brought to you by "Mitchell Plitnick, B'Tselem"
Like you, I watched in sadness as the fighting in Gaza wreaked terrible devastation on the Palestinian population, while southern Israel endured waves of rocket fire. For me, the experience came much closer than usual, as I happened to be in Israel when the fighting began.
I was in the city of Sderot when a Qassam rocket struck the town, a truly terrifying experience that vividly illustrated what the people of Sderot have had to contend with. Only a few minutes later, the sounds of artillery fire toward Gaza could be heard, just as clearly as the impact of the rocket. After feeling the impact of the Qassam, I could only imagine how much greater the impact of the Israeli shelling was in Gaza.
The importance of B'Tselem's work has never been clearer to me. Now more than ever we need an Israeli voice raising issues of universal human rights and promoting that agenda in Israel and in the US as well. Your support is a big part of our ability to make our voice heard clearly and effectively. Go to https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5664/t/4228/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=662 to make a donation to support our work.
We are setting up a list to send targeted action alerts to amplify the voices of those who want the Obama administration to act decisively to address human rights concerns in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. We need our supporters, especially those in the US, to sign up for our action list. By going to http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5664/t/4228/signUp.jsp?key=656 and filling out the form, you will receive periodic action alerts which will allow you to urge your elected officials to support Israeli civil society, human rights and the rule of law in the Occupied Territories.
B'Tselem has just released its interim findings on the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Go to http://www.btselem.org/Download/200902_Operation_Cast_Lead_Position_paper_Eng.pdf to download this document, which highlights the need for real accountability (the Acrobat Reader is required for this document. Download it at http://get.adobe.com/reader/?promoid=BUIGO for free). In order to put a human face to our message regarding the need to shield all civilians from hostilities, we're supporting a unique documentary film project, Gaza/Sderot (http://gaza-sderot.arte.tv/) that offers an in-depth look at individuals on both sides trying to cope with the ongoing violence. Videos are already up looking at daily life before the recent operation, and new videos will be posted shortly. And of course, we continue to monitor and report on the full spectrum of human rights concerns in the Occupied Territories and advocate for policy changes to address these issues. Go to http://www.btselem.org/english/press_releases/20090205.asp to download our 2008 annual report.
In the US, B'Tselem helped bring two Israeli human rights experts to meet with US officials. The impact was palpable, and two congressional letters were sent, the second gathering 61 signatures. And we continue to work to bring information to Capitol Hill, the State Department and the White House to raise the profile of human rights in their policies.
Go to https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5664/t/4228/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=662 to make a donation to support B'Tselem's work. Go to http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5664/t/4228/signUp.jsp?key=656 to sign up for our action list. And, if you're not getting our bi-weekly human rights updates, go to http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Contact_Us.asp to sign up for those.