Tag: Jerusalem

13 July 2009

On Monday, the 13th of July, around 35 Chicago activists picketed the Israeli consulate in response to a call to action from Palestinian residents of occupied East Jerusalem currently facing house eviction or demolition at the hands of Israeli authorities. When one demonstrator attempted to deliver an eviction notice to the staff at the consulate, similar to ones Palestinian families receive when Israel informs them that they are to be evicted or their homes demolished, he was prevented from even entering the building.

At 12pm, the solidarity activists demonstrated outside the building holding signs against the occupation and calling for a halt to the hundreds of eviction and demolition orders pending for Palestinian communities in occupied East Jerusalem. Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as their capital city, and the Israeli authorities are making no secret of their plans for depopulating Palestinian residents from the region.

As the picket was ending, one demonstrator attempted to enter the lobby of the building to deliver an eviction notice to the consulate staff. The activist was prevented from even entering the lobby by Chicago police as well as building security. None of the staff agreed to come down to receive the eviction order.

13 July 2009

Monday, July 13th 2009, 5am: In perhaps the largest campaign of its kind in Chicago’s history, over a dozen activists dropped 88 banners across Chicagoland this morning decrying Israel’s policies of evicting or destroying Palestinian homes. Each banner represents one of 88 Palestinian homes in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan that have received demolition orders from Israeli authorities.

Today’s banners were dropped as part of an international day of action on July 13th in solidarity with Palestinian families facing house evictions or demolition in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. In addition to Chicago, demonstrations and actions are planned for San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Glasgow, and Jerusalem.

Chicago’s action saw banners being hung from highway overpasses, bridges, and from the roofs of buildings. Some of the banners read, “End the occupation of Palestine,” or “From Chicago to Palestine, communities are facing eviction,” and call for onlookers to “Support. Resist. Fight.”

Under an illegal occupation, Israeli policies of evicting Palestinians or destroying their homes are often used as acts of collective punishment, contrary to international law.

As refugees and people living under occupation, we are asking people to help us with our struggle for our rights. It is unbelievable that in the 21st century, Israel’s authorities can get away with demolishing the homes of Palestinians in order to build settlements or national parks. The price we and our neighbours have to pay is too high, we are faced with two impossible choices – either we throw our kids out on the street or we go to prison. If we lose our homes, there is nowhere else for us to go, the only option we have is to live in tents

– Maher Hannoun, Palestinian resident from Sheikh Jarrah facing imminent eviction and imprisonment

In Chicago, the activists also tied their message of solidarity with Palestinians facing eviction to solidarity with Chicago communities that are being displaced as part of the city’s plans for the 2016 Olympic bid.

For more information please see: http://www.standupforjerusalem.org/

13 July 2009

International day of solidarity with East Jerusalem residents facing eviction or demolition of their homes. Demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen.

At 8.30 in the morning on Monday 13th of July Scandinavian activists showed their solidarity with the Palestinians in East Jerusalem facing eviction or demolition of their houses by putting up 6 tents in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen.

The Danish police showed up after less than ten minutes, took the details of the activists, and ordered the manifestation to move to the opposite side of a busy street away from the Israeli embassy. The police moved the manifestation a second time further away from the Israeli embassy on demand from the employees of the embassy.

The 6 tents raised in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen symbolize Palestinians in East Jerusalem threatened with eviction or demolition of their houses.

A tent for the Ghawe family and one for the Hanoun family in Sheikh Jarrah as well as each one tent for the Palestinian neighborhoods Silwan, Ras Khamis/ Shu’fat, The Old City and At-Tur. On the wall facing the embassy was a big banner with the words “No To Ethnic Cleansing” and a poster for the Al-Kurd family.

The residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood have used the tent as a symbol for their struggle since the Al-Kurd family got evicted from their home in November 2008.

Another two eviction orders have been given to the Hanoun Family and the Ghawe Family, both family fathers face imprisonment if they do not hand over the keys to their houses.

Later the symbol has spread and is now used in Silwan were 88 homes are threatened with demolition to make room for a park leading to the new settlement “Ir David”. More than 50 Palestinian homes have been demolished in Silwan during the past 10 years.

Also Ras Khamis are using the tent as symbol for the threat demolition orders cause. 55 houses or more than 500 persons are in danger of becoming refugees if Israeli plans are carried out.

Common for all the above mentioned neighborhoods is that the residents are originally refugees that had to flee their homes in 1948.
UN reports estimate that 60.000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem are in danger of administrative house demolitions or evictions.

The many house demolitions and evictions are all part of the ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem.

The International society have to act now. Have to share the responsibility for the ongoing catastrophe.