Dear friends,
There are those who claim that peace in the Middle East is impossible. That Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iran and 9/11 are all part of the same
conflict, so deep that no treaty or agreement could ever bring it to an end. That the West and the Muslim world are locked in a death struggle, and
only one can win.
Some call it "the Clash of Civilizations."
In our new video manifesto, we call it a lie.
www.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_clash
It's our founding belief that a majority of the world's citizens share a set of basic values, and together we can build a better world. The numbers
are on our side. An international poll released last week found that 52% of people believe the origin of these conflicts is divide-and-rule politics,
and only 29% blame religious or cultural differences.
But the "Clash of Civilizations" myth lives on -- because it serves the interests of extremists, on both sides, who want us to believe that bloody
conflict is the only option.
The myth must end – and by working together, we can end it. This won't happen overnight, but step by step.
And the first step must be Israel/Palestine, the key symbol of the "Clash". A series of critical summits and decisions are coming in the run-up to the
40th anniversary of the 1967 war and occupation on June 5th.
Our plan is to raise a demand for Real Middle East Peace Talks Now, in response to the hopes of Palestinians, Israelis and the world. To be heard,
we'll need a global rapid-response team bigger and more energized than any in history. Last month, in anticipation of this chance, tens of thousands
of Avaaz members signed petitions and pitched in to buy ads in key newspapers. Can you help us build on that momentum, and reach our target of 50,000
new voices for peace in the next 24 hours?
www.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_clash
We all agree on what matters most. We all oppose tyranny, war, terror and the killing of innocent civilians. Together, our video and petition are a
battle cry for peace – a simple reminder of what we share, and an action each one of us can take. We hope you'll click the link, sign up, and send it
to everyone you know. It's down to us.
With hope,
Paul, Galit, Hannah, Ricken, Tom, Jeremy, Graziela, Lee-Sean, Andrea, Nicole, Iain, David and the whole Avaaz.org team
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