Some sixty-four public figures, including seven Nobel Peace Prize winners, have called for an international arms embargo on Israel for its “war crimes and possible crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
The call came following Israeli attacks on Gaza that killed more than 500 Palestinians, most of them civilians including women and children.
Among the signators were Nobel peace laureates Desmond Tutu, Betty Williams, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Jody Williams, Adolfo Peres Esquivel, Mairead Maguire and Rigoberto Menchu.
“Israel has once again unleashed the full force of its military against the captive Palestinian population, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip, in an inhumane and illegal act of military aggression.”
Also signing were academics Noam Chomsky and Rashid Khalidi, filmmakers Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, musicians Roger Waters and Brian Eno, writers Alice Walker and Caryl Churchill, and journalists John Pilger and Chris Hedges. Two Israelis, academics Ilan Pappe and Nurit Peled, signed the letter as well.
Two Israeli academics, Ilan Pappe and Nurit Peled, joined international colleagues in calling for an arms embargo against Israel.
The statement came in a letter published in Britain’s The Guardian on Friday.
“Israel has once again unleashed the full force of its military against the captive Palestinian population, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip, in an inhumane and illegal act of military aggression,” the letter reads.
“Israel’s ability to launch such devastating attacks with impunity largely stems from the vast international military cooperation and trade that it maintains with complicit governments across the world.”
The statement also reads: “Israel’s military technology is marketed as “field-tested” and exported across the world. Military trade and joint military-related research relations with Israel embolden Israeli impunity in committing grave violations of international law and facilitate the entrenchment of Israel’s system of occupation, colonisation and systematic denial of Palestinian rights.”
“We call on the UN and governments across the world to take immediate steps to implement a comprehensive and legally binding military embargo on Israel, similar to that imposed on South Africa during apartheid,” the letter concluded.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
Where is our Nobel laureate, Professor Yunus. I guess US govt. don’t like Nobel laureates condemning the atrocities of Israel.
This is because he is or lately, he has been in Myanmar.
Our Nobel Laureate Prof Yunus is busy preaching gospels of his ‘social business’ ideas to Myanmar government, a government that persecutes Rohyinga Muslims on a daily basis – how hypocritical is this! Oh, I forgot he did do some work for world peace in Myanmar. He and Madam Aung San Su Chi, another Nobel Laureate and an agent of Anglo/American/Jewish hegemony, held a placard at latter’s house that displayed the word, “Peace”. How surreal!!
With regard to his not joining the team of Nobel Laureates that have condemned Israel for its murderous brutalities in Gaza and asked for immediate arms embargo on Israel, it is very clear why he did not – his ‘social business’ project depends on money that mostly come from Jewish donors. How can he bite the hands, even if these are blood soaked, that feed him.
Prof. Yunus may be a microcredit genius, he is no champion of peace nor has he ever taken stands on issues of abuse of human rights anywhere, especially not on those of the Palestinians. This is a shame and indeed, as one of his admirers, I find this utterly disgusting!
An addendum: looks like Prof Yunus has joined few other Nobel Laureate in an hitherto unknown group called American Friends Service Committee and demanded peace in Palestinian. While this initiative is indeed commendable I wonder why he shied away from the group that was lead by Bishop Desmond Tutu that instead of making a general statement, something that Prof Yunus has done, made their demand to the UN Secretary General.
Well said Mr. Khan.