March 2023 Bulletin * Read February’s Demolition & Displacement Report * Contact your MP – imminent demolitions * View Reservoir Raiders film on water apartheid * Attend webinar on defending civil rights - 13th March * Participate in Right to Boycott Lobby Day – 22^nd March * Remember ICAHD UK in your will * Mark dates for your diary
February Demolition & Displacement Report
Photo: Punitive demolition by explosives - Residential apartment- Hebron city 16 February 2023, OCHA
Tens of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in fear that at any moment bulldozers sent by Israeli authorities will arrive to demolish their homes, traumatize family members and destroy their lives. During February alone there was an average of four demolitions per day that left five people displaced and with the livelihoods of 18 people affected. In nearly every case the reason given was for lack of an Israeli-issued building permit, which is rarely given to Palestinians. Therefore, all these demolitions are a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
In December, Jeff Halper, ICAHD’s Director, predicted what would happen with Israel’s new right-wing government. He said that “Netanyahu would hand over the fate of the Palestinians to murderous settlers dedicated to driving them out of the Land of Israel, taking their lands – and not hesitating for a second to kill as many as necessary in the process.” On 26^th February, settlers charged into the Palestinian town of Huwara near Nablus and set on fire more than 30 houses, businesses, mosques, schools, every building they could set fire to, plus more than 40 cars and even the local fire engines so that the spreading flames could not be contained. Described as a pogrom, even within the Israeli press, it illustrated the unrestrained violence to which Palestinians are subjected and highlights the unsustainability - and injustice - of "the situation."
At present more than 150 families living in Jerusalem’s Old City and its surrounding neighbourhoods, are bracing themselves for mass demolitions and evictions that could happen within weeks because this month Israeli courts are scheduled to hold potentially decisive hearings on pending eviction and displacement cases.
On Monday, 6^th March, an Israeli court ruled in favour of demolishing the Al-Tahadi School in the village of Jub Al-Dhib, near Bethlehem having been pressured by the Regavim settler group set up by Bezalel Smotrich, now head of Israel’s Civil Administration, to identify homes and structures for demolition in the West Bank. The court allows 60 days before the demolition happens.
Mahmoud has also received a demand to pay for the demolition. The estimated cost of the demolition given in the demolition order is 250,000NIS (£58,118 or $69,596). He estimates that he has spent 100,000NIS (£23,186 or $27,827) on the house. He has asked for as much publicity to help stop the demolition of his home.
The geolocation of the village is: 31.423350793696777, 35.15330734869917. View on openstreetmap.orgor google maps . Watch a short video showing Mahmoud's home here (https://youtu.be/HtpxPi2zNXI ) . Contact your MP now! With Israeli authorities and settlers on the rampage that is resulting in death and destruction with demolitions skyrocketing and thousands facing displacement, it is vital that our political representatives are flooded with messages calling for: * The end to Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and displacement of the Palestinian people + Provide ICAHD’s monthly reports, stories and demolition alerts found on our Facebook pages with some of the latest information * International law to be observed * The establishment of a UN Protection Force for a Palestinian population whose very existence is in immediate peril
The 25-minute documentary film, Reservoir Raiders, can be accessed on the ICAHD website. Made by award-winning filmmaker, Bruno Sorrentino, it was screened on the BBC, and features Jeff Halper who plays a significant role as he is filmed challenging Israeli officials when Palestinian reservoirs are demolished for “lack of building permits”, which Israel does not grant to Palestinians. It is a clear illustration of Israel’s apartheid policies that have been in place since the founding of the Israeli state. Watch 'Reservoir Raiders' here
To understand what is happening, War on Want has arranged for a webinar on this subject that will be held on Monday, 13^th March at 6pm (UK). Speaking will be: * Asad Rehman — Executive Director, War on Want * Keith Ewing — President, Institute of Employment Rights (IER) and Vice President, Campaign for Trade Union Freedom (CTUF) * Ryvka Barnard — Deputy Director, Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC) * Kevin Blowe — Co-ordinator, Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol)
Learn about what these bills entail, when they are likely to become law and what we can do as a movement to oppose them and fight back.
PSC has arranged for a lobby of parliament on Wednesday, 22^nd March to challenge MPs on this dangerous new bill. If passed, the new legislation will specifically target public bodies (including local councils), with an aim of preventing them from cutting ties with companies involved in human rights abuses in Palestine or elsewhere. In addition, the legislation could contribute to shrinking spaces for wider political activism. Those registering to attend the lobby will receive a comprehensive briefing pack ahead of the Lobby Day to prepare you for meeting with your MP.
We are a political organisation and not a charity and therefore we rely on the generosity of our members and supporters to fund campaigns.
Would you please consider leaving a gift to ICAHD UK in your will to help continue our campaigns as we seek to change history?
Wednesday, 22 March 2023 – PSC Lobby of Parliament - 11.30am-5.30pm (with closing solidarity event open to all participants from 5,30-7.00pm). Register here
Saturday, 13 May 2023 – National Demonstration commemorating 75 years of Nakba, central London. Details to follow.
Thursday, 24^th – Sunday, 27^th August – Greenbelt Festival - Details here (https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/ )
Saturday 30 September 2023 - ICAHD UK Annual Conference - Amnesty International UK, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA - Times and programme to be confirmed
23 October - 2 November 2023 - ICAHD recommended Extended Study Tour – Details here - Applications closed We apologize for the current problems with the ICAHD website and hope to soon have it updated and fully functioning again. Many thanks for your ongong support. If you're not already a member of ICAHD UK, please join usor make a donation to enable our campaign to spread at this critical time in history.
From all at ICAHD UK. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-UK/366423593418140 Facebook https://www.twitter.com/ICAHDUK/ Twitter http://icahduk.org Website mailto:info@icahduk.org Email
View the February Demolition and Displacement Report here
Read moreCase Study
One of our ICAHD UK members is currently visiting the West Bank. A few days ago, she visited a home in the village of Al Jwaya in the South Hebron Hills. Two weeks ago, the owner of a house, which is in the course of construction, received a demolition notice. The owner Mahmoud Jibreen Nawaja has contested the earlier Stop Work Order in the courts but has been unsuccessful.
Find your MP here
Further guidance in lobbying your MP is available here (https://icahd.org/2020/03/30/sample-lobby-letters/) TENT OF NATIONS DECISION DELAYED YET AGAIN! ICAHD UK’s February webinar featured Daoud Nassar telling the story of the Tent of Nation’s struggle for justice in the Israeli courts. The family’s land was purchased while under Ottoman rule and with ownership first registered during the British Mandate. However, because Tent of Nations is in Area C, in 1991 the Israeli authorities declared the land as “state land”. Since then, the Nassar family has been involved in court proceedings to have their land re-registered with their ownership recognized. It was hoped that their deeds would finally be recognized at the court case on 2^nd March but due to someone objecting to Nassar ownership there remains an obstacle and a new date of 15^th May has been set. Follow Tent of Nations (https://tentofnations.com/) for the full story. Reservoir Raiders Featured on the ICAHD website
Read moreCall to action: Our rights are under attack
Online Webinar, Monday 13 March, 18:00 (UK) The British government is rushing through new laws in Parliament that seek to curtail more of our civil liberties: our right to protest, to strike and to boycott. The UK government is not alone in doing this as there has been a rise in such action in other countries such as Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to name a few.
For more information about the webinar and to register go here.
PSC Right to Boycott Lobby Day
Read moreWednesday 22 March 2023
11.30am-5.30pm (with closing solidarity event open to all participants from 5.30-7.00pm) ICAHD UK has been part of a large coalition of organisations that are part of the Right to Boycott Campaign (https://righttoboycott.org.uk/) - . It opposes the government’s proposed anti-boycott bill that if passed could dramatically affect our ability to campaign for social and climate justice in the UK and around the world.
To register click here (https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/RTBLobbyDay2023 )
Remember ICAHD UK in your will ICAHD UK has always supported the aims and objectives of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) with its focus on campaigns to end Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes. ICAHD also works towards a political solution that will bring about a just and sustainable solution for both people groups and since 2019 has been following the initiative taken by the One Democratic State Campaign that is led by Palestinians.
Download guidance on how to do this here
Dates for your diary Monday, 13 March 2023 – Our rights are under attack – 6.00pm. Register here (https://secure.waronwant.org/page/123618/subscribe/1?ea.tracking.id=Email&utm_campaign=160_WebinarRights&utm_medium=WOW&utm_source=Email&ea.url.id=6297676)
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