Javier Bardem Signs Letter by Bereaved Israeli, Palestinian Fathers Urging End to “Bloody Conflict”

Javier Bardem has signed a letter by bereaved Israeli and Palestinian fathers that calls for an end to the Israeli-Gaza conflict and a return to negotiations to end the war.

“On behalf of more than 800 Palestinian and Israeli families, members of the Bereaved Families Forum, we demand the release of all hostages from Hamas and the release of the huge number of innocent Palestinian prisoners from Israeli government prisons, an end to all forms of violence and war and a return to dialogue and negotiations to end the conflict between the two peoples,” Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan said in a letter co-signed by Bardem and which was published on March 24 in the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Armin and Elhanan are members of the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum for Reconciliation and Peace, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization representing families who have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict. 

Both fathers have lost children during the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian civil war. Elhanan lost his 14-year-old daughter Smadar Elhanan to a suicide bombing in Jerusalem, while Armin faced the death of his 10 year-old daughter Abeer Aramin due to a shooting by Israeli border police in front of her school.

“We are the ones who have paid the heaviest price through those who lost their children in this bloody conflict,” the two fathers stated in their letter also signed by Bardem on the Medium website, under the headline “For Security and a Bright Future.”

Bardem has made earlier calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and criticized the actions of the Israeli government after it followed up the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, where over 1,200 people Israelis were murdered, with a retaliatory war in Gaza that has claimed the lives of over 50,000 Palestinians.

The letter published by El Pais and signed by Bardem in full below:

Eli Wiesel says: “What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the executioner, but the silence of the spectators” We condemn in the strongest terms the brutal attacks that have claimed the lives of hundreds of children, infants, and women in the Gaza Strip by the extremist Netanyahu government, which refuses to implement the terms of the deal and agreement signed under American sponsorship by the administration of President Donald Trump. What’s even more astonishing is that the Israeli attack came under American sponsorship and approval. The Netanyahu government has chosen to violate the ceasefire agreement and has chosen the path of continuing the chapters of genocide, war, and bloodshed. It is sacrificing the lives of innocent Palestinians, as well as the lives of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the radical organization of Hamas. This government is deepening the hell that both peoples in this region are living in.

We address all of humanity, living on planet Earth with its seven continents, one hundred and ninety-six countries, and seven billion peoples. We call on them to save our planet by restoring the authority of international institutions, treaties, international courts, and international law to be the standard among nations. Otherwise, we are heading toward a lawless world of cruelty that chooses violence over dialogue, where the strong prey on the weak and the only logic is the logic of force. The silence over the horrific killings in Gaza, deprived of food, water, medicine, and electricity, adds to the destruction in an overt policy, despite it being a war crime and a crime against humanity.

The silence over what is happening in the West Bank, including the demolition of hundreds of homes in the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nablus, the displacement of tens of thousands of citizens, and the killing of thousands under inhumane conditions, is what encourages the occupation to continue this policy, which is destroying the dream of peace between the two peoples.

We call on all media outlets, both visual and audio, and social media networks, with all our love for freedom and democracy, including intellectuals and celebrities, each in his or her position, to raise their voices in protest for truth, justice, and equality, and to reject aggression and massacres targeting civilians.

We are the ones who have paid the heaviest price through those who lost their children in this bloody conflict. We lost our daughters, Smadar Elhanan, 14 years old, and Abeer Aramin, 10 years old, due to the ongoing Israeli occupation. Along with us are thousands of honorable and free people around the world. We call on and demand that all countries and governments follow the example of Spain, Ireland, Norway, Poland, and other countries by officially recognizing the State of Palestine in response to the ongoing Israeli invasion and to achieve peace between the two peoples, which would curb the expansionist colonial policies of the extremist Israeli government.

The time has come for the Palestinian people to achieve their right to self-determination and establish their state on their own land, in accordance with United Nations resolutions and international legitimacy. We also call on U.S. President Donald Trump, whose statements have encouraged us that he intends to end wars and conflicts, to fulfill his promises to end the Israeli occupation and recognize the State of Palestine.

On behalf of more than 800 Palestinian and Israeli families, members of the Bereaved Families Forum, we demand the release of all hostages from Hamas and the release of the huge number of innocent Palestinian prisoners from Israeli Government prisons. An end to all forms of violence and war, and a return to dialogue and negotiations to end the conflict between the two peoples. We call for the power of truth to overcome the power of force and arrogance among peoples in resolving conflicts. The children of Palestine and Israel have the right to live in security and a bright future.

Bassam Aramin / Rami Elhanan — Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum for Reconciliation and Peace

With the support of Javier Bardem