Rafah - TAKE ACTION
Tuesday May 18, 2004
The ISM today is joining Israeli peace activists in protesting at the Sufa Crossing -- southern entrance into Gaza. Less
than 10 kilometers from the Rafah refugee camp where the Israeli military has and continues to carry out horrendous war
crimes against Palestinian civilians, Israeli and international peace activists, if not allowed into Gaza, are camping
out demanding an immediate end to the carnage. For over a year now, the Israeli military has had Gaza completely sealed
off while it continues to besiege, bomb, demolish and completely devestate over one million Palestinian civilians
struggling to survive under military occupation.
The Israeli military has managed to keep this illegal, inhumane siege in place because the UN and world governments are
not holding Israel responsible for Palestinian lives. The international community continues to fail to live up to its
obligations to the Palestinian people, as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Conventions - fails to mobilize to
uphold the most basic of human rights.
We need you to act where the formal bodies are failing. Please try to join us in Palestine! Also, below are two simple
actions you can take to send a message to the Palestinian people that they are not alone.
In solidarity & struggle,
ISM
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1) A Call for National Action from the US
2) Urgent Appeal for Donations to Help Refugees in Rafah
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1) A Call for a National Action Against Massacre and Home Demolitions in Rafah
[Lets make this international!]
Please circulate and distribute the following message as wide as possible!
SIT-IN TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST KILLING AND HOUSE DEMOLITIONS
The Israeli Supreme Court, on Sunday, the 16th of May, ruled to allow the Israeli Defense Forces to demolish Palestinian
houses in the Rafah refugee camp. Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon told an Israeli cabinet meeting that
hundreds of Palestinian houses had been targeted for demolition.
In view of this clear ethnic cleansing policy of the Israeli government, We should be calling for a sit-in in all
congressional district offices in whatever city we may reside and demand that the U.S. Government pressure Israel to
stop the destruction and ethnic cleansing and that the US government adhere to Secretary of State Colin Powell's remarks
and take concrete steps to deter Israel from carrying out this crime against humanity.
The Sit-in will take place this Friday, the 21st of May. We urge each city to organize for the sit in and inform each
other of your action.
Contact: Sharon - swallace@igc.org
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2) [Please read, respond and forward]
For Immediate Release
15 May 2004
Urgent Appeal for Donations to Help Palestinian Refugees in Rafah
http://www.al-awda.org/urgentrafahappeal/
A massive operation by Zionist Israeli occupation forces to destroy hundreds of Palestinian homes in Rafah refugee camp
in the Gaza strip is currently ongoing. The operation's main goal is to create a so-called "buffer zone" near the border
with Egypt, a plan which the Israeli occupation army formulated in 2001. Parts of this plan have already been carried
out in piecemeal fashion over the past three years. According to UNRWA, more than 12,000 Palestinian residents of Rafah
refugee camp have so far been made homeless by the occupation forces.
The recent escalation against the Palestinian refugees of Rafah camp coincides with the 56th anniversary of the Nakba
(Catastrophe), when over 800,000 thousand Palestinians were expelled from homes and lands by Zionist colonial forces.
Today, the people of Rafah camp, all of whom are refugees from parts of Palestine occupied in 1948, find themselves
scurrying for refuge once more as Israeli bulldozers demolish their homes away from home. These acts, the ongoing ethnic
cleansing, represent grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, humanitarian international law, and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
ACTION REQUESTED
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition has set up an Emergency Rafah Relief Fund. We call on all people of
conscience to help the refugees of Rafah by donating to this fund. Any amount you donate is important, will be directed
to UNRWA for distribution to the victims who need all help to get through the coming months, homeless again.
Please make your checks or money orders payable to "PRRC"; write "Emergency Rafah Relief Fund" in the memo section; and
send your donation to:
Al-Awda, Palestine Right to Return Coalition PO Box 1172 Orange, CT 06477
You may also use your credit card to donate. Please go to
PRRC is a non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC are fully
tax-deductible.
PHOTOS OF DEVASTATION
For some photos of the devastation, go to:
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition is one of the largest networks of grassroots activists dedicated to
Palestinian human rights.
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 1172
Orange, CT 06477
E-mail: info@alawda.org
WWW: http://www.al-awda.org
Fax: 1-802-609-9284
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org