Leicestershire Holy Land Appeal
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Please write, fax, E-mail and phone protests to the Israeli Authorities. Also ask your Member of Parliament or Congress to Act. Contact details are at the foot of this page. Individual, knowledgeable and well prepared protest letters and phone calls can be effective.
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Campaigning can and has made a difference The
first Image shows the line of the wall proposed in February 2005. It would have
taken from the village St. Barbara's Church, and the well that provides its main
water supply.
The green and pink lines on the second image show the land confiscated for construction of the wall in October 2005. The village should now retain the well and the hill on which St. Barbara's church is located. But they will still lose a lot of land well beyond the existing limits of the illegal Israeli settlements. |
Land
Confiscation Map October 2005
On
·
26%
of their land.
·
3887
Dunums (10 Dunums= One
Hectare, 4 Dunums= One Acre) of their land
·
Many
of their Olive and Fruit Trees
·
A
significant part of the water Aquifer
·
Rantis
and other villages to the
Israeli
Settlements on Aboud land
In
1980 the illegal Israeli settlement Beit Arye was built on 80 Hectares
confiscated from Aboud. In 1982 a further 70 Hectares were taken for
construction of the illegal settlement Ofarim. The neighbouring villages such
as Al-Lubban and Rantis also lost land with construction of the
settlements. In December 2000 settlers burnt
or uprooted 4000 Aboud Olive Trees. Raids by settlers continue. On
International
Law and the Settlements
The occupying power shall not deport or transfer part
of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies Fourth Geneva
Convention Article 49, Paragraph 6
Cutting
the Road North
Aboud
is situated on a road to Rantis and the North West. For much of
the past five years the road through Aboud has been blocked at the Northern
entrance to the village, and Palestinians forbidden to use it. Aboud has become
the end of the road. This has led to a a drop in demand for local services, and
in custom
for local business. The wall will cross the road, closing it permanently.
The wall and Israeli Security
Construction of the wall in Aboud is not about the security of Israel. It is about land confiscation. East of Aboud the wall has already been constructed close to 'The Green Line' (The 1967 border with Israel), to the West of Rantis. The Wall at Aboud is about annexing land, water and settlement blocs to Israel.
The Wall in Aboud is intended to place Beit Arye and Ofarim on the 'Israeli' side of a unilaterally imposed new border which will fragment the West Bank, disrupt communications and leave Palestinian villages cut off from easy access to employment, medical and other services in cities such as Ramallah.
The wall is not intended just to increase the security of the settlers. It incorporates land far beyond existing settlement boundaries, including a hill one kilometre South of Ofarim. A total of 12 Kilometres of the separation wall will be built on Aboud land. Land will also be taken from Al-Lubban and Rantis, villages which have already lost land with construction of the wall close to the 'Green Line' border with Israel.
Situated just a short drive from Ben Gurion international airport
these settlements have been shown off to many international dignitaries. From
the hill top observation post at Beit Arye
they enjoyed long vistas across the hilltops of the West Bank, but scarcely a
glimpse could been seen of the Palestinian villages hidden by the folds of the
hills. It was easy to sell the Zionist myth that this was ‘a land
without people for a people without land’. A myth that Ariel Sharon often
repeated.
The reality is different. Ofarim
and Beit Arye are strategically positioned to seize an important water aquifer,
20% of the water reserves of the West Bank. Powerful springs have long provided
water for agriculture. The area has been continually settled for thousands of
years. Aboud and its neighbouring villages have existed since antiquity.
The threat facing Aboud is
not unique. Israel’s illegal Apartheid separation barrier is confiscating land
from many Palestinian villages. It is destroying the possibility of establishing
a viable Palestinian state, existing peacefully side by side with Israel.
The construction of the
separation barrier creates poverty, resentment and anger.
Confiscation of
Palestinian land and the destruction of Palestinian livelihoods are contrary to
Israel’s legal obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
On 9 July 2004 the
International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that: -
•The construction of
the wall being built by Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, is
contrary to international law.
•Israel is under an
obligation to cease of construction of the wall and to dismantle forthwith the
structure.
•Israel is under an
obligation to make reparation for all damage caused by the construction of the
wall.
•All States are under an
obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the
construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the
situation.
•The United Nations, and
especially the General Assembly and the Security Council, should consider what
further action is required to bring to an end the illegal situation resulting
from the construction of the wall.
Save
Aboud – Evacuate the illegal settlements Ofarim and Beit Aryeh
Civil Administration of the West Bank military
government: Fax: 972-2-9977326
If you are in the UK you can write to:-
The Israeli Ambassador, Israeli Embassy, 2 Palace
Green, London W8 4QB.
Tel: 020 7957 9500 Fax: 020 7957 9555
Ask
your Government to: -
If you are in the UK Contact
The Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA
The Foreign Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, King
Charles Street LONDON SW1A 2AH
Your Member of Parliament, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA