from PENGON – Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network.
We sent this appeal to our brothers, the respectful people in charge in thePalestinian National Authority.to our representatives in the PalestinianLegislative Council.an appeal to all the free people of this world andlovers of freedom, land and peace. We send this appeal from the district ofQalqiliya, from all the villages and locations that are being razed by thefatal Apartheid Wall which is set up above our lands and on our spirits andour chests.
This is an appeal for help and an honor sent from the hearts of thousands ofchildren, women and elders whose trees are being uprooted, whose lands arebeing razed, whose elders and children are being beaten daily. For over 8months, nothing has hindered us– except death– from reaching our landsbecause these lands are our paradise on this earth. The land is our past,present and future. It is like a soul in the body since the time of Canaantill the end of days.
Derived from this fact that is steadfastness rooted like the mountains andsolid like the firestones of Palestine. we send this thundering call to theattendants of the summit being convened in Sharm Al Sheikh and Al ‘Aqaba;whether they are messengers of peace or leaders and decision makers, we tellthem in this congregation: There is no place for peace with this ApartheidWall, no peace with settlements and settlers who steel our land, andthreaten our future.
A just peace must eliminate the Wall and restore the right to its people inan independent state whose capital is Jerusalem and its borders will bealong the pre-1967 ‘Green Line.’ We emphasize on the Right of Return andrepatriation for the refugees and the immediate, the full release of thepolitical prisoners, as well as the complete recognition of and compliancewith all the rights and resolutions stipulated under international law andthe Charters of the United Nations.
We, the people of Qalqiliya, the Land Defense Committees and the ApartheidWall Campaign – PENGON, the Farmers Union and popular and localorganizations in Qalqiliya present this appeal and emphasize on thefollowing:
First: We appeal President Yaser Arafat to never give up the rights of thePalestinian citizens and to refuse any modifications on the West Bank map,whether it is ‘negotiated’ or imposed by Israel on the ground througherecting the Apartheid Wall.
Second: We demand the Government of Abu Mazen not to relinquish one inch ofthe lands which were razed or isolated by the Apartheid Wall. Stopping theWall immediately should be a precondition to any negotiation. We supportand advocate to our Palestinian Government in realizing our absolute rights.
Third: We refuse any peace accompanied with the Apartheid Wall or any of itsforms.
Fourth: We salute and applaud all the communities which defy the erecting ofthe Apartheid Wall and its expansion from Hebron till Jenin.
Fifth: We appeal the Palestinian Authority to provide support and aid, aswell as facilitate all organizations to make an effort and provideassistance to the thousands of families who have lost their main income andsource of livelihood due to the building of the Wall. We refuse the fate ofmore than 22 residential communities in the district of Qalqiliya to becomekernels for new camps.
Issued by:
- Lands Defense Committees in the District of Qalqiliya.
- The Apartheid Wall Campaign PENGON
- The Palestinian Farmers Union.
- The Farmers Union.
- The Local and Popular Organizations in the District of Qalqiliya.
For further details or interviews contact PENGON by e-mail:outreach@pengon.org or telephone: +972-52-285610.