Hundreds of us, from all backgrounds, cities & professions, have come together to condemn the ongoing genocide & crime against humanity in Israel.
by Arnesa Buljušmić-Kustura
The forced evacuation of Palestinian civilians from their homes, often through impossible means, has led to further tragedy, with civilians and ambulances being targeted while seeking refuge. Such actions are incompatible with international humanitarian law and have displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, causing a humanitarian crisis that evokes painful memories of our own past.
In the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, we have witnessed an escalation of violence, arrests. expulsions. and the destruction of entire Palestinian communities. The echoes of Visegrad. Prijedor. and other Bosnian towns are impossible to ianore. and we must not allow history to repeat itself. Of equal concern are the statements made by Israeli officials. which appear to contain rhetoric associated with genocide and incitement to genocide. The dehumanising descriptions of Palestinians, declarations of fighting “human animals,” and the intent to eliminate everything bear chilling resemblances to the language that haunted our past.
The designation of Gaza as an enemy entity” and the collective punishment imposed on its entire population are matters of grave concem. we must not turn a blind eye to the consequences of such actions including crimes against humanity and genocide.
Evidence of incitement to genocide is present in public discourse, with calls for catastrophe and annihilation. Such rhetoric, whether by elected officials or in public banners, reflects a dangerous intent to eliminate a people, much like the horrors we endured.
We, the survivors of the Bosnian Genocide and War, condemn hatred in all its forms. We condemn the growing rise of antisemitism. We condemn the growing rise of Islamophobia We condemn, in the strongest form, any attacks on all civilians. We know, better than most, the consequences of hatred based on identity.
As survivors of the Bosnian genocide and war, we have intimate knowledge of how precisely genocide unfolds. After the horrors of the genocide and war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the world said, ‘Never Again,” and yet here we are, bearing witness to another genocide being live-streamed on our phones and across various media. We cannot stay silent as civilians continue to be indiscriminately attacked on the basis of their identity. In conclusion, we, the survivors of the Bosnian genocide, urge all parties involved to cease the violence, engage in meaningful dialogue, and seek a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
We call for an end to the ongoing occupation. We call for an end to the forcible displacement or Palestinians. We call for an end to the war crimes in the Gaza Strip. We call for an end to crimes against humanity and genocide. We implore the world to remember our history, learn from our pain, and work tirelessly to prevent further suffering and loss of life,
Sincerely,
Survivors or the Bosnian Genocide and War