I received this from a sister in solidarity I’ve met and come to respect as her information is always based in fact and supported by verifiable sources.
This is not second hand. It comes directly supported from eye witnesses. Names removed. Sorry Zionists, IDF and those other hunters of information you’ll use against an already besieged people. Go elsewhere for your pickings. Do your own research and find your own sources. The killing will stop. The apartheid state will be changed. God knows and sees all you do. He’ll sort the wicked from the righteous.
First the action alert then the letter:
———- Forwarded message ———-
Date: 2009/7/1
Subject: Attacks on Bil’in
Dear All,
This is an urgent action agreed upon at tonight’s LFOP monthly meeting. I’ll explain briefly:
In the last week the LFOP-Bil’in link group has received 4 urgent emails from our contact, [name removed], in Bil’in telling us of terrifying night raids on the village, the ransacking of homes and the abduction of at least 7 teenage boys. As yet we have no news that their parents know of their whereabouts. Bil’in regularly suffers from these dead-of-night incursions but they are particularly intense now.
The Bil’in group will be meeting next week to discuss what our response should be in more depth, but right now we have all agreed to get as many protest letters sent as possible both to the British government and the Israeli authorities. As an interim measure therefore we are asking everyone to write a brief personal email/letter to the British Foreign Secretary, the Israeli Ambassador and the Israeli Minister of Defence whose contact details are as follows:
David Miliband: private.office@fco.gov.uk
Ron Prosor, Israeli Ambassador: ambassador@london.mfa.gov.il
Ehud Barak, Israeli Minister of Defence: ehudb@knesset.gov.il
A copy of my letter (written in the name of our Chair) to David Miliband is attached for guidance (everyone at tonight’s meeting signed this), but your letters need not be so long. Emails with similar wording were sent this afternoon to all 3 men. If possible will you also send copies to your MP and appeal for their concern and involvement (you’ll find their details on the website www.theyworkforyou.com). Please will you also forward this appeal to your own contacts to increase the flow of letters.
Let’s flood them and show solidarity with our suffering friends in Bil’in. It’s the least we can do.
Many thanks
[name removed]
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
Bishop Desmond Tutu
وعلمني ان احاسب نفسي كما احاسب الناس
وعلمني ان التسامح هو اكبرمراتب القوة وان
حب الانتقام هو اول مظاهر الضعف
يارب اذا أسأت الى الناس فأعطني شجاعة الإعتذار
وإذا أساء لي الناس فأعطني شجاعة العفو
“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”
Benjamin Franklin
The letter:
Peter Reilly
Chair, Liverpool Friends of Palestine
2 York Road
Southport
PR8 2AD
peterlvt@gmail.com
2.7.09
Mr. David Miliband MP,
Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary
FCO
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH
Dear Mr. Miliband
We are writing to express our strongest protest against the recent night-time military incursions and attacks on the peaceful citizens of the West Bank village of Bil’in near Ramallah. The most recent ones occurred on 23rd June at 3am, 25th June, 29th June at 2.30am and 30th June at 4am. Houses were violently ransacked on each occasion and during the raids seven boys were taken away (abducted). They are Khalil Yassin and Kamil Alkatib, both aged 15, Mohsen Kateb, Hamoda Yaseen and Suleiman Sif all aged 16, Moatassem Al-Khatib and Mohammad Abu Rahma
Our information has come directly from eye-witnesses.
Bil’in has suffered since 2004 from the confiscation of 60% of its subsistence agricultural land resulting in severe impoverishment; from the building of the Apartheid Barrier (or Wall) through its property and the resultant loss of freedom of movement; and from constant violent attacks by the IDF resulting in many grave injuries and even in death.
In spite of these immense provocations the people of Bil’in made a measured decision in 2004 to resist the theft of their property and human rights in a resolutely non-violent manner. Since then they have organised weekly demonstrations against the Wall after Friday prayers when they demand their land back and demand an end to the Occupation. They want only to live in peace to get on with their lives. The demonstrations have attracted support not only from peace campaigners across the globe, including from Israel, but also from journalists, artists, diplomats and European parliamentarians, among many others. Demonstrators are consistently met with tear-gas and bullets and there have been many injuries. On 17 April this year Bassem Abu Rahmeh, a villager well-known to the soldiers as a peaceful man, was shot dead at close range whilst trying to defend another demonstrator from a tear gas attack.
The village is no stranger to military night-time incursions, but they are particularly intense at the moment. Although very violent and terrifying themselves they are not a response to violence from the villagers who still adhere resolutely to the community decision against the use of violence.
We are members of a group in Liverpool who seek a peaceful and a just end to this conflict and we request that you urgently make investigations and protests on behalf of the British government to the Israeli Ministry of Defence and call for a halt to these vicious and indiscriminate attacks.
Yours sincerely
Members of Liverpool Friends of Palestine
©2009 Diane Saville
iadiedee@gmail.com
