February 1, 2005
Stealing land from Palestinians is nothing new for the Israeli state. The recent disclosure of a cabinet decision, taken six months ago but hidden as a dirty secret until now, legitimising the theft of Palestinian property in East Jerusalem confirms the view of a senior official at the Israeli Justice Ministry:
It’s not fair that a man becomes an absentee because his tie to his land has been cut without his doing. But morality is one thing, and what is written in our laws another.”
This conflict is about land and military occupation, not about ethnicity or religious worship. It beggars belief that after almost forty years of illegal presence on land that does not belong to it, the State of Israel would consciously enact a law – in secret – that can only make the situation worse.
The Israeli government continues to build the wall, grabbing land. The Israeli government continues to expand settlements, grabbing land. Now they have turned their attention to East Jerusalem, the putative capital of a viable Palestinian state, grabbing more land. As much land as possible, with as few Palestinians as possible: that is Sharon’s credo.
European Jews for a Just Peace reminds the Israeli government of the judgment of the International Court of Justice that demanded not just a cessation of the building of the ‘security barrier’ but its demolition. European Jews for a Just Peace reminds the Israeli government of its obligations under the first stage of the Road Map, demanding a cessation of all settlement expansion.
Above all else, EJJP reminds the State of Israel, the Government of Ariel Sharon and the people of Israel that for their human rights, including the right to live in security and to live free from fear, Israelis and Palestinians need a durable peace settlement. This is the only way that Israel can be secure.
EJJP Executive Committee