Palestinian, Israeli Physicians Call for Inquiry on Attack on Ships

Released by IPPNW

The following is a joint statement from the Palestinian and Israeli affiliates of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) on the recent violence at sea. This statement is the product of unique and powerful collaboration, with physicians transcending political and ideological divisions to speak out with a common voice for peace and humanity.

It can be found on the IPPNW blog at http://peaceandhealthblog.com/.

Joint Statement on the Armed Assault on Ships to Gaza

Palestinian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (PPPNW) and the Israeli Physicians for Peace and the Preservation of the Environment (IPPPE), affiliates of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, agree as follows:

Our two organizations condemn the armed assault in international waters on ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and deplore the resulting loss of lives.

As physicians on both sides, we agree that the health of the population of Gaza is of deep concern and that medical aid is urgently needed.

We are calling for an international inquiry into this incident, and an immediate end to the blockade of Gaza.

We call upon the Israeli and the Palestinian leaders to enter into serious negotiations in goodwill to find a nonviolent, peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dr. Abdelaziz Alabadi, MD — President, PPPNW, Palestine
Prof. Ernesto Kahan M.D. — President and Councilor, IPPPE, Israel
Dr. Mustafa Ghanim, MD, PhD— External Relations, PPPNW, Palestine
Dr. Ra’anan Friedmann M.D., Ph.D. — Vice President, Vice Councilor and Spokesman, IPPPE, Israel. F

Michael Christ, Executive Director IPPNW, provided this information via David Hart,
Director of Security Programs for Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), the U.S. affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.