talking to our enemies, and the American Government encouraged the British Government to talk to representatives of The Irish Republican Army, so why not use the same methods of conflict resolution to help our Israeli and Palestinian brothers and sisters reach peace in their day.

Salaam, Shalom,Peace,
Mairead Maguire
www.peacepeople.com
18th March, 2009.