Fwd: ADC Action Alert: Protest Sale in Florida of Illegal Israeli Settlements

[rachelhinda]

Come out because it's theft, period. If you're interested in helping us make signs on Friday, email me.

Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 12:45:26 EDT
Subject: ADC Action Alert: Protest Sale in Florida of Illegal Israeli Settlements
To: ISM...@lists.interactivist.net, actionw...@lists.riseup.net,
pa...@yahoogroups.com, ism-coor...@lists.riseup.net

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ADC Action Alert:
Protest Amana's Sale of Illegal Israeli Settlements

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (www.adc.org)

Washington, DC | March 15, 2007| "Amana, The Settler Movement," an
organization which describes itself as part of the settlement arm of
Gush Emunim, is trying to convince Orthodox Jewish Americans to buy
settlements (which are illegal under International law) in Israel. In
addition to violating US anti-discrimination and civil rights laws,
these events promote discrimination, endorse apartheid, and the illegal
sale of Palestinian occupied land.

Under the guise of a "real estate fair," they claim that the purchase of
an illegal settlement is a "zero risk venture." They also allege, "Your
investment is insured, protected and 100% legal." These fairs are not
open to the general public, only to members of the US Jewish community.

What they fail to mention is that, one third of these illegal Jewish
settlements in the West Bank are built on privately owned land, as
reported by official Israeli statistics. Without regard to land
ownership or international law, Amana has already sold eight homes in
the illegal settlements. Ranging in price from $93,000 to $165,000 the
settlement homes are then rented to settlers for $250-400 per month.

They have already held one such fair in Teaneck, New Jersey, and now
other fairs are planned the in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami
Beach, Florida on Sunday, March 18. Ten illegal settlements will be
represented, making Palestinian land available to Jewish-Americans, but
not to Palestinians, Palestinian-Americans, or non-Jewish Americans.

EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 18

The first event begins at 9:30 AM at Chabad of Boca Raton, on 17950
Military Trail in Boca Raton, Florida.

The next event, also in Boca Raton, will begin at 12:00 PM at Boca Tov
Cafe (Dairy Cholov Yisroel), at 21065 Powerline Road.

Later that afternoon, in Surfside/North Miami Beach, at 4:00 PM, the
Shul of Bal Harbour, will host a settler real estate fair at 9540
Collins Avenue.

TAKE ACTION!

Please contact the following public officials to express your outrage at
this event. This event promotes discrimination, endorses apartheid and
the illegal sale of Palestinian occupied land, in addition to violating
anti-discrimination and civil rights laws. Included below is are talking
points and a sample letter.

TALKING POINTS:

1) The advertisement and sale in Florida communities of Israeli
settlements in the Occupied Territories may violate Florida, federal and
international law, including Florida Civil Rights Law, Fair Housing Act,
sections 760.23 and 760.25 and the Federal Fair Housing Act.

2) Pursuant to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a
signatory, states are prohibited from transferring civilians from the
occupying power's territory into the occupied territory, and from
creating permanent changes in the occupied territory that are not for
the benefit of the occupied population. There exists broad international
consensus that all Israeli settlements in the West Bank – including
those in East Jerusalem - violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and are,
therefore, illegal according to international law. Any sales of
settlements are presumably illegal.

3) The illegality of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories has been affirmed by the UN Security Council in Resolution
465, the International Court of Justice, the world's highest legal body,
in article 120 of its July 9, 2004 advisory opinion
(http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm ), and by
several major human rights organizations worldwide. Not only did the US
government repeatedly affirm this position throughout the 1970s and
1980s, but the Israeli Supreme Court has acknowledged de facto its
validity by ruling that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are under
"belligerent occupation" in 1979, 2002 and 2004.

4) The possibility that the rental and sale of Israeli settlements at
these events in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami Beach, Florida may
also contradict US government foreign policy as outlined in the United
States Government's "Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State
Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” which, in Phase I,
requires Israel "to freeze all settlement activity (including natural
growth of settlements)." http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/20062.htm

SAMPLE LETTER

I am writing with great concern about the proposed sales of Israeli
settlements (settlements are illegal under International law) by Amana
in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami Beach in Florida.

If these illegal West Bank settlements are being sold in Florida
exclusively to people of the Jewish faith, and not to members of other
religious and ethnic groups, including Palestinians, or if the
advertisement of such sale expresses, directly or indirectly any
discrimination against other religious or ethnic groups, such sales or
advertisements may violate state and federal discrimination laws,
including Florida Civil Rights Law, Fair Housing Act, sections 760.23
and 760.25 and the Federal Fair Housing Act.

The Geneva Conventions outline the responsibilities of an occupying
power under international law. Pursuant to the Fourth Geneva Convention,
to which Israel is a signatory, states are prohibited from transferring
civilians from the occupying power's territory into the occupied
territory, and from creating permanent changes in the occupied territory
that are not for the benefit of the occupied population. There exists
broad international consensus that that all Israeli settlements in the
West Bank – including those in East Jerusalem - violate the Fourth
Geneva Convention and are, therefore, illegal according to international
law. Any sales of settlements are presumably illegal.

The illegality of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories has been affirmed by the UN Security Council in Resolution
465, the International Court of Justice, the world's highest legal body,
in article 120 of its July 9, 2004 advisory opinion
(http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm), and by
several major human rights organizations worldwide. Not only did the US
government repeatedly affirm this position throughout the 1970s and
1980s, but the Israeli Supreme Court has acknowledged de facto its
validity by ruling that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are under
"belligerent occupation" in 1979, 2002 and 2004.

The United States, as a High Contracting Party to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, has both general and specific obligations with respect to
the implementation and enforcement of the Geneva Convention in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories. The ongoing failure to act to hold
Israel accountable to its obligations as the Occupying Power constitutes
a breach of these obligations. Aiding and abetting the commission of an
act which is considered a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, such
as the transfer of civilians to occupied territory, constitutes a war
crime under international law and under the US War Crimes Act of 1996.

Finally, we wish to draw your attention to the possibility that the
rental and sale of Israeli settlements at this event in Florida may also
contradict US government foreign policy as outlined in the United States
Government’s "Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State
Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" which, in Phase I,
requires Israel "to freeze all settlement activity (including natural
growth of settlements)." (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/20062.htm)

Once again, I urge you, in your capacity as a public servant, to ensure
that these planned March 18, 2007 event in Florida does not violate
local or international laws, nor contradict US foreign policy.

Thank you for your attention to these important issues.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FLORIDA OFFICIALS

-Boca Raton Mayor Steven L Abrahams, (561)393-7700,
sab...@ci.boca-raton.fl.us , Fax:(561) 367-7014

-Boca Raton City Manager Leif Ahnell, (561)393-7700,
Boc...@ci.Boca-Raton.fl.us , Fax: (561) 367 7014

-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, (850)-414-3300, Fax: (850) 410 1630

-Boca Raton, State Attorney, Barry E. Krischer, (561) 355-7100,
StateA...@sa15.state.fl.us, Fax: (561) 355 7274

-North Miami Beach Mayor, Raymond F. Martin (305)-957-3062 Fax (305) 787
6036

-North Miami Beach City Manager, Kevin Klopp (305)-948-2900 Fax: (305)
957 3602

-North Miami Beach, City Attorney, Howard Lenard (305)-787-6004 Fax
(305) 787-6004

-Congressman Alcee Hastings Contact Information (for Boca Raton residents)
http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=186&lvl=C&chamber=H

-Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Contact Information (for Surfside
residents)
http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=180&lvl=C&chamber=H

-Senator Bill Nelson Contact Information
http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=10892&submit.x=18&submit.y=11&submit=go

-Senator Mel Martinez Contact Information
http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=10033&submit.x=18&submit.y=19&submit=go

-United States Department of State- International Law Division (202)
776-8342

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