Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued an “Appeal in Defense of Palestinian and Israeli Children” on Oct. 11 which evokes what most human beings find most precious—love for all children—in an attempt to stop the world from careening into the pit.
He addressed his appeal to the UN Secretary General and to the international community, “so that together and urgently we use all means to put an end to the most serious violation of human rights in the conflict in the Middle East.” Its content is short:
“Children should never be taken hostage anywhere in the world.
“Hamas must release the Israeli children taken from their families. Israel must stop the bombing to allow Palestinian children and their mothers to leave Gaza through the border with Egypt. There must be a minimum of humanity in the madness of war.
