ISRAELI SETTLERS THREATEN PALESTINIAN BEDOUIN COMMUNITIESJordan Valley, West Bank, 28th April 2010 Urgent call for support from internationals in Palestine and around the world On 25th April between 20 and 30 armed settlers from the Maskiot settlement, supported by the Israeli army and police from the settlement, occupied land lived on and farmed by the Palestinian Bedouin community of El Maleh. The settlers erected a tent flying Israeli flags just 10 metres away from the entrance to El Maleh and ordered the Bedouin community off the land. They then marked out the area they have occupied and have forbidden the residents of El Maleh from crossing the line, making it virtually impossible for them to take their tractors to collect water or food. Today, 28th April, the settlers have escalated their actions with threats and aggression against the Bedouin families. Their aim is to terrify the community into leaving and illegally claim the land to expand Maskiot settlement. Members of Jordan Valley Solidarity including women and children have been supporting the Bedouin community, staying overnight and sending in food, and water for the animals, as the members of the community cannot enter or leave. Therezia Cooper, from the Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group, members of the International Solidarity Movement, and other Palestinian activists have stayed overnight in the tents of the Bedouin community, to give support and solidarity. But, more international support is urgently needed. A spokesman for Jordan Valley Solidarity said: “We must help this community to resist and stay; if it is these homes being threatened today, it will be other tents tomorrow and the next day after that.” He appealed to the Palestinian Authority to take up the case, and for the international media to publicise this latest attempt at ethnic cleansing by fanatical settlers. What can you do? If you are in Palestine: Go to Al Maleh to support the community in their resistance against the settlers. Contact: Therezia 00972 597215876Fathy 0599352266 or 0507799232 If you are not in Palestine: Please write/email to the following to protest at the illegal actions of the Maskiot settlers, and to demand that the Bedouin community should be allowed to stay free from violence and intimidation. Ehud Barak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ministry of Defence 37 Kaplan Street Hakirya Tel Aviv 61909, Israel Fax: +972 3 691 6940 +972 3 696 2757 +972 3 691 7915 email: minister@mod. gov.il ehudb@knesset. gov.il pniot@mod.gov. il www.mod.gov. il Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit Judge Advocate General 6 David Elazar Street Hakirya Tel Aviv, Israel Fax: +972 3-569 4526 2nd Fax: +972 3 608 0366 E-mail: avimn@.idf.gov. il 2nd E-mail: arbel@mail.idf. il Major-General Avi Mizrahi Commander, West Bank GOC Central Command Military Post 01149 Battalion 877, Israel Defense Forces Israel Fax: +97225305741 Fax: + 97225305724 Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister Office of the Prime Minister 3 Kaplan St. PO Box 187 Kiryat Ben-Gurion Hakirya, Jerusalem 91950 Israel fax: +972 2-6496659 emails: bnetanyahu@knesset. gov.il PM_ENG2@pmo. gov.il PMO.HEB@it.pmo. gov.il pm_eng@pmo.gov. il Prime.Minister' sOffice@it. pmo.gov.il |
CALL FOR ACTION: Al Maleh community being threatened by settlers
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