Following the Call for Peace from the President of UCLG, the Middle East Working Group launches a call to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip
COMMUNIQUÉ
As violence escalates in the Gaza Strip and in Israel, United Cites and Local Governments’ Middle East Working Group shares its deep concerns over the growing number of deaths and injuries of civilians, including children and women, in the conflict.
We would like to recall that the Gaza Strip has been under siege since 2006, and its 1.7 million inhabitants are living under extreme unbearable poverty conditions.
We are extremely concerned about the dramatic consequences of this new war that has created terrible wounds, which are becoming harder and harder to heal.
We express our solidarity with the city of Gaza, which is the partner of numerous Local Authorities all around the world, and which has been severely affected by the Israeli bombings. More generally, we would like to express our support to all Gaza Local Authorities that are facing the current crisis.
The UN Security Council, which held an emergency session late on Sunday 20th July, expressed its concern over the escalating violence and reiterated its call for an end to the hostilities, for an immediate cease-fire, for the respect of international law, and for “the withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces from the Gaza Strip”. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki‑Moon has condemned the killing of dozens of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by Israeli shelling as an “atrocious action” and called for an immediate end to almost two weeks of fighting.
The Middle East Working Group of United Cites and Local Governments (UCLG) joins this initiative, and calls for an immediate end to the launch of rockets against Israel, the bombings and the military offensives against the Gaza Strip. The Group also recalls the values of just and lasting peace, of equality and fraternity among peoples, and of compliance with international law, that we stand for.
For the Middle East Working Group of UCLG
Andrea Ferrari, Deputy for peace, cooperation, environment and tourism of the city of Lodi. President of the Italian Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights.
