JFJFP

We promote boycott, divestment and sanctions initiatives against Israeli and foreign companies profiting from the illegal occupation. And we consider, on a case-by-case basis, smart boycotts against the occupation.

Follow the campaign on the Susiya Forever website.

For general background on the situation in the South Hebron hills see the Villages Group website.

Read David Shulman’s moving account, ‘I Am an Illegal Alien on My Own Land’ New York Review of Books blog, 28th June 2012

Extract…

Here is Nasser Nawaja’, 28 years old, one of the leading activists in Susya and a close friend, speaking to the Hebrew press:

“They’re calling our village an illegal outpost. These lands are ours from before there was a State of Israel. My father is older than your state—and I am an illegal alien on my own land. I ask where is justice? Your courts distinguish between the settler and the Palestinian…We’re surrounded by illegal outposts [built by settlers] that have everything—infrastructures of water and electricity— despite the fact that these settlements are illegal even under Israeli law. And now you want to expel this old man from his home once again? To expel all of us who own these lands, who have lived on them for generations in this space that is ours, which is all we know?”

B’Tselem report Civil Administration threatens to demolish most of Susiya village

Nasser Nawaj’ah, B’Tselem Field Researcher, reports in Palestinian from Area C on a life in constant need of rebuilding, +972, 14 June 2012

On 21st June, JfJfP sent the following letter to the Foreign Secretary about the crisis in Susya. Some other JfJfP website postings dealing with Susya follow below the letter:

The Right Honourable William Hague MP FRSL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London SW1A 2AH.

Dear Foreign Secretary

On behalf of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, a network of British Jews who oppose Israeli policies that undermine the civil, human and political rights of the Palestinians, we would like to bring to your attention the situation that is developing in the Palestinian village of Susya, a village which several of our signatories have visited in the past.

Following a decision by the Israeli Supreme Court, the Israeli army are threatening the destruction of Susya, which nestles in the shadow of the larger illegal Israeli settlement of Susya built on expropriated land belonging to the villagers of Susya. The Palestinian village of Susya has existed for centuries, long before the modern Jewish settlement of Susya was built in 1983. In 1986 the Israeli authorities expropriated part of the village’s residential land in order to establish an “archaeological site”.

The Israeli government has invested heavily to provide infrastructure to the illegal settlement of Susya in Area C. At the same time it has put every obstacle in the way of developing an infrastructure for the Palestinian people who live in the village of Susya. However an Israeli group was formed which together with the local people helped to build the solar panels which finally brought them electricity.

All this is now threatened. The demolition order from the Israeli civil administration covers dwellings, animal pens, water cisterns, and the solar powered electricity system. Although the Palestinians are the rightful owners of the land, their claim was disregarded by the Israeli courts, which protect the settlement enterprise in preference to Palestinian rights and international law. If the people of Susya are dispersed, they will not be compensated and will just be driven away to find what shelter they can in a harsh and unforgiving environment.

This is now a matter of extreme urgency as the demolition orders have already been issued. At the most there is a window of about a week before the bulldozers begin operation. Representatives of the European Union visited the area last Friday and have circulated a press release expressing their concern.

We note with approval your statement:

“The British Government, and our EU partners, have made it consistently clear that settlement construction is illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and should stop immediately, in line with Israel’s own commitment under the 2003 road map.
“Continued systematic settlement activity, and repeated breaches by the Israeli government of international law, is provocative, undermines the prospects of peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and makes the two-state solution ever harder to realise. It makes it increasingly difficult for Israel’s international friends to defend the Israeli government’s actions.
“I urge the Israeli government to change its approach, to meet its international obligations fully and for both sides to engage constructively in the search for peace”.

For all the reasons you give in your statement, we would urge you to use your influence with the Israeli authorities to encourage them to withdraw this order. If implemented this order will make it yet harder for Palestinian leaders to continue trying to negotiate meaningfully with Israel and will only reinforce the view held by many people that Israel is more committed to the acquisition of territory than to its responsibilities under the Oslo accords.

Thank you very much for your consideration

Yours sincerely
Diana Neslen
Spokesperson for Jews for Justice for Palestinians
P.O. Box 46081
London W9 2ZF

Some JfJfP website postings about the campaign to save Susiya from demolition and about the general background:

22nd June 2012, Demolish Susya order stays as court tries to save face

14th June 2012, Aggressive Zionist body wins court order to demolish Palestinian village

15th February 2012, As soon as village builds own school, army says will demolish

16th March 2012, Naomi’s Ceramic Workshops in South Mt. Hebron 12-14 March 2010

14th December 2009, No freeze on Palestinian suffering