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Stop the Wall vigil

free palestine | 06.11.2003 15:54 | Cambridge

Vigil in protest at the apartheid wall

Press Release, 6th November
For immediate release
For more information contact  palestine@cusu.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge joins global protests against Israeli Apartheid Wall

On Sunday 9th November between 2-3pm local residents will assemble outside the Guildhall in Cambridge Market Square to protest the “Separation Wall” the Israeli government is illegally contructing in the West Bank.

At least 50 people are expected to express their concern about the construction of a 700km long wall through the West Bank, which will cut off 50% of the land designated for a future Palestinian state. The protestors will be holding banners and distributing leaflets informing by-passers about the wall.

Thousands of Palestinians have been separated from their farmland by the Wall, which has turned towns and cities into ghettos and leaves villages without access to water. 11,000 Palestinians have been left trapped in ‘no-man’s land’ between Israel and the first stage of the Wall.

The Cambridge vigil organized by the Cambridge University Palestine Society (CUPAL) is part of a day of international protest against the Separation Wall which will cover six continents and will unite people from places as diverse as the West Bank itself, Bangladesh, USA, South Africa and Australia.

Samira Barakat of CUPAL said:
“The 9th of November is the day the Berlin Wall fell, and we are coming together to show that this wall must also fall, because it is an insurmountable obstacle to any peaceful solution to the conflict.”

The vigil is open to all and organised by the Cambridge University Palestine Society, supported by a coalition of local groups: Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC), Cambridge Women in Black (WiB), Cambridge Students against the War (CamSaW).

Notes for editors

1) The vigil, on Sunday 9th November, will run from 2-3pm, and will take place outside the Guildhall in the Market Square, at least 50 people are expected.

2) The Cambridge event is part of an International Day of Action called by the grassroots organisation Stop the Wall (www.stopthewall.org) and protests will be taking place on six continents in solidarity with a week of actions taking place in the West Bank itself.

3) 127 British MPs signed Early Day Motion 1689 which “calls on Israel to cease immediately the building of its security fence” and notes that “whilst Israel needs security, the wall does not follow the internationally recognized border”. The United Nations General Assembly is also demanding “Israel stop and reverse the construction of the wall”.

5) The Wall is being built by Israel in the Occupied West Bank. So far the route for the wall is at least 360km long; if extension proposals are implemented the Wall could reach a total of 700km.

6) When finished in its entirety the Wall would confiscate around 50% of the West Bank – land internationally recognized as a future Palestinian state. In some places the Wall is a concrete structure 8 metres high with a ‘buffer zone’ 30-100 metres wide. In other places the Wall features razor wire, patrol roads, sand paths, ditches and an electric fence.

7) For maps and further information see:  http://stopthewall.org

free palestine

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

self righteous and narrow minded students trying to look fashionably politcal.

10.11.2003 12:58

The people who protested about Israel's security fence clearly had no wish to sympathise with Israelis who live in fear of terror attacks every day. Instead they made banal soundbites comparing Israel to apartheid south africa (and in conversation Nazi Germany). Israel has built this fence because the Palestinian leadership make no effort to prevent terrorism against Israeli citizens - both Arabs and Jews (as were murdered in the recent homicide bomb at a restaurant in Haifa). Until people stop encouraging terrorism and adopt a more balanced view of the situation - accepting Israels legitimate obligation to protect her citizens - this horrific conflict will not end.

Max Julius


STOP TALKING CRAP MAX.

10.11.2003 16:01

i think that Max has some serious issues he needs to deal with. He represnts the very thing that makes the palestianian-israeli debate so difficult to reslove. He has offered nothing constructive in his vitriolic argument except a contempt for other people and their views. Max, you may feel that the israelis are well within their rights to build a dividing wall through the occupied terrotories. However, you have to accept that some people dont subscribe to this view and you have realise that they are well within their rights to express such views in the manner they did. If people were not so short sighted and so partisan about the palestinian-israeli conflict then maybe we could get somewhere. we have to realise that there are a lot of things that the israelis are doing is wrong but you also have to accept that a porportion of palestinians are also commiting wrong. WE should crtiscise what is inhumane and wrong and support endeavours for peace. I do not fully support either side but i do believe that this wall should not be built. why not? well there are plenty of reasons. you're on the web find out. the btselem (israeli charity group) website is a good place to start.

Harry King