European Jews for a Just Peace

Statement on the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin

03/22/04: We wish to express our feelings of outrage and horror at the targeted killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin by the Israeli army in Gaza this morning.

It is a reckless and irresponsible action that threatens awful consequences. Targeted killings are of course illegal. They are quite simply a weapon of terror and oppression.

Sheikh Yassin’s death will inflame Palestinians far beyond the bounds of Hamas alone and will, inevitably, encourage militants to set out to kill Israeli civilians in response.

There is no way the Israeli government and military cannot be aware of this.

We must assume that the action was carried out in full knowledge of its likely consequences. 

We must assume that Israeli government and military are perfectly willing to expose the life and security of the Israeli people to the increased risk of further attacks – and the Palestinians to the counter-retaliations of an endless and unbearable circle of violence.

We condemn the irresponsible decision of the Israeli government and military to carry out this illegal assassination.

We call on Israeli soldiers to refuse to carry out illegal orders endangering the lives of their own people.

We call on the International Community in general and the European Union in particular to condemn the killing of Sheikh Yassin in the strongest terms and to put an effective pressure on the Israeli government to end its ongoing and blatant violations of International Law which endanger both peoples, Israeli and Palestinian.

EJJP Executive Committee: http://www2.ejjp.org/