Alan Johnston freed ! Free Nasser Al Shaer and the 45 Palestinian Congressmen !

After the liberation of Alan Johnston, detained four months in Gaza by a Jihadist movement, we can all perceive the deeply subhuman, intolerable nature of this conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. At the hinge of the three continents, Africa-Asia-Europe, of the three monotheisms, Judaism-Christianism-Islam, and of the two worlds : Occident – Orient, rich countries – poor countries.

We cannot accept anymore in silence, nor can we bear the treating of Men as pawns, of Human Beings as perverted merchandise, bargaining chips to be swapped and tortured.

We cannot accept anymore in silence, nor can we bear the killing of Men as preys, the treating of countless civilian victims as "insignificant collateral damage", or "legitimate targets".

The rule of law has to prevail at all levels, and in all places, for peace to return between Israelis and Palestinians. In every circumstance, those who have in their hands human life, human dignity, and human security, have to be held accountable.

In this spirit, the undersigned carry to public knowledge a communiqué, co-signed by 19 Nobel laureates and 15 Members of the European Parliament, which urgently demands new gestures from the people in charge, in the way to justice and common sense.

To those who doubt the use of such campaigns, we recount Alan Johnston's words, on the morning of his liberation :

"[On hearing radio reports about the campaign for his release] It gave me a psychological boost. It was amazing to be lying in solitary confinement and hear people from Nigeria, Malaysia or friends from London and colleagues sending messages of support."

Signed by :

Desmond Tutu & Betty Williams (Nobel Peace Laureates), Arvid Carlsson & Richard Roberts (Nobel Medicine Laureates), Wole Soyinka (Nobel Literature Laureates), Eva-Britt Svensson (Eurodeputee of Sweden), Jamila Madeira (Eurodeputee of Portugal).