On 19th July 2010 the Israeli army demolished 23 homes in Al Farisiya
in the Jordan Valley making 91 more Palestinians homeless. They also
destroyed the shelters for over 1000 sheep that members of this
bedouin community owned, and have 'confiscated' the sheep and demanded
payment from the farmers for their food!
On 21st July demolitions took place in the village of Fasayil
Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley that has escalated over
the last few months. Just the day before on 18th July demolition
orders were issued against farmers in Bardala village. There have been
checkpoints outside Jericho, demolitions in Ras ar Ahmar and children
killed by an army jeep in Ein El Beida.
Fathe Kdirat of Jordan Valley Solidarity described the demolitions as
an "Israeli policy of collective displacement, aimed at expanding
settlement outposts in the northern Jordan Valley."
It is clearly part of Israel's ongoing attempts to ethnically cleanse
the Jordan Valley of Palestinians to make way for the expansion of
their illegal settlements.
Al Farisiya is close to the illegal settlement of Maskiot, the newest
Jordan Valley settlement. Maskiot is expanding and earlier this year
settlers set up a tent close to the village of Al Maleh in order to
harrass the residents. The demolitions in Al Farisiya are to make way
for the expansion of settlements like Maskiot.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity are appealing to all internationals
to take action immediately to protest against the demolitions. We have
held an emergency demonstration calling for a boycott of Israel (see
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/07/455916.html) and ask others to
do the same.
The ethnic cleansing of the Jordan Valley is done for the benefit of
Israeli and international corporations. Veolia (www.veolia.co.uk), a
global company, run a waste dump in the Jordan valley processing
Israeli and settler waste on Palestinian land, Carmel-Agrexco operate
a network of settler farms on stolen Palestinian land
(www.agrexco.co.il), Valley Grown Salads (www.v-g-s.co.uk) own the
Israeli company, Edom UK, who have exported settler produce from the
valley, MTex (www.mtex.co.il), who supply Tesco, export goods from
farms close to Al Farisiya and have a base in Hertfordshire. Waitrose
and Tesco export a high volume of goods from the valley despite
repeated calls from campaigners. Brighton-Jordan Valley Solidarity is
calling for global action against all these companies.
You can also write in protest to the above companies. If you do please
cc brightontubas@gmail.com
The growth of the illegal settlement of Maskiot is being supported by
international zionist organisations (see
http://corporateoccupation.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/international-zionist-organisation-supporting-maskiots-plans-for-ethnic-cleansing/).
These organisations are complicit in the ethnic cleansing of the
valley. The Christian Friends of Israeli Communities have sponsored
the planting of settler trees on Palestinian land. CFOIC have offices
in Israel, the US, Germany, Holland and the UK
(www.cfoic.com/pages.jsp?pageID=31). The One Israel Fund
(www.oneisraelfund.org) pays for caravans in Maskiot.The Jewish
National Fund (www.jnf.co.uk) and the Zionist Federation
(zionist.org.uk) provide ideological and material support to
settlements like Maskiot. We are calling for action against these
groups, and Israeli embassies, in response to the demolitions.
If you hold actions please post reports on www.indymedia.org.ug and
email www.brightonpalestine.org
We are also calling on Palestinian Solidarity groups around the world
to hold their own actions, and for internationals in Palestine to go
to Al Farisiya and Fasayil to support the rebuilding work and provide
an international presence. There is a long term need for activists to
provide a presence in the Jordan Valley. Those interested should
contact brightontubas@gmail.com.
Those wanting to make a formal protest against the demolitions and
repression of the Palestinian community in the Jordan Valley can write
to to their Embassy or Consulate in the West Bank and ask them to take
immediate action.
You can also write to:
Minister of Defence
Ehud Barak
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 3 691 6940/696 2757
Email: minister@mod.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister
Military Judge Advocate General
Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit
6 David Elazar Street
Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel
Fax: +972 3 569 4526/608 0366
Email: avimn@idf.gov.il
Salutation: Judge Advocate General
You can also target the PM
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
3 Kaplan Street
Hakirya,
Jerusalem 91950
Israel Tel Telex: 25279 MPRES IL Fax +972 2 566 4838, +972 2 649 6659
Email bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il Salutation Dear Prime Minister
and there's always the Foreign Minister...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
9 Yitzhak Rabin Boulevard
Kiryat Ben-Gurion
Jerusalem 91035, Israel Tel Fax : +972 2 530 3367, +972 2 640 8921
Email aliberman@knesset.gov.il Salutation Dear Minister
Legal Advisor
Address IDF Civil Administration in the West Bank
Tel
Fax +972 2 9977 326
Salutation Dear Sir
Commander
Address IDF District Coordination Office (DCO)
Jericho, West Bank, via Israel
Tel
Fax +972 2 9943305
Salutation Dear Sir
Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi
Address IDF Chief of General Staff
c/o Ministry of Defence
7 A' Street
Hakirya
Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel
Fax +972 3 691 6940, +972 3 697 6218
Salutation Dear Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi