RE: Why do human rights groups ignore Palestinians’ war of words?http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-do-human-rights-groups-ignore-palestinians-war-of-words/2011/09/26/gIQAWU5y2K_story.html
Dear Editor,
Ending the Israel/Palestine conflict with a fair and just negotiated settlement allowing a fully sovereign Palestinian state to emerge will go a long ways towards curbing the hate speech, bigotry, ignorance and religious extremism on both sides.
A fully secular two state solution really is the best hope for creating a just and lasting peace for the people of Israel and the people of Palestine, and all their neighbors.
A fully secular two state solution in line with international law- and fully respecting basic human rights on all sides of every border is an excellent investment.... What a shame that Mr Robert L. Bernstein, the former president and chairman of Random House, chairman of the group Advancing Human Rights and founding chairman emeritus of Human Rights Watch choses instead to do what he can to exasperate tensions and the continuation of the Israel/Palestine conflict. You'd think with so many impressive titles he'd have some thing more impressive and helpful to say.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
Notes
"Today a group of UN human rights experts called for an immediate end to the demolitions of Palestinian-owned houses and other structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and urged Israeli authorities to prevent attacks by settlers against Palestinians and their property.
“The impact and discriminatory nature of these demolitions and evictions is completely unacceptable. These actions by the Israeli authorities violate human rights and humanitarian law and must end immediately,” said the three independent experts who work on the rights to adequate housing, water and sanitation, and food.
Given the human cost of the ongoing conflict, Mr. Pascoe also said it is essential that all sides impress on their security forces and civilian population the need to act responsibly. “They must do their utmost to avoid escalation, and take early action to defuse possible tensions,” he said, adding that extremists on both sides must not be allowed to inflame the situation.
Turning to Gaza, he condemned the continued firing of rockets from the area into Israel, while also calling on Israel to show maximum restraint in their response. He also called for the further easing of Israeli closure measures on Gaza, particularly in regard to imports of construction materials, exports, and freedom of movement of people."
UN political chief urges Israelis and Palestinians to give diplomacy a chance
GROWING GARDENS FOR PALESTINE
The Arab Peace Initiative
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
Arabic Calligraphy
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