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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Activism Home page  back Print  Send To friend Vigil at Prime Minister’s Residence: “Say no to legalized land robbery!” Starting this morning (Thur. Dec. 8), concerned Israeli citizens are holding a protest vigil outside the Prime Minister’s residence (corner of Aza and Balfour Streets, Jerusalem). They will stay there every day between 10:00 to 17:00, during the coming week. The Settlement Legalization Bill, which the right-wing Knesset majority is vigorously seeking to enact, is a manifestly illegal measure, by which the seizure of privately-owned Palestinian land would be declared “legal”. The government’s own Attorney General, the Knesset’s own legal counsel, have stated it clearly and unambiguously. So did the United States Government and the European Union leaders. Knesset Member Benny Begin, son of the late PM, a lone voice of decency among government supporters, voted against this bill and called it “The Theft Law” (for which he punished by the government). In the teeth of all protests, the government amd extreme right go on with their campaign of steamrolling it through the successive stages of legislation. The initiators - Minister Bennett and MK Smotritch of “The Jewish Home Party”, make no secret of their aim – annexation of the West Bank and perpetuation of the Israeli oppressive rule over the Palestinians. If this monstrosity is enacted into law, Israel’s Supreme Court is expected to annul it declare it to be in violation of basic human and civil rights. It might even come under the purview of the International Court at the Hague. But all that might take a long time, and we do not have the luxury of tolerating such an ugly blot on the Israeli Legal Code. So, we are coming to make our protest loud and clear. We will stand in the streets of Jerusalem, holding aloft the sign “No to the Land Theft Law! No to Annexation!” as well as Israel’s National Flag. There will be no banners of any specific political faction or formation – just those of Israeli citizens deeply anxious and concerned for the future of their country. Among scheduled participants will be public figures, some of them with distinguished military careers - such as Shaul Givoli, who had been both an IDF Brigadier General and later an Israeli Polce Comissioner, as well as Knesser Member Omer Bar-Lev, who before entering politics was the commanding officer of the Sayeret Matkal elite commandos. Other participants include Amos Oz and other writers, Uzi Baram – a government minister in Yitzchak Rabin’s government, and laureates of the Israel Prize. Having been deeply involved in Israel’s political and cultural life as well as in the country’s armed forces, the protest’s initiators fully realize how deeply the government’s reckless policies not only endanger democracy, but also undermine the very foundations on which Israel was erected. Conact: Naftali Raz, +972-54-5494172 Links to the latest articles in this section Conscientious objector released after 82 days in solitary confinement This week we mark A year since the death of Uri Avnery, man of peace. Jewish Voice for Peace holds Shabbat service with Rep. Rashida Tlaib