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Following a growing number of online grassroots peace initiatives, activists are calling for the first significant demonstration against the sounding war drums. On next Saturday night, online anti-war activism took a sharp rise following an Israeli couple’s initiative to dedicate "love posters" to the Iranian people. The Israeli posters were soon answered by Iranian ones, and today a new Facebook photo album started giving voice to Iranians who are not only against the war, but also openly criticize their government’s nuclear vision, stating they seek only peace and democracy.
The 'Israel loves Iran' Facebook campaign has begun to receive numerous responses from Iranians, who stared responding to the Israeli initiative that calls on people to announce their love for the Iranians by posting pictures on Facebook. Up to last Saturday night, graphic artists Ronny Edry and his wife, Michal Tamir, who began the campaign, were still trying to persuade Iranians to respond to the dozens of Israelis that put up posters of themselves with the words, "Iranians, we will never bomb your country, we heart you."
On Sunday their labor bore fruit, as more and more posts by Iranians started popping up on their Facebook page, in response to their Israeli counterparts. In addition to Edry and Tamir’s initiative, a new Facebook group titled “Israelis against a War with Iran,” went up on Thursday. “The newspaper headlines tell the tale: The prime minister is trying to legitimize an Israeli attack on Iran, which is expected soon,” a post on the group’s page reads.
“Most of the Israeli public is opposed to an adventure of this sort that may have catastrophic consequences. Many experts warn of the results an attack on Iran and a declaration of war of this sort may bring. Iran is expected to respond, meaning there would be many Israeli casualties,” the group founders added. It was all of these web grassroots initiatives that led several Israeli activists, among them Hadash and Communist Party of Israel militants, to declare an anti-war demonstration, set to take place this coming Saturday night. Within hours, some 900 Israelis said they would attend – a considerable number in such short time and for such a cause, in local terms. “We will not agree to an irresponsible Israeli attack in Iran, leading to a war with an unknown end-date and casualty count,” write the activists. “Polls show: Most of the Israeli public opposes the attack being planned by Netanyahu."
They then go on to blame Netanyahu for planning a war in order to divert public attention from burning social and economic questions that set ablaze the summer J14 protest, and could get people out on the streets again this coming spring or summer. “But this week, we saw something amazing. The internet allowed us to convey messages to citizens on the other side and receive messages back from them. There are messages of peace, solidarity and hope. This exciting and refreshing dialogue leads to one clear conclusion: we, the citizens of Israel and Iran, are not enemies. Our leaders are inciting a disastrous war – and we’re all trying to prevent it. Instead of being dragged into a regional war – we demand a solution of peace among all the region’s peoples.” "Netanyahu, however, possibly fearing another “social summer”, appears eager to launch a war which might even give a boost to his election campaign. Hardly anyone was surprised this week by the reports that Israel is not equipped to protect its citizens from missiles targeted at the cities. It is also not surprising that those least protected are the weaker populations of the Israeli periphery. This is exactly how much our leaders value us, when they don’t hesitate to take us on an unnecessary war that will inflame the region, supposedly for our protection. Not to worry - they’ll be safe and sound in their bunkers. The billions that this war will cost will be paid by us – in health, education, houses - and in blood."
They added: "This coming Saturday, March 24th, we will meet at 19:00 at Habima Square in Tel Aviv – where the summer’s protests began – and march from there to Gan Meir. Together we will spell out for Netanyahu and the world: You have no mandate to take us to war with Iran."
Related: Netanyahu's newspaper supports attack on Iran
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