WHY WASTE?
Beyond all the diplomatic games
around the cease-fire, a basic truth remains unchanged:
There can be no end to the
violence when the settlements continue to grow. The settlements are an
attack on the very existence of the Palestinian people on its land.
Therefore: We demand the
immediate termination of all building activity in the settlements,
including by-pass roads and strongholds. The Israeli-Palestinian peace
can come about only after the evacuation of all the settlements and the
return of all the settlers to Israel.
All the public opinion polls
prove that a great majority of the Israeli public – including even the
young people in the settlements themselves – understand that there is no
other way.
Why wait? Why postpone? Why waste
time?
WHY WASTE LIVES?
At this short notice an effort is made to get together
a contingent of Israeli peace activists to participate in a joint
protest with the inhabitants of El-Khader Village, just south of
Bethlehem. The invitation to the protest of the takeover of
village lands by the Efrat settlers, was given yesterday to a delegation
visiting the protest tent which the El-Khader people erected. The joint
protest is planned for this Friday (June 15) 1.30 PM .
As you may know, settlers have seized a considerable
piece of El-Khader land and put mobile homes on it. This is completely
illegal even under Israeli military law, (to say nothing of
International Law) but so far the government did nothing to evict them.
On the contrary, a whole company of IDF soldiers was stationed there -
as usual, to protect the settlers.
The El-Khader villagers plan to hold Friday noon a
prayer at the tent which is at the bottom of the hill. Then, at about
1.30 PM, they are going to march towards the settler-held hilltop. In
this they ask Israeli supporters of peace to join them. The plan is to
stop where the army tells us to stop and there hold a non-violent
protest rally, and in no way provoke a confrontation - which is no
guarantee that a confrontation will not, in fact, occur. We also have to
warn you in advance that getting there involves climbing a quite steep
hill. With all that, we feel that the inhabitants of El-Khader deserve
our solidarity, and we ask any of you who can, to take the time and make
the effort.
The joint action is sponsored by a coalition of
anti-occupation groups - Gush Shalom, Women's Coalition for a Just
Peace, Ta'ayush, Alternative Information Center, Rabbis for Human
Rights, Committee Against House Demolitions, Reut/Sadaka, International
Solidarity, The Campus is not Silent - a lot of names but that is worth
nothing if you don't come. For this kind of action we need everybody who
can make it.
Transportation: A bus will leave at 11.30 AM from
Arlozorov St. Railway Station, Tel-Aviv (confirm in advance to Gush
Shalom office: 03-5221732); at 12:45 from Liberty Bell (Gan
Ha'pamon) Parking Lot, Jerusalem (confirm to Sergio: 02-6241159 or
051-921696).
See you on Friday!
Gush Shalom,
Help us with donations to P.O.Box 3322,
Tel-Aviv 61033, Phone 972-3-5221732.
www.gush-shalom.org
info@gush-shalom.org |