1)
February 4, 2003
STOP THE DESTRUCTION! NO APARTHEID WALL!
Protest in Budrus Friday
The DCO just notified the Budrus village council that they will start
working on the Wall and bulldozing more land. We don't know when the
work
will commence but the people of Budrus do not plan to allow the
bulldozers
to destroy uproot more of their trees. Hundreds of villagers along
with
dozens of Israeli and international activists, will take to the land as
soon
as the bulldozers are sighted and use their bodies to prevent the
Apartheid
Wall from destroying more Budrus land.
In addition, Budrus invites you to join them this Friday, February 6 at
12:30pm for a massive demonstration against the Wall.
Since late December 2003 when the people of Budrus were first notified
of
their land to be razed and isolated from them for the path of the Wall,
they
have been mobilizing nonviolent protest and calling on your support.
Israeli bulldozers managed to uproot approximately 100 trees before
they
stopped work, possibly in response to the ongoing protest actions and
the
increased international visibility and pressure brought on by your
solidarity.
Despite the violent response from the Israeli Occupation Forces - over
60
villagers have been injured by rubber coated metal bullets, troops
invade
Budrus and open fire with live bullets, 9 activists are imprisoned
(including young children), and women and children alike are beaten and
heavily gassed at each demonstration; and such intimidation tactics as
abducting the organizers of the village's nonviolent resistance from
their
homes in the middle of the night, the village does not plan to sit
still
while their land is destroyed and their village is turned into a large
open-air prison.
The villagers say they are resisting the Apartheid Wall because they
don't
want to live in a ghetto nor become additional Palestinian refugees. "I
may
not be able to stop this Wall, but my land is my life and I must defend
it
with every breath I have; and history will record that I did not stay
silent" - Nael Ahmed*, Budrus farmer.
For more information, please call:
Budrus organizers: +972-67 924 952 or +972-66 339862
Max: +972-53-471-226
Jonathan: +972-66-327-736
Anna: +972-66-296-223
Or call the ISM at: +972-67-473-308
*Pseudonyms used for purpose of protection.
END
========================
2) TAKING ACTION
Friends,
If you cannot be with us in Palestine to join the people's struggle for
their land and livelihood, please do what you can in your home
countries to
pressure your government to act in defence of human rights and human
dignity. Below are two action alerts regarding Senator Hillary
Clinton's
support for the Wall, and the British government's opposition to the
case of
the Wall being taken to the International Court of Justice in the
Hague.
Please respond / please distribute.
Also please consider mobilizing actions on or leading up to 23 February
to
let the ICJ and the world know that this Wall must be stopped! Join
your
voices to ours here in Palestine, that the whole world may here our
cries.....
If something is being planned in your town, please let us know by
sending an
email to
info@palsolidarity.org so we can let the people here know that they
are not alone.
====================
Senator Hillary Clinton is supporting the Israeli Apartheid wall
Sen.Clinton together with former NYC mayor Ed Kock and several Jewish
community leaders opposes the International Criminal Court's review of
the
Wall on Feb. 23! Sen. Clinton is now planning to circulate a petition
for
Colleagues to get other Senators to sign a statement opposing the ICC
review
of the Wall's legality.
What actions can be done
Phonecalls
Visits to local office
Handing ot leaflets outside her office in NYC and Washington
http://www.clinton.senate.gov/~clinton/news/2004/2004201817.html February 1, 2004
Senator Clinton, Mayor Koch demand International
Criminal Court Recusal from Security Fence Case
New York, NY - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Former New York City
Mayor
Ed Koch joined today with several Jewish community leaders to oppose
the
International Court of Justice's (ICJ) plan to review the legality of
Israel's security fence. On February 23rd, the Court will hear
arguments in
the matter. At the press conference, Senator Clinton discussed her firm
belief that Israel's decision to build the fence is outside the court's
jurisdiction.
"This week, we were once again reminded of the terrorist threat that
Israel
faces. The suicide bombing in Jerusalem, which killed 10 Israelis, is
an
outrage that must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. But it
again
shows the day-to-day danger that Israelis face and that has caused the
Israeli government to decide that it must build a fence to protect its
people," Senator Clinton said.
At the press conference Senator Clinton also said she planned to ask
her
Senate colleagues to sign on to a letter to the UN Secretary General
objecting to the ICJ decision to consider the legality of the fence.
The
plan is to deliver the letter to Kofi Annan before the ICJ hears
arguments
on February 23.
"The ICJ's decision to accept the General Assembly referral offer an
advisory opinion on the legality of the security fence is a serious
mistake
that will only exacerbate the political tensions between the Israelis
and
Palestinians and make it harder for the parties to reach a political
settlement," Senator Clinton said. "That is why I will be asking my
Senate
colleagues to sign onto a letter to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan
protesting the ICJ decision to hear this case."
Senator Clinton believes that Israel's fence is a legitimate response
to an
onslaught of terrorist attacks against Israelis. Last July, she joined
many
of her colleagues in the Senate in writing to President Bush in support
of
Israel's right to build the security fence.
================
British government trying to stop legal enquiry into the Apartheid Wall
at
the International Court of Justice - TAKE ACTION
Whilst the British government declares publicly that the separation
wall
being
built around the West Bank is illegal, behind the scenes they are
desperately
trying to scupper any attempts to allow a proper legal enquiry into the
wall
at the International Court of Justice, The Hague scheduled for 23rd
February.
Last Friday the British Foreign Office submitted a statement
challenging the
authority of the court and objecting on the grounds that it would
''serve to
politicize the court in a way for which it was not designed." Part of
their
objection appears to be based on self interest, given the potential
that the
Hague may set a precedent for future controversial enquiries, such as
the
war in Iraq.
More than 30 countries also oppose the hearing including fifteen
members of
the European Union and 10 members in waiting as well as the United
States,
Canada, Australia, Russia, South Africa, Senegal, and of course Israel.
The apartheid wall enquiry MUST go ahead - Palestine cannot continue to
be
carved up into bantustans and ghettos whilst the international
community
watches on and does nothing.
Take action !!
Please call the Foreign Office on 0207 270 1500, speak to the Middle
East
Section/Baroness Symonds) and let your objection be known.
You can also call Downing Street on 0207 270 3000
For more information on the wall see: www.stopthewall.org
For updates from Palestine join ISM's mailing list
www.palsolidarity.org
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org
"For the tyrant has the power to inflict only that which we lack the
strength to resist"... Krishnalal Shridharani
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