One Humanity, One Call: A Petition to End Injustice, Protect Civilian Life through Fact-based Dialogue and Diplomacy in the MENA Region 

We, representatives and civil society actors, share the conviction that dialogue between cultures and civilizations is essential for peace, stability, and shared prosperity. We note with deep concern that escalating violence in the MENA region has caused unprecedented human suffering, with many actors advocating one side or the other resulting in deep divisions throughout the entire region. Violence precludes dialogue. The ALF network, which since its foundation includes both Israel and Palestine as full members, affirms the need to uphold international law, human dignity as requirement for dialogue and diplomacy and thus for peace, and thus for peace, stability and shared prosperity.

We recall that:

• The foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 was preceded by a long history of imperial and geopolitical power struggles, in which the actions of dominant powers toward both Jews and Palestinians often disregarded human dignity and disregarded meaningful dialogue, resulting in immense human suffering on all sides.The June 1967 war led to the Israeli conquest of land and the beginning of a prolonged military occupation;
• The Israeli government facilitates the settler movement in depriving Palestinians of land occupied since 1967;
• The settler movements and its supporters use religious arguments to justify land appropriation and displacement;
• The 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993 Oslo Agreement marked the beginning of a direct peace process between Israel and Palestine, which sadly collapsed — leading to deepening despair rather than hope;
• With the collapse of the peace process, the Israeli government seems to have abandoned the principle of “land for peace”, which had once guided negotiations;
• The ongoing occupation has resulted in escalation upon escalation, creating the conditions for — though not justifying — the October 7 Hamas attack, to which Israel responded with even greater force;
• The escalations since October 7 have triggered an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and inflicted suffering on civilians throughout the region;
  Israel seems to reject the jurisdiction of international courts, and its military conduct has been widely condemned — including by Israeli opposition figures — for potential war crimes;
• The holding of hostages, the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, collective punishment, and illegal detentions must be addressed as grave violations of international humanitarian law;
• The actions of the State of Israel undermine the public credibility of the Anna Lindh Foundation as a networking organization for intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, and human dignity across the Euro-Mediterranean region;
• These escalations have caused deep divisions within societies across the ALF region, impacting the work and relationships of civil society members committed to peace.

In line with the values of the Anna Lindh Foundation, we stand in solidarity with all civilians suffering from violence, siege, occupation, and state or non-state aggression — including, but not limited to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, Lebanese, Syrian, Yemeni, Iranian and Israeli civilians.

We therefore call upon the Board of Governors of the Anna Lindh Foundation to:

1. Call upon all combatants to immediately end all acts of violence that violate international law and target civilians;
2. Demand Israel to ensure full humanitarian access to all affected areas, especially Gaza, where the situation is catastrophic;
3. Freeze Israel's membership in the Anna Lindh Foundation as points 1 and 2 are not adhered to and the government of Israel does not prioritize diplomacy over the use of force;
4. Continue to welcome Israeli civil society actors who support peaceful coexistence and a negotiated two-state solution as equal participants in the ALF network;
5. Support the creation of a database for dialogue, involving universities and civil society organizations across the Euro-Mediterranean region, where all voices — including those outside the region — can be heard in mutual respect, facts and context to events can be presented, and youth can be trained to serve as ambassadors for peace.

This petition is grounded in justice, international law, and shared human values. We, as civil society actors, affirm our responsibility to speak out against injustice, protect civilian lives, and contribute to long-term peacebuilding through honest, inclusive dialogue.

In solidarity with every victim, every life lost, and every voice raised for peace, freedom, and dignity.

Signatories