Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 01:32:45 -0600 (MDT)
Subject: ADC Urges President Bush To Protect Palestinian Property 




10 Jul 2001

ADC  Press Release:
ADC URGES PRESIDENT BUSH TO PROTECT PALESTINIAN PROPERTY


The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the largest
Arab-American grassroots organization in the United States, urged the Bush
Administration to strongly condemn Israel's campaign of home demolitions
in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza.  Over the past 48 hours,
Israeli army bulldozers, protected by Israeli border guards and police,
demolished forty homes in Gaza and the Shu'fat refugee camp near
Jerusalem.  The demolition raids rendered homeless dozens of Palestinian
families.

In his letter to President George W. Bush, Khalil E. Jahshan, President of
NAAA-ADC, the government affairs arm of ADC, emphasized to the President
that "the United States should first condemn such practices . . . as a
form of collective punishment that constitutes a violation of
international law."  The Administration was also urged to "actively oppose
the deliberate incitement that accompanies such measures, which clearly
increase tension in the area."  Jahshan characterized as "arrogant and
defiant" Israel's attempt to justify the demolitions as "engineering work"
of essentially "uninhabited" structures.

While acknowledging repeated statements by US officials urging Israel to
stop its home demolition practices, Jahshan reminded President Bush that
"it is quite clear that this approach does not work."  Instead, ADC
recommended that, in the face of Israeli obstinacy, Washington should
"support practical measures at the United Nations to guarantee the safety
of the civilian population under Israeli occupation and seek compensation
from Israel for the confiscation and destruction of civilian property."
Jahshan reminded President Bush that, "Short of offering Israel such a
practical incentive to cease and desist from its illegal practices, US
criticism will remain in the realm of lip service."

===============================================================American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
                                         Organizing Department
      /\   |_  ___  \ /  ____| 4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300
     /  \    | |  \ | | |      Washington, D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
    / /\ \   | |  | | | |      Tel: (202) 244-2990, Fax: (202) 244-3196
   / ____ \ _| |_ / | | |____  E-mail: nmohamad-AT-adc.org
  /_/    \_\________/ \______| Web   : http://www.adc.org

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