This is an urgent and repeated appeal to the world to immediately intervene, in light of the recent stories of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian women by Israeli occupation forces during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Palestinian women are being displaced, tortured, killed and forcibly disappeared, while the world sits idle. Silence and inaction in the wake of these horrifying crimes amount to complicity.

Over the past few days, more horrifying testimonies and stories have emerged from Gaza of sadistic acts by Israeli soldiers, including torture, rape, and mass field executions at hospitals where civilians are seeking shelter, medical treatment and refuge.

Palestinian civil society and UN experts have sounded the alarm multiple times and reported cases of rape and sexual violence before and during this genocide. These reports continue to be deliberately and inexcusably ignored, including by prominent and otherwise vocal feminist organizations and figures.

The deafening silence of “Western” feminists and mainstream media in particular is deliberate and inexcusable, as opposed to their earlier outrage over Israeli allegations and misinformation, used to justify this genocide.

Many Palestinian women and girls who are survivors of rape and sexual violence are hesitant to come forward, due to the social stigma in a conservative society and the belief that Israel will not be held accountable for such crimes.

Israel is committing the most horrific war crimes, and weaponizing rape and sexual violence against Palestinians as part of its genocide in Gaza and assault on the Palestinian people as a whole, throughout all of Palestine. This is the result of decades of impunity, preferential treatment and lack of international accountability by the international community. Words are not enough to describe or stop this horror; action is needed.

We conclude this SOS appeal by reminding our sisters and allies around the world that our rights, our dignity, and our humanity are indivisible. Forsaking Palestinian victims now for political convenience would be an unforgivable betrayal to decades of sacrifice and feminist struggle.

We call for:

• The international community must employ all available tools of international accountability, including political and economic sanctions, to bring an immediate and lasting ceasefire and provision of unconditional humanitarian aid.

• States must immediately impose an arms embargo on Israel and honor their moral and legal obligations, including those pronounced in the Genocide Convention.

• States need to investigate and prosecute Israeli soldiers with dual citizenship implicated in these atrocities.

• The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict must honor her mandate and launch an immediate investigation into the ongoing atrocities.

• Feminists around the world must sound the alarm globally on the unspeakable human rights violations taking place in Gaza, namely the sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian women and girls.

• Journalists and media outlets must do their due diligence in reporting on these stories through fair and unbiased coverage.

Signatories:

1. American Federation of Ramallah Palestine
2. Association of women’s Action
3. AWMR Italia - Donne della Regione Mediterranea
4. Bisan Center for Research and Development
5. Community Development and Media Center
6. Cultura è libertà una campagna per la Palestina
7. Enjaz Foundation for development
8. Filastiniyat
9. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center SHAMS
10. Institute of Women's Studies
11. Not to forget women society
12. Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
13. Palestinian Women's Action committee
14. Rete Femminista Marche Molto+di194
15. Rural Women Development Society
16. Sinal do Vale
17. Singola
18. Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice
19. The center for defense of liberties and civil rights “Hurryyat”
20. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH
21. The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development-PWWSD
22. The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
23. Union of Palestinian Women Committees
24. Wattan media network
25. Women Media and Development
26. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
27. رابطة المرأة العراقية
28. شبكة المستقبل الديمقراطية العراقية

We, at the Palestinian NGO Forum to Combat Violence against Women and all Arab women’s and rights organizations raise our voices loud and clear on the eve of March 8, to say: “Stop the onslaught and crimes against women and children in Gaza. Stop the crime of genocide, the crime of starvation and forced displacement”. So far, this aggression has resulted in the killing of 31,000 Palestinians, over 70% of whom are women and children. Two women are killed every hour , in addition to many others still under the rubble. There are women whose fate is unknown, after being taken away by occupation forces.

Who will restore normalcy for us Palestinian women after these atrocities?

We have always held activities on March 8. We had a long list of rights we demanded and others we were able to achieve. However today, as the women of Gaza are being annihilated, we stand the length and breadth of our homeland and our Arab nations, angry, in a state of revolution and in deep mourning. Our demand today is to halt the genocide in the Gaza Strip and to halt the reproductive genocide against our women. We declare this day the day of Palestinian women, as they stand hungry in long queues, waiting for insufficient aid, terrified of the skies above them, filled with missiles of death. This is for the women whose bodies are exhausted, in camps for the displaced and in shelter centers, for those raped in prison and for their naked bodies stripped at checkpoints. It is for the menstruating women who cannot find sanitary products and for those with high-risk pregnancies who are starving, displaced and bombed. It is for the women whose wombs may be removed for the simplest of medical complications and those whose privacy has been violated because of overcrowded tents and displacement. It is for the mothers who could die at any moment and for all women whose Palestinianism has crucified humanity at the altar, amid deafening Arab silence, boundless American support and the complicity of several European countries.

Nevertheless, we continue to appreciate all forms of Arab and international support and solidarity with the Palestinian cause, which shows respect for our people’s dignity. Widening this solidarity will further reaffirm the justness of our cause. Hence, we await more action and movements in solidarity of our right to demand an immediate end to the genocide in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, to forge our way forward towards freedom, self-determination and the establishment of an independent and fully-sovereign Palestinian state.

Today, we Palestinian and Arab women, reaffirm the following on March 8 and every day forward:

- To put pressure on Israel to immediately halt its aggression and to hold its leaders accountable for their crimes in violation of international law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and all international laws and treaties, towards delegitimizing this occupying entity.

- To open the Rafah Crossing and all crossings to allow aid in and the wounded out for treatment

- To dismantle the land corridor linking Israel with some Arab countries supplying it with goods

Long Live Palestinian Women, who stand steadfast and resistant in the face of the Zionist aggression We speak in the voices of Gaza’s women and say:

Halt the genocide…halt the onslaught immediately!

In a recent statement, nearly five months into the Israeli genocide in Gaza, several UN experts confirmed the various reports and testimonies that have been coming from Palestinian women and human rights organizations for months now. In Gaza, women have been kidnapped and forcibly disappeared and placed in dire conditions in undisclosed locations. In the occupied West Bank, released prisoners testified on the horrific realities inside Israeli prisons and the widespread torture and ill-treatment where sexual violence is used as a weapon employed against both women and men. The targeting of women and girls with such atrocious crimes is targeting the most vulnerable, in an attempt to break and degrade the society as a whole.

The inaction and failure of the international community to stop Israeli crimes, namely the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and other heinous crimes all across Palestine for decades now has emboldened Israel to act with impunity. This allows Israel to continue committing horrific crimes against Palestinian women and girls, namely rape and other forms of sexual violence and torture.

The silence of “Western” feminists has also been appalling, given their earlier outrage about unsubstantiated Israeli allegations which were used to justify and commit the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

First and foremost, we demand an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional provision of humanitarian aid. In order to put an end to such heinous crimes and impunity, we reiterate the need for an independent international investigation into all crimes, especially sexual violence, followed by international accountability for the perpetrators.

The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) calls on the United Nations and the International Community to immediately intervene to stop the war crimes committed by the Israeli occupational forces (IOF) on Palestinian civilians and their properties in the Gaza Strip, mainly in the northern town of Beit Hanoun, which for the fourth day is under Israeli siege and attacks from tanks and air strikes. As of last Wednesday morning at least 42 people have been killed and another 175 injured, most of these were children, women, journalists and medical aid workers. Israeli occupational forces have destroyed many houses and bulldozed a wide track of cultivated land.

Tens of thousands of people living in Beit Hanoun town suffering from lack food and medical services due to the siege and curfew imposed by the IOF on the town. In addition, the IOF are denying the sick and injured access to medical treatment.

Yesterday IOF attacked a peaceful women’s march to condemn Israeli aggression and end the siege of Beit Hanoun. Two women were killed and ten more were injured. The IOF attacked historical buildings, Mosques, NGO offices and private homes and continues to violate international agreements and conventions.

The International Community has maintained a silence in the face of disproportionate Israeli aggression in the form of daily attacks and crimes.

PNGO is a coordinating body for more than 100 NGOs calls on the International Community to urgently to protect Palestinian civilians and pressure the Israeli occupation Government to stop its aggression on Palestinian people and end the siege.

Continued Israeli aggression will lead to a health and humanitarian catastrophe in Beit Hanoun, PNGO believes that condemnation of the Israeli violations is not sufficient, and demands effective pressure on Israel to ensure respect for international law and treaties, including the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War.

PNGO calls on the International Community and legal and humanitarian organizations to bring Israeli perpetrators to international justice

PNGO also calls on the international NGOs to intensify thier efforts to pressure governments to work on ending the Israeli escalation of aggression on Palestinian civilians. End Palestinian NGOs Network “PNGO”

For more information please call :

PNGO Gaza office :
Tel : 00972 8 2847518
Fax : 00972 8 2835889
mobile : 00972 599401297
Email: pngo@palnet.com

PNGO Ramallah office :
Tel : 00972 2 2975320/1
Fax :009722 2950704
Email: pngonet@pngo.net
Website : www.pngo.net

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) applauds the decision of the Venezuelan people and government to withdraw the Venezuelan ambassador from Israel. On August 3, 2006, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stated that he has withdrawn his country's ambassador from Israel to show his 'indignation' over the military offensive in Lebanon.

Chavez stated, "It really causes indignation to see how the state of Israel continues bombing, killing.with all of the power they have, with the support of the United States" regarding the Israeli assault on Lebanon. He also added, "It's also fascism what Israeli is doing to the Palestinian people.terrorism and fascism." Since the Israeli assault on Lebanon, codename 'Operation Just Reward' on July 13, 2006, 1020 people have been killed, 3508 injured, over 960,000 displaced, in addition to the destruction of 62 bridges. In Gaza, since the beginning of the Israeli 'Operation Summer Rains' on June 28, 2006, 184 Palestinians, including 42 children, have been killed; 650 Palestinians injured, and over 3500 Palestinians have sought shelter in UNRWA installations as a result of this operation.

We highly appreciate and support the courageous position of Mr. Chaves, who was among the very few leaders in the world who took action to express his country's indignation to the violations committed by Israel against innocent civilians in Palestine and Lebanon. The Venezuelan stance shows that such actions are imperative to force Israel to respect sovereignty of nations and support for the international consensus for the protection of civilians and against the belligerence against other countries. In standing for justice and morality, this courage deserves administration in light of the prevailing callous value system where 'might is right.'

Israel has to realize that its belligerence and violations of international law will lead to its isolation and infringement from the community of nations.

President Chavez is the first leader of a country to recall his country's ambassador from Israel since the Israel assault on Lebanese civilians and infrastructure.

Members of the international community have time and again condemned Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon. On July 23, 2006 the United Nations relief coordinator Jan Egeland condemned the devastation caused by Israeli air strikes in Beirut describing it as 'horrific' and terming it 'a violation of humanitarian law'. On May 8, 2002 the United Nations General Assembly condemned Israeli attacks on Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Israel's response to these condemnations is quite simply to ignore them From 1955 - 1992, 66 United Nations resolutions against Israel were passed. Yet, no action has been taken by members of the international community to enforce these resolutions.

Not only has the US government provided Israel with the weapons, including illegal phosphorous and cluster bombs, with which it is now bombarding Lebanon, it has also provided virtually unlimited financial, military, political and diplomatic support to Israel. The wanton support of the United States to Israel has and will continue to wars of destruction against people and nations.

Israel 's impunity for its crimes against humanity, its violations of international law, its attacks on Arab nations and its massacres of civilians must come to an end. Again, on behalf of PNGO we applaud and commend the actions of the Venezuelan people and government and call upon the internal community, including the Arab countries to follow the lead of Mr. Chavez.

This morning Israel Defense Forces troops have raided into the West Bank city of Jericho and besieged its prison, which is holding Ahmed Saadat, the former leader of the PFLP as well as a number of his colleagues.

Israeli sources say that the raid is being carried out in order to snatch the prisoner to an Israeli jail. Witnesses are saying gunshots are firing inside the Jericho prison, while explosions are erupting. In the meanwhile a Palestinian security guard and a prisoner has been killed by IDF forces in clashes round and inside the prison. IDF bulldozers are trying to tear down the prison walls.

This unlawful action carried out by the Israeli army and government not only violates international law and human rights but also destroys the chances for a renewed peace process.

PNGO and the Palestinian civil society calls upon the international solidarity movements to raise its voice and put pressure on the Israeli government to immediately stop the Jericho raid and all its operations.

PNGO calls upon the international community to take immediate action to stop the Jericho atrocities committed by the Israeli military in the Palestinian Autonomous Area. Words of condemnation, as issued in the past, are not enough. PNGO urges world leaders, especially the representatives of the UN, the EU, Russia and the US, to actively stop Israeli violations of the internationally reached and officially endorsed agreements about the imprisonment in Jericho and stand to its commitments.

Ramallah, March 14, 2006

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations’ Network (PNGO)

POSITION OF THE PALESTINIAN NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS’ NETWORK (PNGO) ON THREATS MADE BY PALESTINIAN GROUPS AGAINST SCANDINAVIANS RESIDENT IN PALESTINE AS A RESULT OF THE CARICATURE DEPICTION OF PROPHET MOHAMMED (PBUN)

PNGO wishes to express its regret that caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him) originally published in the Danish daily newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, in September 2005, reprinted in a Norwegian weekly, Magnizet, in January 2006 and, subsequently in French, Belgian, Jordanian, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch and Irish newspapers in the past few days, were printed in the first instance.

PNGO is of the view that the editors of these publications should have exercised better judgment and shown restraint with respect to their decisions to publish these caricatures which are widely regarded as racist and offensive to Muslims the world over.

However, PNGO also strongly condemns the attendant actions members of these militant groups have taken in reaction to these insensitive and blasphemous cartoons, including the kidnapping of a German teacher in Nablus, the forced closures of representative offices, diplomatic offices and foreign ministries in Gaza and the West Bank, the invasion of West Bank hotels by masked gunmen in search of foreigners to take hostage and threats to forcibly close international media offices and to harm Internationals, including aid workers and journalists, currently working and residing in Palestine unless they leave the West Bank and Gaza in the next few days.

PNGO demands that the Palestinian Authority brings an immediate end to these militant groups’ threats of physical retribution and their calls for Internationals to vacate Palestine. These are contrary what we are renowned for - our hospitable culture and customs.

PNGO endorses the fundamental democratic right of freedom of expression, as long as it is exercised within the Rule of Law and responsibly.

The Palestinian Non Governmental Organisations’ Network (PNGO)