OneWorld.net (U.S.)

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (OneWorld.net) - Despite pressure from various international Jewish groups, including a call to action in solidarity with the people of Gaza and a silent protest in front of the Israeli consulate in New York, Israeli ground troops continue their siege of Gaza.

• The Israeli assault on Gaza began Dec. 27, 2008. © Advocacy ProjectNumerous individuals and groups from the international Jewish community have spoken out about the Israeli attacks on Gaza. In an interview with independent news program Democracy Now!, renowned Jewish playwright Tony Kushner calls the fighting in Gaza "a catastrophically misguided and incomprehensible policy... It's immensely important for the Jewish community to not remain silent." Kushner also calls for a ceasefire, saying it would make "not only the Palestinian people safer, but also Israel safer." Similarly, the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace has condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, adding their voice to those of the 1,000 Israelis who protested in the streets of Tel Aviv following the onset of the hostilities in late December. Specifically, Jewish Voice for Peace is calling for an immediate end to attacks on all civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli.

• A wide range of Palestinian groups have also denounced the violence. Among them are a group of Palestinian women's organizations that have sent letters to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "urging them to hold Israel accountable under the tenets of international law and punish them for 'war crimes.'" The groups decried the silence of the international community and said an immediate end to the violence and occupation is necessary as a "first step towards achieving peace in the region." The human rights Advocacy Project reports.

• For the latest news from inside Gaza and links to groups providing humanitarian aid, see OneWorld.net's Gaza Crisis Alert.

Israel Rejects Gaza Ceasefire Despite Pressure from Jewish Civil Society

From: Advocacy Project

January 12, 2009, Jerusalem: Defying the United Nations Security Council's resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli ground troops are pushing deeper into Gaza, according to the Alternative Information Center (AIC).

The AIC, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization partner based in Jerusalem and the West Bank, has provided ongoing news coverage of the crisis. The AIC is a partner of The Advocacy Project.

As conditions worsen by the day, the calls for peace continue. Today, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network issued a call to action in solidarity with the people of Gaza. A silent protest is also planned in front of the Israeli consulate in New York by Jews who are demanding an immediate end to the violence and saying "Not in Our Name" to the Israeli government.

Supporters of peace in Gaza will also gather at the AICafe in Beit Sahour (in the West Bank) at 6 p.m. Tuesday for their weekly vigil for Gaza. Following the vigil, the AIC is screening the 2004 documentary "Death in Gaza." The film follows the lives of three Palestinian children in the West Bank, Gaza and Rafah.

So far, Israel has failed to heed these calls for peace. Israel's offensive in Gaza has gone on for more than two weeks now, killing more than 800 Palestinians. On Saturday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over Gaza warning of an escalation in attacks, the AIC reported.

The Israeli military has banned journalists from entering Gaza, making independent confirmation of the situation on the ground difficult. Israel has used this ban to claim that its invasion of the Gaza Strip did not create a humanitarian crisis, but reports from United Nations officials and civilians on the ground prove otherwise.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) claims there is no safe space in the Gaza Strip - no safe haven, no bomb shelters, closed borders - making this one of the rare conflicts from which civilians cannot flee.

OneWorld.net: Latest News from Inside Gaza & Groups Providing Humanitarian Aid