Urgent appeal
by PCJP: End the 34 Year-Old-Occupation
June 2, 2001
Dear Friends,
Israeli military forces occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip on 5 June 1967.
These Territories represent 22% of Historical Palestine. The country was
divided by the United Nations into two states, an Arab state and a Jewish
state in 1947 according to UN Resolution 181. The Jewish state (Israel) was
established 1948 whereas the Palestinian state never materialized and hence
started the tragedy for the Palestinian people.
Immediately after occupying the Palestinian Territories in 1967, successive
Israeli governments confiscated Palestinian private and public land and began
building settlements under numerous pretences. The main, though undeclared,
goal for these colonies was the establishment of Greater Israel using
religious myths and racist national ideologies. Israel, ever since 1967,
refused to abide by the resolutions of international legitimacy that called
for total Israeli withdrawal in accordance with UN Resolutions 242 and 338.
Additionally, Israel refuses to implement agreements signed with the Palestine
Liberation Organization since 1993.
Today is the 34th anniversary of the cruelest occupation. This
occupation aimed, for 34 years, to nullify the very national existence of the
Palestinian people and turn them into the Red Indians of the Middle East.
Several generations were born and others have died under this repugnant
occupation. Each and every Palestinian family lost at least one of its
members. Hundreds of thousands have passed through the Israeli prison system.
Killing people, including children, continues. Olive trees are uprooted
systematically. Houses have been demolished. Thirty-four years of total
destruction, unbearable oppression and collective punishment. Yet, Israeli
leaders express astonishment over Palestinian resistance against the
occupation. They want the Palestinians to die without uttering a word, to
willingly accept slaughter without objection, lest this would tarnish the
image of democratic Israel and the good-hearted Israelis!
Time is of the essence. The world must heed the Palestinians’ call for
international protection. The world must bear its ethical and political
responsibilities towards this tormented people. The United States, which
demands the Palestinians to put a 100% effort to stop all forms of resisting
occupation, must in turn put at least 10% of its effort to ensure respect for
its international obligations and a 10% of effort to respect feelings of all
the peoples in the Middle East.
Let us all cry with one
voice………End the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Yes for International Protection for the People of Palestine.
The Palestinian Council for Justice and
Peace (PCJP)
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Palestinian Council for Justice & Peace
P.O. Box 874
Ramallah - Palestne
Tel +972-2-2986601
Palestine Affairs Council