J Street Urges Calm Between Israel and Gaza, Mourns Dead in Latest Clash

December 24, 2013

Israel and the authorities in Gaza should act with maximum restraint to end violence following the latest upsurge which left an Israeli defense contract worker and at least two Palestinian civilians dead and several more injured.

J Street mourns the dead on both sides who have become the latest victims of a conflict that will never be resolved through violence and military action but only through negotiations, tolerance and mutual recognition.

Israeli Defense Ministry employee Salah Abu Latif, 22, was shot at Kibbutz Nahal Oz by a sniper across the border with Gaza. Israeli air strikes on six targets linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad left a woman and a three-year-old daughter dead and at least 10 injured, according to the Associated Press.

These developments come after a worrying escalation of violence in the West Bank and a failed bus bombing near Tel Aviv. They demonstrate once again the urgency of moving forward with peace negotiations to finally end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.