Save My Village!!

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Written by Peter Miller Peter Miller
Published: 28 June 2012 28 June 2012
Hits: 5426 5426

Stop the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian village of Susiya
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_My_Village/?tta

Dear AUPHR supporters,

My wife Lee and I just got back from a Sabeel Colorado fact finding trip to Palestine-Israel. It was filled with talks with human rights activists such as Jeff Halper and Omar Barghouti and many others. We visited a number of places including the Palestinian village of Susiya, a Bedouin town, and a farm all threatened with destruction by Israel's settlement machine and they are by no means the only towns, farms, and homes threatened currently.

I am writing today about the plight of the village of Susiya which is threatened with destruction. The people of Susiya are refugees from 1948 when they were expelled from their original village in what is now Israel. In 1986, they were expelled once again from their village because the Israeli government discovered an "archeological" site there. Of course, once the "archeology" started, Israeli Jewish settlers moved into build their own village there. Since then, the Palestinian villagers have been living in temporary structures and tents and have been evicted multiple times.
Soon after we visited Susiya and listened to one of the villagers of Susiya as part of a Breaking the Silence tour, the Israeli government issued a demolition order for the entire village, threatening 50 homes, a grade school, solar panels, and a health clinic.

It is really so disturbing to see ethnic cleansing happening in broad daylight, supported it appears by most of our Members of Congress who willfully turn a blind eye to what Israel is doing.

Susiya is in the West Bank in what is called Area C of the Oslo Accords which gives Israel total control. Now Israel is using this as an excuse to ethnically cleanse the remaining Palestinians from Area C (relatively few in number) and is on the verge of annexing Area C (60% of the West Bank) into Israel.

To see Israel's intentions, one only has to get a copy of the Israeli tourism office's Touring Map of Israel. On the map, there is no longer any "West Bank" defined. Only the disconnected splotches of Area A and B are recognized as Palestinian and there people are warned to "consult appropriate authorities" before entering. Area C is not indicated either, and in fact is shown as being part of Israel proper.

I urge AUPHR supporters to call your Senators and Representatives and tell them that the destruction of Susiya is a serious crime and their silent support is unacceptable. In addition, Israel's expansion in the West Bank is destroying any chance of a two state solution and creating grave injustice.

I also urge you to sign the petition below which was started by Nasser, one of the residents of this targeted village of 300 people, half of whom are children:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_My_Village/?tta
Following is Nasser's appeal and a link to a petition.


Yours for justice,
Peter Miller


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Save My Village!!
Every single person who joins strengthens our call for action. Please take a minute to share this link with everyone you know:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_My_Village/?tta
Let's make change together,
Nasser

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Here's the petition for forwarding to your friends:
Save My Village!
My name is Nasser Nawajah, I’m 30 years old and a resident of a Palestinian village called Susiya in the occupied West Bank. My home is here in the Hebron hills that Israel calls an “illegal outpost” and they have demolished our town five times since 1985, even poisoning our wells. I'm writing to ask for your help to stopping the next demolition of my village in just days.
An ultra right wing zionist group successfully petitioned the High Court to have our village demolished -- but with help from friendly groups in Israel, we’ve won a brief reprieve of two weeks. But the bulldozers are due to tear down our homes in days. My people have lived on this land for generations -- it’s time to stop the forced evictions and occupation of my land. Not one more village should be destroyed.
The Israeli authorities want to demolish our clinic, our granaries and our solar panels-- the only electricity we have -- and this will keep happening unless people from all over the world stand with us in our struggle. Join us now to ensure that Israeli authorities know that the world is watching. Sign this petition now and share with your friends.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_My_Village/?tta

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