Stop the w all cam paign Presentation Firstly I will begin by - PDF document

Stop the w all cam paign Presentation Firstly I will begin by briefly discussing the so- called disengagem ent plans of the Occupation, because they form an important part of the Israeli project for Palestine. These plans have created a new international optimism for peace. This enthusiasm is false, deceptive and misguided. The disengagem ent of the handful of settlements in Gaza Strip takes places with the construction of a second wall around Gaza. - This will ensure its total isolation from the rest of the world. - Borders, movement, and life will continue to be completely controlled by the Occupation. - This forces the 1.3 million population of this tiny territory into a hellish prison. I n the West Bank, the only “ disengagem ent ” is from four minor settlements around Jenin. To the opposite of our understanding of the term “ disengagem ent ”, Israel is engaged in settlement expansion throughout the West Bank. - This has begun in the 200 or so existing settlements, and plans are emerging for new settlements on land stolen by the Wall. - All of these will be annexed into a Greater Israel by the Wall. The Wall is part of an overall Apartheid system which includes: - Jewish- only bypass roads - Settlements - Security and military zones, This will condemn the Palestinians into 47% of the West Bank. - Taken with the Gaza Strip this is 12% of historic Palestine. - I am sure many of you here today are familiar that this is the same amount of land designated by the racist regime of South Africa for its black population.

- Disengagem ent is nothing more than the further colonization and theft of Palestinian land. - It threatens to exterminate the very existence of Palestinians in these lands. What life remains is being forced into ghettos. - Each ghetto will be located into one of three Bantustans – in the north, centre and south of the West Bank. - They will be linked by a handful of tunnels and roads controlled by the Occupation. - Bantustanization is the reality of a so- called viable state for Palestine. This will never be accepted by the Palestinians. The most fertile lands in Tulkarem and Qalqilya are called the bread basket of Palestine. - They are being Isolated by the Wall and stolen for the benefit of the illegal settlements like Tzofin settlement on the isolated land of Jayous. - Jerusalem is the site of the most active Zionist settlement growth and development. It seeks to expel any Palestinian presence here. - Israel wants to make Jerusalem the future capital of a Greater Israel. 8 The Occupation will strip Palestinians of land, dignity and culture. - It wants to make this system work by creating Cross Border I ndustrial Zones . - The creation of Israeli industrial zones on stolen lands either isolated by the Wall or in the settlements in the West Bank seeks to enslave, control and regiment Palestinians for the profit of the Occupation. We are not blind to the main motive of Israeli actions. - It destroys our land, our way of life and any freedom of movement. - It is the cleansing of Palestinians from the West Bank. Secondly I wish to draw your attention to alarming international developments which are normalizing, and sometimes funding, this Apartheid system. - All of us here today will know the International Court of Justice met last year. - Many of us took encouragement from their decision that the Wall is illegal and should be torn down.

- For the Palestinians it was a key moment of international solidarity in our struggle against the Occupation and the Wall. - However, a year later the ICJ decision has still not been implemented. - Many UN resolutions which call for an end to the occupation and support the rights of the Palestinians to self- determination and sovereignty are being ignored. I am deeply worried that these parts of inter national law are not in the agenda of the international community. Let us look briefly at the last report of from OCHA published in February this year. I quote the first paragraph of the report where the UN seems to adopt the official Israeli position regarding the Wall. The report states: “In June 2002, the Government of Israel began construction of the Barrier following several suicide bombings and attacks by Palestinian militants on Israeli citizens. It maintains that the Barrier is a temporary stru cture to physically separate the West Bank form Israel to prevent such attacks on Israeli citizens.” It supports the myth and lie that this is some kind of barrier. - Let’s not forget the term used by the ICJ that this is a Wall. - Let us not be fooled by the intentions of the Zionist project by discussing barriers. The report, and recent remarks by Kofi Annan fail to mention that the Wall is illegal. - The UN seems to be dealing with the Wall strictly in terms of a humanitarian issue. - This contributes to the legitimization of its presence in the West Bank. Making life more tolerable and bearable under a military Occupation is not the request of the Palestinian struggle. - Neither is it the mandate international law has placed upon the international community. - Only by striking at the root of the problem which is the Wall and the illegal Occupation can we establish a basis to work for justice and freedom in Palestine. Moreover, the UN report equated the status of “settlers” with the Palestinians in its consideration of people affected by the Wall.

- Such a comparison between the Palestinians and settlers is a deeply disturbing development in UN thinking. - The report should have stated the illegal existence of the settlers in the West Bank. - However it accepts their existence. It gives the impression that they are just another kind of “resident”. The reality of Israeli modification and disengagement is being exposed as colonization of almost half the West Bank. - How the international community responds is crucial to the viability of any future Palestinian state. - The humanitarian approach will only serve to normalize the existence of the Wall. Plans to open a claims registry office for damages caused by the Wall cannot compensate for the loss of land, livelihood and history. - Offers from the World Bank and United States to pay for the gates for the Apartheid Wall and the industrial zones want to make the Bantustanization and Ghettoization of Palestine a reality. W hat I have discussed is bein g understood across global civil society. - Trade unions, churches, universities, social movements and solidarity groups are discussing and initiating boycotts, sanctions and divestment of Israel. - They do so in the knowledge that places serious pressur e on Israel to abide by international law and accept the rights of the Palestinians to self- determination. International solidarity is influenced by the appeals from Palestine. - These come from grassroots organizations such as the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, - Apartheid Israel must be isolated until 1 – The end of the Occupation. 2 – The application of the ICJ ruling. 3 – The implementation of UN resolutions including the Right of Return. Crucial outreach w ork from Palestine is helping to make a global anti- apartheid movement. - It is similar to the movement which helped in the struggle for freedom in South Africa - Recent declarations and developments in the World Social Forum and the Anti- War movement provide optimism that civil society is committed to justice in Palestine.

- International solidarity looks to isolate Israel until ending the occupation and defeating the Apartheid system it wants to impose on Palestinians from above. - It cannot end until the Occupation and the Wall are replaced by freedom, self - determination and justice for all Palestinians.