Urge Your Member of Congress to Speak out Against Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) firmly condemns Israel’s plans to ethnically cleanse the city of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank. We call on Congress to demand the State Department rebuke Israel for the forced displacement of over 1000 Palestinians, a clear and reprehensible violation of international and human rights law.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS. TAKE ACTION BELOW!
Capping off a 20-year-long legal battle between Palestinians and Israeli occupation courts, Israel’s high court announced that over 1000 Palestinians can be forcibly displaced from Masafer Yatta, a city in the West Bank. These Palestinians are victims of Israel’s ethnic cleansing, displaced from their homes in order for their land to be repurposed for Israeli military use.
It is high time for the US to condition its military funding to Israel with respect to human rights and international law.
The Israeli high court’s decision is one of the biggest forced expulsion rulings since Israel began occupying Palestinian territories in 1967.
Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and businesses constitutes a “grave breach” of international humanitarian law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention which cites “extensive destruction and appropriation of property” and “unlawful deportation or transfer” as grave breaches of international law. The forced relocation of communities is a core element of the crime of apartheid. As a result, Israel’s actions are subject to criminal liability. Moreover, the legal concept of universal jurisdiction obligates State Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to arrest and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches of the Convention.
Thank you for taking action against injustice and standing for Palestine; we won’t stop until it’s free.
Dear [Member of Congress and two Senators],
I am writing as a constituent and supporter of AJP Action to express my outrage at the continued U.S. complicity in Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people. On May 5th, 2022, an Israeli high court ended a two-decade-long legal battle between Palestinians and an Israeli occupation court, by announcing that over 1000 Palestinians can be forcibly displaced from Masader Yatta, a city in the West Bank. Essentially, Palestinians are at a high risk of being ethnically cleansed and displaced from their homes in order for Israel to repurpose the land for Israeli military use. It is high time for the US to condition its military funding to Israel with respect to human rights and international law.
The Israeli high court’s decision is one of the biggest forced expulsion rulings since Israel began occupying Palestinian territories in 1967.
Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and businesses constitutes a “grave breach” of international humanitarian law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, which includes as grave breaches “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly,” and even “unlawful deportation or transfer” of the occupied population (i.e Palestinians). As a result, Israel’s actions are subject to criminal liability. Moreover, the legal concept of universal jurisdiction obligates State Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to arrest and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches of the Convention.
As my member of Congress, I urge you to speak out against the demolition of Masafer Yatta. I ask that you are actively vocal against Israel’s continued attempts to unlawfully and unjustly assault, arrest and ethnically cleanse Palestinians. If you haven’t already, I request that you support the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act and demand the U.S. Department of State robustly investigate whether Israel used any of the U.S financial and military assistance in committing these crimes, produce a report to Congress in due time, and hold Israel accountable for all of its human rights violations of the Palestinian people.
Palestinians deserve the right to safety and security within their own homes, and right now our tax dollars are invested in their oppression.
Signed,
.
.
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