Nearly 200 Hollywood luminaries have signed a pro-Israel statement which calls for peace in the Middle East but resoundingly criticizes Hamas, Variety reported,
Among those seen prominently listed on the Creative Community for Peace document include actors Kelsey Grammer, Sylvester Stallone, Seth Rogen, Amy Pascal, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the magazine added.
(From L) Kelsey Grammer, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger during a photocall for the film "The Expendables 3" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2014. (Image source: AFP/Loic Venance/Getty Images)
“Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage," the document states. "Hospitals are for healing, not for hiding weapons. Schools are for learning, not for launching missiles. Children are our hope, not our human shields.”
The document also calls out Hamas’ “ideologies of hatred and genocide.”
Also on the list: Actors Sarah Silverman, Minnie Driver, Mayim Bialik, Josh Charles, Tony Goldwyn and Roseanne Barr, "Real Time" host Bill Maher, directors Ivan Reitman and William Friedkin, and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, Variety noted.
Bill Maher attends a DuJour Magazine celebration of 12 seasons of REAL TIME with Bill Maher on June 23, 2014 in New York City. (Image source: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
The full statement:
We, the undersigned, are saddened by the devastating loss of life endured by Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza. We are pained by the suffering on both sides of the conflict and hope for a solution that brings peace to the region.While we stand firm in our commitment to peace and justice, we must also stand firm against ideologies of hatred and genocide which are reflected in Hamas' charter, Article 7 of which reads, “There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!” The son of a Hamas founder has also commented about the true nature of Hamas.
Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage. Hospitals are for healing, not for hiding weapons. Schools are for learning, not for launching missiles. Children are our hope, not our human shields.
We join together in support of the democratic values we all cherish and in the hope that the healing and transformative power of the arts can be used to build bridges of peace.
(H/T: The Jerusalem Post)
