Almost 200 Hollywood actors and directors have come together via their signatures to support Israel's war against Gaza militants Hamas. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Seth Rogen, Aaron Sorkin, Amy Pascal and execs Ryan Kavaunagh and Sherry Lansing were among the biggest names who signed a petition made by pro-Israel activist group Creative Community for Peace (CCFP). The celebrities put their names on the petition as a sign that they are against the ideologies of hatred and genocide being promoted by the Hamas.
This campaign was pioneered by showbiz lawyers Fred Toczek and Patti Felker.
Here's the full statement signed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Seth Rogen, and company.
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.
Aside from this campaign, the group also encouraged these celebrities to use their social media accounts to spread the word.
"We are asking fans of art and music to spread our message through a social media campaign using the hashtag #CCFPandFriends,," said CCFP director Lana Melman.
"We and all of our friends in Hollywood hope for a speedy end to the conflict so that artists can resume travel to Israel and see for themselves the country's thriving democracy, its rich culture, and its people's profound desire for peace, once again allowing the power of art and music to bring people together," added Steve Schnur, president of the EA Music Group and CCFP co-founder.
