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US CAMPAIGN TO END On November 29, 1947, the United Nations partitioned Palestine, then under British mandate, into two states, an Arab state and a Jewish state. The Jewish state, Israel, came into being. The Arab state, Palestine, did not. Since 1977, November 29th has been observed by the United Nations and by countries around the world as a Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, in support of the right to freedom and self-determination. In this holiday season of peace and goodwill - Can We Honestly Say “We Didn’t Know?” Bush’s war against Iraq may mean war across the Middle East. If Bush goes to war against Iraq, Israel may go for “transfer.” WHAT IS “TRANSFER?” “Transfer” is a euphemism for the forced expulsion of Palestinians out of the occupied territories to one or another Arab country. “Transfer” means ethnic cleansing. It’s happened before. During the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 and again in 1967 over a million Palestinians were forced from their homes. “TRANSFER” IS A WAR CRIME According to international law, expulsions are illegal, and constitute a grave breach of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. There are no exceptions that can ever make expulsion legal. Expulsion is a war crime. COULD IT REALLY HAPPEN AGAIN? Ariel Sharon is Prime Minister of Israel and his government includes the Moledet Party, which officially supports “transfer.” Sharon himself led the “Jordan is Palestine” campaign that called for expelling all Palestinians and pushing them into neighboring Jordan. Benjamin Netanyahu—former Israeli prime minister and now foreign minister—told students at Bar-Ilan University in 1989: “Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among the Arabs of the territories.” ISRAELIS THEMSELVES ARE RINGING THE ALARM Law-abiding Israelis who believe in a just peace and human rights are warning about the danger of “transfer;” 187 Israeli academics recently issued a strong statement of warning. “We are deeply worried by indications that the ‘fog of war’ could be exploited by the Israeli government to commit further crimes against the Palestinian people, up to full-fledged ethnic cleansing” (http://www.indymedia.org.il/imc/israel/webcast/display.php3?article_id=37938). WHY SHOULD I CARE? If it happens again, this time we—the citizens of the United States—will be responsible because it’s OUR government that has prevented the United Nations from providing international protection to Palestinians under Israel’s military occupation, and is supplying nearly $4 billion in aid to Israel each year, most of it for weapons used to maintain its illegal occupation. Instead of speaking up against “transfer,” some US groups and politicians are meeting with Israelis who advocate this war crime, like Israeli tourism minister and Moledet chairman Binyamin Elon. Members of Congress who have met with Elon: Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY); Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA); Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA); Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY); Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY); Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ); Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA); Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY). WHAT CAN I DO? 1) CALL on the Bush Administration to publicly warn the Israeli government against “transfer” of Palestinians – and that any move towards expulsion will be met with sanctions including a cut off of all forms of US aid. URGE the dministration to withdraw the US veto and to support efforts in the UN Security Council to send international forces to protect Palestinians until Israel’s military occupation ends. President George W. Bush. Tel. (202) 456-1111. Fax (202) 456-2461 president@whitehouse.gov Secretary of State Colin Powell (202) 647-4000 (http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html). 2) Tell your Senators and Reps you want a change in US policy to Israel. Congress switchboard (202) 707-5000. 3) If you are a constituent of a member of Congress who met with Elon, call your Rep’s office to ask what concerns they raised regarding Elon’s support for “transfer.” 4) Send letters to the editor of the newspaper you read and call radio talk shows—use the media to inform people about this issue and how the US could play a positive role.
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