SDEROT, GAZA BORDERS, April 7, 2011 (WAFA) – A group of Israeli residents of Sderot, on the Gaza borders in southern Israel, are planning a demonstration at Yad Mordechai junction on Friday to call for an end to military escalation in the area.

The group, named The Other Voice in Sderot and the Gaza Border Region, said in a statement that the Israeli army escalation against the Gaza Strip always raises alert level in their region for fear of a Palestinian retaliation leading to further escalation.

“We, residents of the area, see a close connection between the suffering of our neighbors due to the ongoing siege and military attacks, and our own suffering,” said the statement.

“We call upon the government of Israel to stop the deterioration towards another senseless cycle of violence, to put an end to the mutual bloodshed and offer residents of this region a different option: Dialogue, negotiations, and a striving for a long-term agreement, which will enable us and our neighbors to live a quiet life in dignity,” it said.

The group, which will demonstrate under the slogans “No to Cast Lead 2,” “Yes to Dialogue,” and “A life for them = A life for us,” said that “the option of brute force has brought us to a dead end!  It's time for a political initiative. “

M.A.