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We, psychologists and neuroscientists from around the world, call the international community to urgently put pressure towards an immediate ceasefire in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, to demand that the Israeli government respect international humanitarian law and end the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, and demand that Hamas and Israel release all hostages and unduly imprisoned civilians. The parties involved are stuck in a cycle of violence, revenge and destruction that only leads to more resentment and violence towards civilians, and existentially threatens the potential of these three peoples to co-exist in the long term. This had led to not only irreparable damage to the Palestinian people, as pointed out by the International Justice Court since January 2024, but also to a dangerous trajectory adopted by the current Israeli government that precludes the future of its own people to live in security in this region of the world.
Human psychology is such that we have a propensity to inflate our perception of in-group/out-group differences, particularly when groups are in conflict. But we also possess a propensity for empathy, cooperation, curiosity and open-mindedness towards other people. This enables an equilibrium between the preservation of groups' own culture and mutual enrichment between groups through the exchange of scientific ideas, arts and technologies. The good news is that studies show that the great majority of humans can express empathy towards people from other groups or cultures. The bad news is that in all human societies there are people for whom the in-group/out-group difference is so strong that they tend to dehumanize people from other groups. And a minority of extremists might push this feeling so far that they are ready to exterminate the others, thinking that this can be in the interest of their own group. However, we can use rational reasoning to overcome what divides us; even prolonged and bitter conflicts have ended with compromise and peace. Humans have an immense capacity for transformation and reconciliation. However, violence must stop before the process of healing can begin.
Unfortunately, the silence of moderates can give the impression that extremists are more numerous than they are. This paves the way for their political strengthening, facilitated by phenomena such as group polarization, lack of communication between groups, and manipulation of public opinion. In situations where decades of war have led so many to lose relatives, feel helpless and threatened themselves, the capacity to feel empathy towards the other group erodes, paving the way for political groups with extremist views and intentions to come to power. Without international pressure, and having undermined the hope for peace and justice, extremists in power only feel stronger and put their lethal intentions into action, which leads to a spiral of more resentment, hatred, and violence. This is a self-perpetuating process that moves us away from justice and peace.
It is with such a spiral of hatred, death and destruction in mind that we denounce and condemn the war crimes perpetuated by Hamas and its allies on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, which killed more than 1,200 people, injured more than 5,400, and took 248 hostages. We also denounce and condemn the countless war crimes that Israel is committing, which have already led to killing more than 43,000 Palestinians and 3,800 Lebanese, to injuring more than 100,000 Palestinians, to displacing and making homeless over a million Palestinians, and to taking thousands of prisoners. And we denounce and condemn Hezbollah's targeting of Israeli civilians, causing death and mass displacement.
There is symmetry of humanity – and its propensities for despair, hatred and extremism – on each side of borders between Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. But there is an asymmetry of power. In the present case, the state of Israel is the stronger party, dominating the area and its people through illegal occupation, including control of movement, and access to electricity, water, agricultural land, and even to humanitarian aid.
We therefore call for decisive international pressure on Israel to stop the war, including stopping the provision of offensive arms to Israel and reassessment of economic partnerships and collaborations with institutions in occupied territories (which are illegal according to international law). We are not against the Israeli people. We are for all people, Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese. We oppose the actions of the current extremist Israeli government and we recognize that one of the only non-violent means of the international community to oppose a violent government is through this type of boycott and lack of cooperation. We have a duty to do all we can to support all the peoples in the Middle East – including the millions of Israelis who are opposed to their government’s actions and have been protesting for over two years, and the millions of Palestinians who oppose the actions of Hamas and are yearning for justice and peace with their neighbors.
Together, we call for all human beings on this planet to non-violently and peacefully stand up with determination and condemn violence against all civilians, no matter their nationality, religion, ethnicity, political or cultural affiliation. We call for international governments to pressure towards peace in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, respect of international humanitarian law, and the end of occupation. And we demand that our institutions scrupulously respect academic freedoms and resolutely uphold freedom of expression in accordance with the law.
23 November 2024
The full list of signatories can be found here. To add your name click here.