Two US-based organizations Call for Removal of Israeli Forces from Orient House
Palestine-USA, Politics, 8/13/2001

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the American Committee on Jerusalem (ACJ) have condemned Israel's seizure of Orient House, the unofficial headquarters of Palestinian political activity in the occupied east Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

The groups also expressed grave concern about attacks by Israeli f-16 jets on the Ramallah police station in the occupied west bank.

Rashid Khalidi, ACJ president, called on the Bush administration to take immediate steps to ensure that Israel remove its occupation forces from Orient House and prevent any further escalation and provocations by Israel. He said "these measures are a prescription for increased violence and insecurity. Orient House is the symbol of Palestinian life and collective rights in Al-Quds, and Israel's seizure of this institution and flying the Israeli flag from its rooftop can only be designed to enflame Palestinian sentiments and declare that Israel has no intention of ending its 34 year illegal occupation of Arab East Al-Quds.

Al-Quds must be a shared and open city in order to establish a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis, the Committee argues.

For Ziad Asali, chief operating officer of ADC, "while we condemn all attacks aimed at civilians, it must be recognized that the current conflict is driven by the ongoing Israeli occupation, which international law and numerous united nations security council resolutions stipulate must be brought to an end. The Israeli government led by prime minister Ariel Sharon has refused to enter any negotiations with Palestinians since taking office, and has relied entirely on a military strategy based on shooting demonstrators, assassinating political leaders, and besieging Palestinian towns and villages.

The only way to end the violence in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel is to bring the occupation to a quick and complete end, he adds.

The two organizations also called on the US administration to suspend all weapons transfers to Israel until it can ensure that these weapons are not used against Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. They expressed concern that, by attacking Palestinians living under its military occupation with American-supplied f-16 jets, Israel was yet again violating the arms export control act. The act provides that U.S. supplied weapons may only be used for defensive purposes. Israel's bombing of defenseless Palestinian towns with f-16s and its use of American-made helicopters in its campaign of extrajudicial executions of Palestinian activists violate the 4th Geneva convention, the laws of war, and American law.

Previous Stories:
  ADC calls state department to investigate case of US citizen reported missing in the West Bank   (8/10/2001)
  US urges Israel, Palestinians, to take immediate steps to stop violence   (8/8/2001)
  Arafat confers with Satterfield   (7/18/2001)

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