Dear Mr. President,
This is the result of over 50 years of a failed policy. Unless we come to the rescue of these innocent civilians, there will be blood on our hands that history will not let us forget.
My government and my Christian brothers; I’m ashamed of you all.
Doug Willbanks
6580 SW Wilson Ave.
Beaverton, Ore. 97008
503-646-5634
Subj: APPEAL FROM BETHLEHEM
Date: 7/13/2002 8:48:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time
—–Original Message—–
From: Muzna Shihabi [mailto:muzna@palnet.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2002 3:42 AM
To: muzna@palnet.com
Subject: [palestineinmyheart] APPEAL FROM BETHLEHEM
An appeal from the Governorate of Beth lehem
Today marks the twentieth day of the latest Israeli incursion into Bethlehem
govrnorate, which is the fifth in less than a year. The Israeli army is
imposing a total of blockade on the whole govrnorate including a curfew on
the cities of Bethlehem, Beit-Sahour, Beit-Jala, Al Doha and Al-Khader as
well as the three refugee camps of Dheishe, Aida and Al-Azzeh. Every few
days, the curfew is lifted for few hour’s to allow the citizens to buy their
basic needs of food. The situation is not exciting for the media and thus,
the tragedy of the 130 000 Palestinians in Bethlehem Governorate together
with the rest of the west bank and Gaza does not get reported. This appeal
is made to shed light on the human disaster in Bethlehem Governorate and ask
for immediate intervention of the international community based on its
commitments and rights to protect civilians and human lives under political
conflict.
During the past two years, Bethlehem Governorate has been subjected to an
escalating campaign of destruction by the Israeli army. Indiscriminate
shelling of the Israeli army has destroyed more than 250 houses. More than
seventy Palestinians, mostly civilians including 20 children have been
killed by Israeli army gunfire. More than 600 Bethlehemites are in Israeli
jails and the majority have been issued with administrative detention orders
i.e. without any charges and under harsh conditions in the infamous Ansar
III detention center in the Negev desert. The headquarters of the PNA have
been totally destroyed by the Israeli F 16 jet fighters leaving more than
1500 persons without shelter. The infrastructure that Bethlehem was able to
rehabilitate in the preparation for the new millennium has been destroyed.
Everyday, the Israeli tanks destroy electricity poles and water pipes. There
is ample evidence that the distruction is deliberate and systematic which
obliges us to ask the basic question: WHY???
Bethlehem Governorate has always been classified as an affluent society
characterized by a good standard of living and a healthy economy based on
tourism and other services. Its physical proximity to Jerusalem has further
strengthened the historic, economic, health, social and religious ties with
Jerusalem. For the past two years, Israel has progressively been working on
serving this organic relationship between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. As a
result, thousands of Bethlehemites lost their jobs in Jerusalem. The tourism
sector disintegrated with no tourists being allowed to visit Bethlehem.
Hotels are empty and the hundreds of Bethlehemites working in arts and
crafts have become unemployed. In all, more than 70% of the population is
now living in poverty. People are unable to pay their water and electricity
bills.
We see no justification for the continued Israeli presence in Bethlehem
Governorate. The Israeli army is hardly doing any thing that justifies its
incursion except caging the whole population of Bethlehem and driving them
into despair and frustration. The Bethlehemites are a proud and industrious
people who aspire for building their society and economy. They certainly do
not accept such conditions, which has transformed their lives to more
survival and charity dependence. They see that the Israeli army actions are
intended to implement a voluntary transfer policy that will affect first and
foremost the well-educated and middle class members of the society, which
traditionally comprises the Christians. They quote that the percentage of
Christians living in the Holy Land, which comprises Israel, and Palestine is
less than 1.8 %, which is by far the lowest percentage of Christians in all
neighboring countries.
As a Palestinian Moslem, I cherish the excellent relationship that I have
seen among Christians and Moslems in Bethlehem, which should become a model
for tolerance and co-existence in the whole region. During the 40 days
episode in the church of Nativity, I was an eyewitness of this relationship,
which has even been reinforced by our common destiny. I here recall the
latest statement of the Israeli opposition leader who described the Israeli
army practices against the Palestinian as a war crime that will have far
reaching effects on the whole region. Therefore, I appeal to you to act
immediately to stop the Israeli practices in Bethlehem Governorate, which I
am obliged to declare as a human disaster area, that needs your immediate
attention.
Mohammad Al Madani
Governor of Bethlehem
Rezeq Faraj
http://rezeq.com