To my kidnapped friend Alan Johnston. And his kidnappers. I hesitated many times before writing these sentences. I scribbled word after word before ripping them up. From the first moment, I thought that the news of your kidnapping would change quickly like the clouds of summer. I thought that you would call your friends and say they had got the wrong person. I thought that you would receive apologies from your kidnappers and you would forgive them all before leaving Gaza. But this did not happen. And all the demonstrations from your journalistic colleagues -- Palestinian and foreign -- have not moved your kidnappers to release you. We ask ourselves: Are we responsible for what happened to you? Educated Palestinians have talked about kidnappings since the first incident. We were sure it would not go on like this. But we say today that we were wrong. We say that these actions could even happen to us. Kidnapping is no longer the work of an individual or a random event. For too long, we were silent over this issue and now we are living with the consequences. To your kidnappers: I will not say to you that Alan does not deserve to be kidnapped because he is a journalist who reports the news of Palestine. He does not deserve to be kidnapped because first and foremost he is a human being. Your actions are no way to treat human beings, no matter who they are, no matter what race, occupation, age, gender, affiliation or religion they are. I ask you; treat Alan with the same respect that he has shown to every Palestinian throughout his time in Palestine. Look upon him with fondness, the same way he did with every Palestinian he ever met. Whatever you have achieved by this kidnapping, you are the losers in the end -- and forever. I hope that you will wake up and not hesitate to free Alan without looking for cover, a story, an excuse or a way out. I hope that you will not wait any longer and that you will remember that the human being with you is a liberated and dignified man. He worked professionally and tirelessly. He asked the difficult questions and reported objectively. He does not deserve this insult that insults you, me, and every honorable free Palestinian. He has family, friends who are worried about him, and the least that they deserve is to know that Alan is OK. Finally, I hope that you will take the credit and appreciation of freeing Alan rather than leaving it to a politician.