A Call to Action!

Dear Friend,

Too often, I send you information, with no call for action. This is a call for action. Take a few minutes to understand this appeal.

Click on the links. Register your opposition to this proposed action by the Israeli Miliary to destroy this village's energy source.

Faithfully yours, and with thanks to Pauline Coffman of the PCUSA IPMN (Israel/Palestine Mission Network). JRK




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: EAPPI Advocacy Officer
Date: Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 7:27 AM
Subject: URGENT ACTION APPEAL: Israeli Military to Demolish Clean Energy Supply Serving 390 PalestiniansTo: EAPPI Advocacy Officer


SUMMARY OF EVENTS:


The Israeli military plans to demolish a set of solar panels in Imneizil, a village in the south Hebron hills, cutting off the power to forty families, a health clinic and a school. The solar plant is the village’s only source of electricity, and is subject to a military order effective from today (Thursday, 10 November 2011).



Imneizil is off the electricity, water and sewage networks due to military restrictions on Palestinian development in Area C (62 percent of the West Bank). Two years ago, a Spanish NGO installed solar panels on land belonging to the village, replacing expensive gasoline generators. The Israeli military refused to grant a building permit for the panels.



A few weeks ago, villagers found a demolition order near a fence around the panels. Israeli organization Rabbis for Human Rights launched a legal campaign against the demolition, arguing that the panels did not require a building permit in the first place, and that electricity is a basic humanitarian need. Yet, after 39 appeals, the order remains and hope is fading that the half-million dollar project can be saved.



The prospect of being cut off again horrifies Mohammad Yousef, Imneizil School’s headmaster.



“Without electricity, the educational process comes to a standstill,” he says. “For instance there is the computer.The printer. And then maybe you have a documentary film to show the students. You become unable to provide educational materials.”



Additional Information:

The solar panels were installed by SEBA, a Spanish NGO, in coordination with Al-Najah University in Nablus. The total cost was €365,500 of which the Spanish Cooperation supplied €290,000. For more information on the project, please contact Carlos Sordo at carlos.sordo@seba.es.



INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW:

Article 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907 clearly states that, “it is especially forbidden (for the occupier) to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war."



Article 53
of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 states, “Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.”



MAKE A DIFFERNCE:

We encourage you to:

·Forward this email to your networks

·Inform your representative in parliament about what is happening in Imneizil

·Contact the following officials and call on them to allow Palestinians in Area C to have free access to electricity, water and sewage infrastructure without the threat of demolitions:

oYour Ambassador and/or Consul General in Israel

oThe Israeli Ambassador in your country

oIsraeli Minister of Defense:

§Ehud Barak

§Ministry of Defence

§Fax: +972 3 691 6940/696 2757

§Email: minister@mod.gov.il

§Salutation: Dear Minister

oIsraeli Military Judge Advocate General:

§Major General Avihai Mandelblit

§Fax: +972 3 569 4526/608 0366

§Email: avimn@idf.gov.il

§Salutation: Dear Judge Advocate General

oIsraeli Military Chief of Staff

§Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz

§Fax: +972 3 691 6940/ 697 6218
§ Salutation: Dear Lieutenant-General

Nader Hanna
Advocacy Officer
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine & Israel (EAPPI)
P.O. Box 741
Jerusalem 91000
Tel: +972 2 628 9402
Fax: +972 2 627 4499
Mobile: +972 54 815 7652
E-mail: eappi.advocacy@alqudsnet.com
Website: www.eappi.org


--


John

www.friendsofpalestiniansandisraelis.blogspot.com