Subject: Al-AWDA ACTION ALERT: DON'T LET ETHNIC CLEANSING WIN
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 16:55:30 -0500


ACTION ALERT: DEFEND THE RIGHT TO RETURN AS NEGOTIATIONS RESUME ON BASIS
OF "CLINTON PLAN"

January 3, 2001

PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat has accepted the joint U.S.-American formula for
a final settlement with "reservations," following meetings in Washington
with President Clinton. The U.S.-Israeli proposals, also known as the
"Clinton Plan" call for the abrogation of the Palestinian refugees' right
to return as well as the annexation of parts of the occupied territories
to Israel.

Chairman Arafat has also reportedly agreed to twelve days of intensive
talks under the auspices of the United States. Recent experience has
demonstrated that such "talks" are a method to put the PLO Chairman under
extreme pressure and isolation.

It is not clear what Chairman Arafat has accepted or not accepted, however
the Clinton proposals as widely leaked clearly and explicitly call for the
cancellation of the right to return for Palestinians forcibly expelled
from their homes in 1947 and after.

We call on Palestinians all over the world, and their allies to once again
raise their voices in defense of the right to return. We urge you to send
messages by email and fax to Chairman Arafat, President Clinton and the
European Union strongly stressing the following points:

TALKING POINTS:

*The Palestinian right to return is an inalienable right, guaranteed
by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Geneva Conventions and
UN Resolution 194.

*According to international law, no agreement, negotiations or parties
which purport to trade away the right to return or any other inalienable
rights can have any legal basis and cannot bind or compel the Palestinian
people to end the struggle for the fulfillment of their rights.

*Any attempt to abrogate the rights of Palestinian refugees would set a
disastrous precedent in international human rights law, and provide a
clear signal that ethnic cleansers who expel civilians from their homes,
steal their property, and prevent refugees returning for long enough can
expect to have their illegal territorial conquests blessed with
international legitimacy.

*Implementation of the right to return as spelled out in UN resolutions is
the core to a just resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

*PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

Email: president-AT-whitehouse.gov
Fax: 1-202-456-2461

cc: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,
Email: secretary-AT-state.gov
Fax: 1-202-261-8577

*PLO CHAIRMAN YASIR ARAFAT

c/o PLO Office in Washington, DC
Email: palwash1-AT-aol.com
Fax: 1-212-517-2377

AND

c/o PLO Mission at the United Nations, New York
Email: mission-AT-palestine-un.org
Fax: 1-202-887-5337

OR

Office of PLO Chairman Arafat, Occupied Gaza Strip
Fax: +972 7 284 1947

*EUROPEAN UNION PRESIDENT ROMANO PRODI
Email: romano.prodi-AT-cec.eu.int

*Please cc your letters to: Al-Awda-Alerts-AT-mail.com

**************************************************************************
Al-Awda Alerts Committee:
Ali Abunimah, USA
Arjan El Fassed, Netherlands
Zahi Damuni, USA

http://al-awda.org

















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