Stop Israel from Killing Historic Villages

Zionist forces also kidnapped of Israeli citizens.

Al-Walaja is one of the few Palestinian villages left, many date back to Biblical times, almost all have been destroyed by the Israeli government's bulldozers. Special thanks to ActiveStills and for the image.

(AL WALAJA, Occupied Palestine) - Last Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., some 60-80 human rights advocates marched with drums and chants to the sites inside Al-Walaja al-Jadia (the new Al-Walaja) where the Israeli occupation forces are uprooting trees and destroying the beautiful landscape.

They are doing this to separate people from their agricultural lands and to allow for further expansion of illegal colonies built on Palestinian lands.

Five Israelis were kidnapped.

Later after the actual event, the Israeli soldiers came into town to terrorize the locals and one Palestinian was taken from his house and treated badly even though he was not in the demonstration with us.

Action 1: Join us Saturday 10:00 a.m. Palestine Ramadan Time in Al-Walaja as villagers continue to see their lands destroyed.

The Struggle video network featured Al-Walaja and part of my talk in March about the town http://tv.thestruggle.org/node/434

Action 2: Marwa was shot in the head 10 years ago. She is now 20 and a university student. However, her original injury has led to severe dental problems that her family cannot afford. Some friends in Palestine have arranged for a dentist to begin work with some money we've already raised, but the work will not be finished until we raise another $4000.

If anyone is interested in helping Marwa you can send a contribution to the Hartford Catholic Worker with Marwa noted on the memo line.

See http://hartfordcatholicworker.org/ And http://www.qumsiyeh.org/marwa/

Action 2: Marwa was shot in the head 10 years ago. She is now 20 and a university student. However, her original injury has led to severe dental problems that her family cannot afford. Some friends in Palestine have arranged for a dentist to begin work with some money we've already raised, but the work will not be finished until we raise another $4000.

If anyone is interested in helping Marwa you can send a contribution to the Hartford Catholic Worker with Marwa noted on the memo line. See http://hartfordcatholicworker.org/ And http://www.qumsiyeh.org/marwa/

Action 3: This August break is for Members of Congress to be at home, meeting with constituents to hear about our concerns.

Instead, 81 Representatives--nearly 20% of the House--are hightailing off to Israel on an all-expense-paid junket organized by an affiliate of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Israel's goal there is to lobby the Representatives to continue sending the Israeli military $30 billion of our tax money -- the amount pledged for these 10 years (2009-2018).

That means sending money we won't have for jobs and healthcare to buy weapons for Israel to perpetuate its illegal military occupation and apartheid policies toward Palestinians.

It's time to "name and shame" these Members of Congress who put more weapons for Israel ahead of their own constituents' economic rights. We need you to take action today http://endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=3080.

Also similar actions called by Code Pink http://www.codepink.org/article.php?id=5919.

See also "Israel Lobby Dominates Congress, Media Covers it Up" by Alison Weir, August 11, 2011. http://www.counterpunch.org/weir08112011.html

http://original.antiwar.com/alison-weir/2011/08/10/israel-lobby-dominates-congress/

Action 4: Roadmap to Apartheid, a documentary film examining the apartheid analogy is near completion! Narrated by Alice Walker, Roadmap to Apartheid is promising to be the definitive documentary that compares and contrasts South African apartheid with Israeli policies and practices. It will be a very important and useful tool for BDS organizing worldwide. Finishing funds are lacking to take it through the home stretch. Learn about the current fundraising campaign here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roadmaptoapartheid/roadmap-to-apartheid.

Inspiring Video on a group of activists who rode bicycles from London to visit with us in Palestine: http://www.100daystopalestine.org/2011/08/10/the-pedal-short-video-from-london-to-palestine-is-here/

In Tumult, New Hope for Palestinian Cause: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/world/middleeast/10palestinians.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

How Palestinian Authority's UN "statehood" bid endangers Palestinian rights: http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/how-palestinian-authoritys-un-statehood-bid-endangers-palestinian-rights

Come visit us in Palestine this October for the Olive Harvest season and this Christmas for a week of activities. Watch for more details next email.

Meantime, act, act, act.

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Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD - Popular Committee to Defend Ush Ghrab (PCDUG) "A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home. Mazin has been an Associate Professor of Genetics; Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine since 1999. He previously held a similar position at Duke University. Professor Qumsiyeh has authored over 110 scientific papers in areas of mammalogy, biology, and medicine including mammalian biology and evolution, clinical genetics, and cancer research. He has published over 100 letters to the editor and 30 op-ed pieces in International, national, regional and local papers on issues ranging from politics to environmental issues. His appearances in national media included the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He is the founder and president of the Holy Land Conservation Foundation and ex-President of the Middle East Genetics Association, and Prof. Qumsiyeh won the Jallow activism award from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee in 1998. Those are just a small list, visit Mazin Qumsiyeh's amazing and informative Website to learn more: qumsiyeh.org.