Liebe Leute,
ich weiß nicht genau, wer von euch allen auf dem FYEG-Presseverteiler
ist (Fyeg ist unsere europäische Dachorganisation). Am Montag wurde eine
Pressemitteilung mit der folgenden Überschrift veröffentlicht: “Young
Europeans urge for the end of the genocide in Gaza!”
Einige GJ-Mitglieder sowie der Buvo waren über die Wortwahl und
inhaltlichen Positionen sehr verwirrt und teilweise extrem entsetzt. Es
haben wohl einzelne Mitglieder schon direkt an Marc und Marina (die
beiden SprecherInnen von FYEG) geschrieben, wir als Buvo haben aber nun
auch noch eine Kritik verfasst und an FYEG geschickt. Ich vermute mal,
dass nicht alle mit ihr übereinstimmen werden, daher würden wir uns
freuen, wenn es Feedback auch von euch dazu gibt.
Hier reinkopiert habe ich jetzt erst die Pressemitteilung von FYEG und
darunter unsere Buvo-Antwort.
Liebe Grüße,
Sophia (für den Buvo)

*Betreff: **[Young Green Info] Young European Greens urge for the end of
the genocide in Gaza!*

After decades of systematically ignoring UN resolutions and after one
and a half year lasting blockade of the most densely populated area of
the world -during which its civil population has been trapped without
access to many basic goods and deprived from several Human Rights-, on
December 27^th Israel started a military attack on Palestinian
territory. After three weeks of permanent indiscriminate bombing, more
than a thousand people died, among which many children, women and
elderly civilians. Many more have been wounded in attacks targeting not
only military but also civil facilities, such as a UN school where 40
people were killed. Even with a unilateral ceasefire -under Israel’s
conditions-, still 1.5 million Palestinians are trapped in the Gaza
Strip, where new corpses are constantly being found under the ruins
every day.

*Marina Barbalata*, *co-spokesperson of the Federation of Young European
Greens* (FYEG), comments: “Young European Greens have always opposed
violence as a means for achieving political goals. Therefore, we find
the offensive of Israeli Government abominable, as it ordered the
attacks on Gaza Strip, even when aware of the catastrophic consequences
in such a mousetrap. No claims to the right to self-defence are valid
when this is carried out without any sense of proportionality. In such
an uneven context, having still fresh in mind the murder of civilians
which had no chance to escape, the performance of Israel can only be
qualified as a genocide of innocent people. We also oppose Hamas’
violent practices, particularly the killing of innocent civilians.
Besides, we think that it contributes to prolonging the suffering of the
Palestinian people all along the Occupied Territories. However, under
current circumstances we want to stress that equidistance between both
sides is unacceptable, as we bear Israel government as the identifiable
responsible agent of the massacre. Even after the ceasefire the lack of
access to basic goods, such as food or surgical tools, is daily causing
new deaths. Therefore, we urge the Israeli government to allow the
opening of borders and the unrestricted entrance of humanitarian aid, as
well as foreign journalists.”

*Marc Giménez*, *co-spokesperson of FYEG*, concludes: “In addition, this
military operation makes no sense from a political point of view. It is
irresponsible, since it will only lead to a further radicalisation of
Palestinians and a greater support for Hamas as the flag holders against
an identifiable common enemy. The shadow of doubt regarding this effect
being a long-term planned strategy to justify the extermination of the
Palestinian population or the possible hidden electoral means behind
this operation is something that makes me shudder when thinking about
it. Furthermore, this is unfortunately a huge step back in the
peace-building process as we are convinced that the only possible
solution to this long-standing conflict is political. Thus, every action
that deviates or is even opposed to this path only contributes to
delaying its resolution. We believe that peace and stability are only
feasible through a dialogue founded on the will of a fair solution by
all parties involved. We call upon them to behave with responsibility
and re-open dialogue, while we ask the EU to stop avoiding its
international responsibilities and act as a proactive agent in the
peace-building process. We have so far been astonished by the
disappointing performance of EU institutions in the conflict, with a
completely passive approach, despite the fact that we believe that the
EU is the most suited candidate to mediate in the peace process and thus
cannot refuse to be an active player in the negotiations. Keeping a low
profile in front of this situation with the excuse of equidistance is
nothing less than being accomplice of the genocide. We therefore demand
a suspension sine die of the EU-Israel cooperation agreements
enhancement negotiations, as it is clear that Israel has repeatedly
violated Human Rights clauses. Meanwhile the Federation of Young
European Greens will continue with our grassroots’ work of tolerance and
understanding building at a youth level with a political orientation,
being an active member of projects like FALAFEL, which seeks for a
Euro-Mediterranean cooperation of youth organizations active at the
political level. In such networks, we have seen young Palestinians and
Israelis cooperating and discussing about their common peaceful future,
and we are therefore convinced that non-military solutions are possible.”

[ENDS]

*Contact:*
Marina Barbalata,* *Spokesperson of FYEG, + 31645944203
Marc Gimenez, Spokesperson of FYEG, +34600923098

=

Hier die Buvo-Antwort:

Dear Marina and Marc,

we send you this mail because of the latest FYEG press release
concerning the “Young Greens urge for the end of the genocide in Gaza!”

We got real irritated feedback from some of our members who were shocked
about you using the terms genocide and extermination.
And the Executive commitee of Grüne Jugend aswell would like to make
sure that we don´t want to equalize what happens in Gaza to what
happened under the Nazi-Regime in the 1930s and 40s. We expect that from
our European organisation FYEG aswell.

In your press release you speak of a genocide against the Palestinian
people and accuse Israel of the application of inappropriate means. One
could discuss about that very long but using the word “genocide” is
misplaced during this conflict. We know the UN has a certain definition
of what genocide is, however, people don´t think of this when they read
it. They think of killing members of one ethnical group, like completely
destroying it. That is not what Grüne Jugend would like to read in a
press release and I think you didn´t mean that.
Of course, you also criticize the Hamas, but your statement sees too
explicitly Israel as the main problem in this conflict. Talking of an
“extermination of the palestine populiat ion” is very hard and misplaced
here again.
We do not think that it was good to publish these statements because one
can discuss about all the cruelties and murders that just happen in
Gaza. However, we must be careful not to relevate what Nazis did when
they were on power.

In our organisation runs currently an intensive debate about the war in
Gaza and we seek for new paths how peace can be produced in the Middle
East. We are convinced that it makes no sense to think in
Black-and-white categories.
We don´t want to accuse you of doing this but we think that using such
terms as said above is not beneficial in this case.
We ourselves didn´t publish a press release because we think it is quite
hard to be balanced giving a statement on such a topic.
Discussing it in a language which is not one´s mother language is rather
difficult, so we hope you understand our concerns.

We hope that we can have a constructive debate in FYEG about this issue.
Green Greetings,
The EC of Grüne Jugend