1 October 2012
To whom it may concern,
We are a group of Israeli citizens, active against our government’s policies of racism, apartheid and occupation. Many of us are veteran activists, and we have witnessed or researched the extent of the devastation left by the Israeli army in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Lebanon. Thousands of civilians, including children, have been killed by Israel in the past decade alone, using hi-tec weapons. Thousands of civilian homes were demolished. Much of this has been carried out by the Israeli air-force.
If the Italian government and Italian companies sell M-346 jets and other types of military equipment to Israel, they are overlooking the Israeli army’ war crimes during the 2006 assault on Lebanon. No action on behalf of any Lebanese party could justify the destruction of entire neighborhoods in Beirut and the mass bombing of villages in Southern Lebanon or the use of cluster bombs, which has cost the lives of, or caused horrific injuries to, numerous civilians, including children.
Furthermore, If the Italian government and Italian companies sell M-346 jets and other types of military equipment to Israel, they will be overlooking the war crimes committed in Israel’s December 2008 - January 2009 “Operation Cast Lead". During this assault, Israel’s "air power" rained down on the unarmed civilian Palestinian population, killing 1400, of which 400 children. In this brutal military action, Israel used new unknown weapons as well as those already prohibited by international conventions (white phosphorus, DIME bombs, depleted uranium) and committed war crimes and crimes against humanity as documented in the UN "Goldstone Report". No action on behalf of any Palestinian party could justify these crimes.
In view of the above, we would like to express our solidarity with Italian activists who are campaigning against Alenia Aermacchi, Finmeccanica and cynical Italian arms dealers. We strongly condemn those who profiteer from the death and suffering of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon and other parts of the world. We strongly encourage Italian activists who are trying to build a peace economy instead of a war economy.
We are calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, and an end to all military-related training and consultancies with the Israeli army, military companies and academic research institutions. In addition to halting the sale of M-346 jets to Israel, we are also calling for the suspension of the military cooperation agreement between Italy and Israel signed in 2005.
More specifically, We are calling on the Italian government, as well as other European governments to:
- Immediately cease any provision to Israel of arms and related products of all types, including the sale or transfer of weapons and munitions, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary police equipment, including dual-use equipment, and spare parts; and also cease the provision of all types of equipment and supplies and grants of licensing arrangements for the manufacture or maintenance of these weapons.
- Stop all military and dual-use imports (equipment, assistance and munitions) from Israel.
- Stop the transfer of military products to and from Israel through national ports, territory and airspace.
- Stop cooperation with the Israeli army, military companies, and military-related R&D projects, including joint ventures (whether bilateral or multilateral).
- Halt all military-related training and consultancies with the Israeli army, military companies and academic research institutions.
- End all military aid to Israel.
We would like to stress that Italian companies and institutions which do engage in collaboration with Israeli military institutions become complicit in the aforementioned violations of international law, including war crimes.
Sincerely,
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within
(Boycott from Within)