Israel escalates racist actions in occupied Palestine

PRESS RELEASE

14th July 2009

Palestine Return Centre (PRC) expressed deep anxiety towards Israeli
practises in occupied Palestinian territories. International laws, UN
resolutions, International court of justice, 4th Geneva conventions
and many other charters are being repeatedly and clearly violated by
Israel which is meet with a lamentable silence by the International
community as well as the Arab and the Muslim world.

With the coming of the recent Israeli government, more racial
practises are committed against Palestinians. Judaising Jerusalem
through ethnic cleansing forceful expulsion of Palestinians is
unremitting. In an effort to deny the culture and history of
Palestinians a shameful decision was made yesterday by the Israeli
government to change names of Arabic cities into Hebrew.

As Netanyahu government took office, more than 1600 demolition orders
were issued in Jerusalem. Hundreds of these were put into practise
resulting in the displacement of thousands of Palestinians.
Sickeningly, some Israeli contractors offer housing services in the
demolished estates with reduced prices for only Jewish people.

Palestinian sources in Jerusalem said that over 80 houses received
demolition notifications in Al Bustan neighbourhood, an area which is
planned to be to be turned into gardens for Israelis.

Yesterday decisions issued by rightist Israeli transportation
Minister, Yitsrael katz, was a clear-cut evidence of the Israeli
intension regarding a Jewish Israeli state. The decision aims at
changing the long-lasting names of Arabic cities known for thousands
of years into Hebrew language. PRC considers this as a move towards
other dangerous steps to eradicate Palestinian Identity.

On the West Bank, the illegal settlement building is never-ending as
well as confiscating lands and building the ‘apartheid’ Wall.

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in Occupied
Territories, "B'Tselem,” reported that the number of settlers in the
West Bank increased to 289600, since Israel agreed to the roadmap
peace plan, which demands the freezing of all forms of settlements. An
Increase in the number of settlers is estimated to be 37% in 6 years.

According to International law, those settlements are illegal since
they are established on 1967 occupied lands. In contrast to the
American and European official positions, the Israeli government
didn’t clarify its positions and went more on building settlements
under the pretext of natural growth for the Jewish settlements.

Furthermore, the ‘apartheid’ Wall continuous to encroach and
steal more Palestinian lands across the West Bank, despite the fact
that it is illegal according to the international court of Justice.
The fact that successive Israeli governments have continued to build
this wall against world opinion demonstrates that it’s not a matter
of internal party politics between extremists and moderates but a
fundamental policy demonstrating the zealotry of the Knesset.

Given the routine oppression and suffering inflicted on the occupied
Palestinians it is clearly evident that there is an apartheid policy
that is being practiced by Israel. PRC requests there is real
international pressure to end the routine practices of violence and
intimidation and force Israel back from a rogue state to one that
upholds basic international law.

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Chicago, Copenhagen actions in solidarity with East Jerusalem Palestinian residents facing evictions and demolition ISM July 13, 2009 http://palsolidarity.org/2009/07/7629 http://palsolidarity.org/2009/07/7624 Monday, July 13th 2009, 5am: In perhaps the largest campaign of its kind in Chicagoן¿½s history, over a dozen activists dropped 88 banners across Chicagoland this morning, decrying Israelן¿½s policies of evicting or destroying Palestinian homes. Each banner represents one of 88 Palestinian homes in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan that have received demolition orders from Israeli authorities. Todayן¿½s banners were dropped as part of an international day of action on July 13th in solidarity with Palestinian families facing house evictions or demolition in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. In addition to Chicago, demonstrations and actions are planned for San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Glasgow, and Jerusalem. Chicagoן¿½s action saw banners being hung from highway overpasses, bridges, and from the roofs of buildings. Some of the banners read, ן¿½End the occupation of Palestine,ן¿½ or ן¿½From Chicago to Palestine, communities are facing eviction,ן¿½ and call for onlookers to ן¿½Support. Resist. Fight.ן¿½ Under an illegal occupation, Israeli policies of evicting Palestinians or destroying their homes are often used as acts of collective punishment, contrary to international law. As refugees and people living under occupation, we are asking people to help us with our struggle for our rights. It is unbelievable that in the 21st century, Israelן¿½s authorities can get away with demolishing the homes of Palestinians in order to build settlements or national parks. The price we and our neighbours have to pay is too high, we are faced with two impossible choices ן¿½ either we throw our kids out on the street or we go to prison. If we lose our homes, there is nowhere else for us to go, the only option we have is to live in tents - Maher Hannoun, Palestinian resident from Sheikh Jarrah facing imminent eviction and imprisonment In Chicago, the activists also tied their message of solidarity with Palestinians facing eviction to solidarity with Chicago communities that are being displaced as part of the cityן¿½s plans for the 2016 Olympic bid. For more information please see: http://www.standupforjerusalem.org/ ============================================================= Copenhagen demonstrates in solidarity with East Jerusalem residents facing evictions and demolitions Posted on: July 13, 2009 | | Print 13 July 2009 International day of solidarity with East Jerusalem residents facing eviction or demolition of their homes. Demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. At 8.30 in the morning on Monday 13th of July Scandinavian activists showed their solidarity with the Palestinians in East Jerusalem facing eviction or demolition of their houses by putting up 6 tents in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. The Danish police showed up after less than ten minutes, took the details of the activists, and ordered the manifestation to move to the opposite side of a busy street away from the Israeli embassy. The police moved the manifestation a second time further away from the Israeli embassy on demand from the employees of the embassy. The 6 tents raised in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen symbolize Palestinians in East Jerusalem threatened with eviction or demolition of their houses. A.K.