Society of St. Columban British Region

Made by Serif

St. Columban’s Widney Manor Road, Knowle B939AB colsol@columbans.co.uk

Reg. Charity No. 221594

Charity No. SCO38948

Action alert

Write to your MP urging them to insist that Prime Minister Gordon Brown acts to ensure:

- An immediate end to Israel's military assault on Gaza

- An immediate end to the blockade and siege on Gaza

- An end to Israel's violations of international law

- An end to Israeli occupation

Boycott Israeli Goods

Join the protests

Pat Gaffney

Pax Christi

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<coordinator@paxchristi.org.uk>

The Faith and Justice Team of the Columban Missionary Society was represented at London’s protest last Saturday against Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Team member Ellen Teague joined an estimated 12,000 people who marched down Whitehall to a rally in Trafalgar Square. Like hundreds of others, she threw a pair of her shoes into the road outside Downing Street. This echoed the protest of an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush recently to complain against US policy in the Middle East and Iraq.

“We would like to support fellow Christians working in Gaza who want the massacre to stop immediately” Ellen Teague said. “The bombing will contribute nothing towards a long-term peace between Palestinians and Israelis, according to the Director of Caritas Jerusalem and the priest in charge of Gaza’s one Catholic parish” she added. Demonstrators were profoundly disappointed that the British Government had failed to condemn Israel’s actions. The following day, however, Prime Minister Gordon Brown did call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying Israel's offensive against Palestinian militants was destroying hopes for Middle East peace.

Similar demonstrations took place at 18 UK locations and in other cities around the world, including parts of the Middle East, as well as places in Europe like France and Germany.

Photo shows Ellen Teague throwing her shoes at Downing Street.

Web petition produced by AVAAZ

Petition to the UN Security Council, the European Union, the Arab League and the USA

states:

We urge you to act immediately to ensure a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, to protect civilians on all sides, and to address the growing humanitarian crisis. Only through robust international action and oversight can the bloodshed be stopped, the Gaza crossings safely re-opened and real progress made toward a wider peace in 2009.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/?cl=16 2583889&v=2609