IJsselstein, The  Netherlands

24th November 2007

Dear citizens of besieged Gaza,

You, the citizens of Gaza, are engaged in a decades long struggle for your freedom and your inalienable rights, as enshrined in international law. Border crossings are tightly closed, preventing essential supplies of food, oil and medicines to arrive in Gaza. Under these conditions, your plight is being made even worse than before.

This letter is meant to let you know that these developments do not go unnoticed in The Netherlands. We are abhorred, not only by the worsening living conditions, but also by the present utter lack of justice and, indeed, of a decent future for yourselves and your children.

Through this letter, we also want to assure all of you of the unconditional support of citizens of The Netherlands. We support you in your fight for freedom, for independence and for peace. We defend your right to live under the principles and rules of international law. Do not presume that we are just a few. Many Dutch nationals share our views. And more importantly, their numbers grow by the day.

Recent Palestinian elections were considered, also by outside observers, free and fair. Hamas came out as the party chosen by a majority of Palestinians. Hence, Hamas should be recognized as a legitimate representative of the people of Palestine. Moreover, without their participation in the political process, no righteous peace can be achieved.

We regret that our own government rejects this basic democratic principle. Present Netherlands' foreign policy ignores your legitimate rights under international law, tolerates a truly mediaeval siege of Gaza and supports your collective punishment - totally forbidden under international law. We deeply deplore and reject these policies.

We write to you as individuals, not as members or representatives of organisations. Many among us, however, are members of and play an active role in political and non-governmental organisations. We write to you to demonstrate that our hearts and thoughts are with you. We do our utmost to achieve that justice is done to Palestinians in their homeland and abroad. We are also hard-working from within these organisations to promote both your direct needs and rights. And we aim at obstructing those who live on stolen land and from other stolen property. Central in our aims is trying to convince our political leadership to stop present disastrous policies. They should, instead, adopt a just and lasting peace for you Palestinians, based on the principles of international law, as their central goal.

We urge you not to waive or to despair. Claim your rights. Prevent your enemies and their servants to achieve what they want: the annihilation and the disappearance of the Palestinian people from collective memory. Hundreds of thousand human beings all over Europe are working hard for the Palestinian cause, including the cause of the refugees abroad.

Keep in mind, you are not standing alone.

With warm feelings, from The Netherlands,

Paul Lamp – retired merchant

Who Are We

Ms. Gretta Duisenberg – chairman of Foundation Stop the Occupation the Netherlands

Mr. Jan Wijenberg – former ambassador in Saudi Arabia, the Yemen and the Comoros – Boardmember of theFoundation Stop the Occupation the Netherlands

Mr. Karel van Broekhoven – electrotechnical engineer

Mr. Arthur Bruls – callcentre agent

Ms. Rianne Doornbos – student

Mr. Jan Elshout – business development consultant

Mr. Jan Glissenaar - publicist

Mr. Frank Hendriks – director Alternative View

Ms. Lisa Hoelen – retired

Mr. Guus Hoelen – retired

Mr. Heinerich Kaegi – video and website designer

Ms. Marijke Kruyt – chairman of Foundation Talliq, Justice for Palestinian Children

Mr. Hajo G.Meyer – publicist

Mr. Jan Willem van Leenhoff – retired researcher

Mr. Pim Ockeloen – general sales manager

Ms. Eef Ockeloen-Homoet – wife and teacher

Ms. Anke Polak – lawyer

Ms. Agnes Ruijs-Lamp, widow and grandmother

Ms. Aleid H H Sevenster-Blink, wife, mother and translator

Ms. Johanna Steylen – world citizen action group World Federalist Movement the Netherlands

Mr. Kees Thieme – retired official Ministry of Agriculture

Ms. Doke Trip-Homan – retired sales manager

Ms. Fleur Visser – lecturer, University of Worcester UK

Dr. Kees Wagtendonk – retired associate professor at the university of Amsterdam

Cc to.: His Excellency, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh