Not In My Name, a Chicago-based Jewish peace and activist group, categorically condemns the recent attacks on Israeli citizens committed by several Palestinians.  These deadly acts, targeting innocent people, are brutal and criminal, and we deeply mourn the loss of life.  It is hard to imagine a more hateful act than gunning down children at a Bat Mitzvah.  More recently, 19-year old Sheyna Gould, a young Chicagoan studying in Jerusalem, was seriously injured.  Our hearts go out to the families of all the victims of the recent wave of atrocities in this time of unspeakable grief.

Such acts are morally reprehensible.  They can never be justified.  We continue, as an organization, to pursue a just and lasting peace that will end this carnage.

Such acts are extremely destructive to any process that can bring a just peace, and therefore security, to all people in the region.  While close to 40% of the Israeli population favors and end to the Occupation and the removal of the Jewish-only settlements from Palestinian land, the terror created in Israel by these attacks serves only to weaken the peace camp and strengthen those in the government who are committed to violence as the solution to the region's disputes. 

NIMN member, Joel Finkel asked, "Why is it that every time there is a concerted and prolonged lull in Palestinian violence, the Israeli government seems to increase its own level of violence against them?  Is it true, as some Israeli peace activists suggest, that the Israeli government is intentionally provoking violence, and knowingly luring death to the doors of its children?"

Steven Feuerstein, NIMN spokesperson said, "These sickening attacks on civilians should bring us all together, as Jews and as human beings, to demand a cessation of all attacks on all innocent populations."

NIMN is a Chicago-based Jewish peace group working for a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; it calls for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem as a crucial first step towards this peace.

We hold our weekly Sunday Vigils at Michigan and Pearson between Noon and 1pm to voice our solidarity with both Israelis and Palestinians who seek a just and lasting peace.