Resistance and Efforts for Peace
60 Palestinian intellectuals,
Fatah officials call for calm
Associated Press
Sydney Morning Herald
March 26, 2004
Sixty prominent Palestinian officials and intellectuals have urged the public to refrain
from retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Hamas’s spiritual leader, saying it would
ignite a new round of bloodshed that would only hurt Palestinian aspirations for independence.
A half-page advertisement in the PLO’s Al-Ayyam newspaper called on Palestinians to lay down
their arms and turn to peaceful means of protest to end Israel’s occupation of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip.
The ad reflected growing sentiment among many Palestinian leaders and intellectuals that military
struggle is not helping the Palestinian cause. Thousands of Palestinians have died during three and
a half years of fighting with Israel.
Hamas’s founder, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Monday, prompting
an outpouring of outrage on Palestinian streets. Hamas has promised to strike back, saying even
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is a target.
The intellectuals who signed yesterday’s ad—including legislator Hanan Ashrawi and Abbas
Zaki, a leading member of Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement—said such revenge attacks would
lead to a strong Israeli retaliation and further hurt the Palestinian cause.
The group called on the public to “rise again in a peaceful, wise Intefadeh”. While
saying the 37-year occupation must be brought down, they asked the public to reconsider the benefits
of a violent struggle.
Yassin’s assassination has led to a heightened security alert throughout Israel, with police,
border patrol and troops roaming city streets and setting up impromptu roadblocks in sensitive
areas. The Foreign Ministry has increased security at its embassies, consulates and missions abroad,
while Israelis have largely stayed away from public areas and buses, fearing a Hamas retaliatory
attack at any time.
Hamas has carried out dozens of suicide bombings over the past three and a half years, killing more
than 300 Israelis, according to Israeli officials. [Nearly 3000 Palestinians have been killed by
Israelis during the same time period.]
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