Not In My Name, a Chicago-area Jewish organization, condemns the June 1 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that left 20 youth dead and dozens seriously wounded.

"As Jews seeking a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, we condemn in strongest terms all attacks on civilian populations," stated Cindy Levitt, Not In My Name spokesperson.  "The daily brutality of the decades-old military occupation of Palestinian soil does not justify the snuffing out of young Israeli life in Tel Aviv through a suicide bombing.  There is simply no moral justification for such acts.

"At the same time, we must understand that such desperate actions are a reflection of the rage that Israel's violent occupation has produced.  Over the past 34 years, Palestinians have seen friends and family members tortured and killed, homes and livelihoods demolished, while Israeli soldiers allow Jewish settlers to occupy their land in increasing numbers.

"Not In My Name condemns terrorist acts on both ethical grounds and on political grounds.  Such acts against civilians play directly into the hands of the Israeli strategists, given them full reason to increase their grip on Palestinian territory, which, in our view, is the cause of the violence to begin with.  We urge all people of good will to work together to end the vicious cycle of violence."

On June 8, answering a call from Women in Black and the Coalition of Women for a Just Peace, Not In My Name will be joining over 120 groups around the world by holding a vigil to end Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem (see www.junity.org and http://www.geocities.com/endtheoccupation for more information).  This vigil will be held at the Israeli Consulate, 111 East Wacker, at Noon on June 8.

Steven Feuerstein, founder of Not In My Name and coordinator of Jewish Unity for a Just Peace, an international network of Jewish groups opposed to Israel's occupation, stated that "Israel's 34-year old illegal occupation of Palestinian land is one of the root causes of the violence in both Israel and the occupied territories.  All persons seeking peace in the Middle East should condemn violence against civilians, and the source of the vast majority of such violence is committed by Israeli soldiers each and every day against Palestinian women and children."