To the Vice-President of the European Commission
And High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini
Brussels, European Union
expecting an answer from you
June 13, 2018
Mrs Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Regarding the unfolding of protests along the Gaza border, as so many voices try to either deflect responsibilities or make things worse by pouring blame on the flames, this is not what our letter to you is about.
We are addressing you in our position as scientists, laureates, and citizens concerned with what can be done to make things better without any delay, without further waste of lives.
In the Gaza Strip about half the population is under the age of 15. We are speaking of children there. Slightly less than a quarter is composed of young men and women between 15 and 24 (two thirds of them unemployed). How could they be best protected? Weren’t a dozen children killed by snipers, and more than 1,100 injured since March 30?
Isn’t it horrifying to think of the fate of Abdel Rahman Nawfal, aged 12, who threw stones at soldiers on April 17, and who then saw his left leg amputated as a result?
How many ended like him? How many more maimed and amputated children will it take to give Gazans their freedom back?
Although we are no politicians or diplomats, the view from the distance which is ours may be of some use to you in the depth of your involvement.
What we hear about the death counts in Gaza is no surprise to us, as distant, unbiased observers. We all knew this would happen. A misled march, with ideological objectives, could only backfire and cost dozens of lives, thousands of broken bodies and minds.
Our concern is that there will be no end to this mayhem and horror if something is not done fast to alleviate the fate of these prisoners.
For Gazans are prisoners – of circumstances and of leaders’ devices – as everybody knows. To any distant observer, these men and women are indeed kept behind fences, just like prisoners in an “open-air prison” of massive proportions.
Their attempts to break through, their pliers, their slings, their fire kites, are pathetic, if anything.
Waylaid into the enduring myth of “Return”, as we see it, what they actually want is out.
Whereas they are all focused on Israel now, we know there was a previous attempt to break through, to Egypt, in early 2008. Witnesses then spoke of half the population rushing to Egypt for a few days, until they were sent back to their fate.
So that there are two ways out and in, from what we see, one to the North, the other to the South.
Regarding the Northern Crossing it is unlikely that you could really intervene.
Things are different regarding the Southern Crossing, at Rafah.
We have learnt that the European Union actually did a splendid job there, from 2005 to 2007, letting an average 1,500 people through daily, both ways.
After investigating into the matter, we were happy to learn that the European Union had kept funding its EU Border Assistance Mission all these years, up to this day, looking forward to sending its teams of inspectors back to Rafah.
From what we hear, Egypt is clearly aware that this insane pressure on Gazans has to cease, and has already reopened the Rafah Crossing, planning to keep it open for at least the duration of Ramadan. Isn’t this the badly needed, long-awaited opportunity for the European Union to step in?
As neutral observers in this matter, concerned with the responsibilities we bear in the West, we can’t wait to see the European Union Border Assistance Mission – Rafah back to work. For the sake of humanity, for the sake of Gazans, and for the sake of the Union itself.
Mrs Vice-President and High Representative, it will be a subject of deep relief when your inspectors resume their position at the Rafah Crossing, bringing the guarantee that we, rich nations, do not wash our hands from the fate of these two million human beings trapped in misery and collective punishment. For it is not only foreign funding that Gazans so desperately want. It is basically the freedom to move again.
Looking forward to hearing from you, and from the European Union team in Rafah, we do wish you every success in this burning issue.
Thank you for your time listening to this call, and consideration.
Sincerely.
Elias Corey (Chemistry, 1990) – Peter Doherty (Medicine, 1996) – Richard Ernst (Chemistry, 1991) – Roald Hoffmann (Chemistry, 1981) – Anthony Leggett (Physics, 2003) – Jean-Marie Lehn (Medicine, 1987) – Craig Mello (Medicine, 2006) – Edvard Ingjald Moser (Medicine, 2014) – May-Britt Moser (Medicine, 2014) – Rich Roberts (Medicine, 1993) – Jean-Pierre Sauvage (Chemistry, 2016) – Thomas C. Südhof (Medicine, 2013) – Robin Warren (Medicine, 2005) – Torsten Wiesel (Medicine, 1981) – Harald zur Hausen (Medicine, 2008)
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