Friday 9th January 2009
13:38pm

Dear Presidents Abbas, Sarkozy, Bush, Mubarak and Obama,
Dear Prime Ministers Olmert and Brown,
Dear Mr. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon
Dear Mr. Mashaal, Mr. Haniyah and Mr. Zahar,

I am informed of a proposed plan for a ceasefire which could be agreed upon by all parties. I would like to strongly urge that all parties once and for all make a concerted effort to bring about a lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

I have read what the media has stated the plan is and if the media are correct in detailing the specifics then I would like to confirm my strong backing for it. I am well aware that it is not perfect but it is the best chance that we have at this stage of halting the present conflict in Gaza.

I would strongly urge however once hostilities have ceased that all parties continue with a more concrete plan to resolve the on-going Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Gentlemen I say to you here and now that you have got to start putting your differences aside and abandoning your weapons for the better good. Instead give peace a chance and I mean a real chance for the sake of your children’s futures.

You are all intelligent men I am sure and would understand that really in the long-term; war does no-one any good. It only makes the situation worse, much worse.

If the killing continues so too does the cycle of hatred within the hearts and minds of the younger generations and as a result the killing spirals out of control.

Over the many decades we have witnessed many past ceasefires, peace talks and peace deals which have failed to provide a lasting peace for the Israelis and Palestinians.

It is now 2009 and here we are again talking of another proposed plan. What is going to be different this time? What is going to change? It could just be another failure.

Gentlemen words mean nothing to me and they mean nothing to the innocent Palestinians and Israelis. We have heard it all before. What we need to see is action; we need to see positive results not continual disappointments.

Therefore I say to you now that the ball is in your court and choose your next move very carefully because whatever the outcome is, it will affect the entire security and peace of the Middle East region and it will determine the future of the lives of the Palestinians and Israelis who have already suffered and sacrificed dearly.

Peace be with you all,

Yours Sincerely,

Lachlan Mackay

Humanitarian and Human Rights Campaigner

New Zealand

ENDS

© Scoop Media