| On June 20th International Refugee day | | | | Palestinian cantons/ghettos contrary to |
| passed without a whimper from the USA | | | | International law."- Mazin Qumsiyeh |
| media. America's intake of refugees has | | | | "For the past several decades, and |
| gone from 100,000 annually to 45,000. | | | | especially since the Six-Day War in |
| Our taxes go to support ethnic cleansing | | | | 1967, the centerpiece of US Middle |
| and the creation of new refugees and | | | | Eastern policy has been its relationship |
| displaced persons and the vast majority | | | | with Israel. The combination of |
| of good American's don't even know it. | | | | unwavering support for Israel and the |
| Billions of USA dollars go to Israel yet | | | | related effort to spread 'democracy' |
| Israel openly defies International Law. | | | | throughout the region has inflamed Arab |
| The largest remaining refugee crisis in | | | | and Islamic opinion and jeopardized not |
| the world can be traced back to American | | | | only US security but that of much of the |
| foreign policy regarding Palestine. | | | | rest of the world. This situation has no |
| "When Israel was established in 1948, 3 | | | | equal in American political history. Why |
| 4th of the native Palestinians | | | | has the US been willing to set aside its |
| -Christian and Muslims-were made | | | | own security and that of many of its |
| refugees- over 500 villages and towns | | | | allies in order to advance the interests |
| completely depopulated and erased off | | | | of another state? One might assume that |
| the maps. The 1/4th who managed to stay | | | | the bond between the two countries was |
| were subjected to Marshal Law between | | | | based on shared strategic interests or |
| 1948-1966. Even after 1966, they were | | | | compelling moral imperatives, but |
| not integrated in the society and remain | | | | neither explanation can account for the |
| as foreigners in their own lands. Over | | | | remarkable level of material and |
| 100 of their remaining villages are not | | | | diplomatic support that the US |
| state recognized-they receive no | | | | provides."- The Israel Lobby, John |
| electricity, water, schools, or medical | | | | Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt |
| services. | | | | American taxpayers provide Israel nearly |
| Israeli law also considers 250,000 as | | | | a quarter of the total of our foreign |
| Present Absentees: present but their | | | | aid and Israel has a population of 0.1% |
| land confiscated under the bsentee | | | | of the entire world population. |
| property law turned over for Jewish use. | | | | Israel was established in 1948 at the |
| Israel defines itself as a state not of | | | | termination of the British Mandate and |
| its citizens (Jewish and remaining | | | | statehood was contingent upon upholding |
| non-Jewish citizens) but as astate for | | | | the United Nations Declaration of Human |
| Jewish people everywhere. Any Jew, | | | | Rights. International Law deems |
| regardless of his current country, is | | | | occupation is to be temporary and |
| considered a Israeli national entitled | | | | maintain the status quo. Forty years of |
| to automatic citizenshipin Israel while | | | | occupation and a wall that does not |
| over 5 million Palestinians cannot | | | | follow the Green Line and has been |
| return to their towns and villages (even | | | | deemed illegal by the International |
| for those under Israeli jurisdiction). | | | | Court of Justice and ordered to come |
| The Right to Return has a solid legal | | | | down, continues to grab Palestinian |
| basis. The Universal Declaration of | | | | land. |
| Human Rights article 13 reaffirms the | | | | "If the state of Israel aspires to |
| right of every individual to leaveand | | | | perceive itself as a democracy, it |
| return to his country. The United | | | | should abandon once and for all, any |
| Nations adopted Resolution 194 on | | | | legal and ideological foundation of |
| December 11, 1948. | | | | religious, ethnic, and demographic |
| Paragraph 11 states: 'the refugees | | | | discrimination. The state of Israel |
| wishing to return to their homes and | | | | should strive to become the state of all |
| live at peace with their neighbors | | | | its citizens. We call for the annulment |
| should be permitted to do so at the | | | | of all laws that make Israel an |
| earliest practicable date...compensation | | | | apartheid state".-Israeli Artists' |
| should be paid forthe property of those | | | | Declaration |
| choosing not to return.' | | | | Archbishop Desmond Tutu supported |
| Principles of Self Determination adopted | | | | boycotts and divestments from what he |
| by the UN guarantee inter alia the right | | | | described as Apartheid Israel adding: |
| of ownershipand domicile in one's own | | | | "If you are neutral in situations of |
| country. In 1969 and thereafter, it was | | | | injustice, you have chosen the side of |
| explicitly applied to the Palestinian | | | | the oppressor." |
| People, including 'the legality of the | | | | "This is a time when there seems to be a |
| Peoples' struggle for Self-Determination | | | | particular need for men of PHILOSOPHICAL |
| and Liberation. International law states | | | | persuasion-that is to say, friends of |
| that neither occupation nor sovereignty | | | | wisdom and truth-to join together...We |
| diminishes the rights ofprivate | | | | Jews should be, and remain the carriers |
| ownership. | | | | and patrons of spiritual values. But we |
| The right of refugees to return is not | | | | should always be aware of the fact that |
| only sacred and legal but also possible. | | | | these spiritual values are and always |
| Demographic studies show that 80% of | | | | have been the common goal of |
| Israelis live in 15 percent of the land | | | | mankind."-Einstein, "Out of My Later |
| and that the remaining 20% live on 85% | | | | Years" |
| of the land that belongs to the | | | | Thomas Jefferson weeded out the miracle |
| refugees. More than 5,000 refugees live | | | | stories and clarified the teachings of |
| per square kilometer in the impoverished | | | | the gospels/good news of Christ in |
| and besieged Gaza Strip, while over the | | | | "THE PHILOSOPHY AND MORALS of JESUS of |
| barbed wires and walls, their lands are | | | | NAZARETH" |
| practically empty. | | | | 1. Be just: justice comes from virtue |
| Ethnic cleansing continues. According to | | | | which comes from the heart. |
| Amnesty International and other Human | | | | 2. Treat people the way we want to be |
| Rights groups, Israel destroyed | | | | treated. |
| thousands of Palestinian homes in the | | | | 3. Always work for PEACEFUL resolutions, |
| West Bank and confiscated tens of | | | | even to the point of returning violence |
| thousands of acres in the past few years | | | | with COMPASSION. |
| to expand Jewish colonies and control | | | | 4. Consider valuable the things that |
| rich Palestinian lands. Thesettlements | | | | have no material value. |
| colonies contravene the 4th Geneva | | | | 5. Do not judge others. |
| Convention Article 49 stating that the | | | | 6. Do not bear grudges. |
| 'Occupying Power shall not transfer | | | | 7. Be modest and unpretentious. |
| parts of its own civilianpopulation into | | | | 8. Give out of true generosity, not |
| the territory it occupies.' | | | | because we expect to be repaid. |
| In the next six months, nearly 250,000 | | | | 9. Being true to one's self in more |
| Palestinians will likely be removed by | | | | important than being loyal to one's |
| various means from | | | | family...those who think they know the |
| Palestinian lands coveted by Israel and | | | | most are the most ignorant... |
| falling between the Green Line(Israel | | | | Imagine a world when everyone who |
| pre-1967 border) and the apartheid wall | | | | claimed to be a Christian actually did |
| that Israel is building around remaining | | | | the philosophy. |