[IPSM] TEAR DOWN THE APARTHEID WALL!! - Monday, March 14th

[aaron at resist.ca]

TEAR DOWN THE APARTHEID WALL!!

Meeting to plan an action in Montreal in late April
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Monday, March 14th
6:00pm
QPIRG Concordia, 1500 de Maisoneuve, #204
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Across hillsides, around olive groves, and on the outskirts of ancient
Bethlehem and Jerusalem, there is one fact that dominates the Palestinian
landscape - the Apartheid Wall.

This shameful wall has been under construction since August 2003. Already
complete in the northern areas of the West Bank, the wall has had
devastating effects around cities and communities such as Jenin, Tulkarm,
and Qalqilya. In some places, the barrier is miles and miles of
electrified fences. Completely surrounding the city of Qalqilya, the wall
is an 8-meter high concrete blemish on the horizon. But no matter where
the barrier is built, it cuts farmers off from their lands, students off
from their schools, and families off from their friends.

Built unilaterally by the state of Israel, the wall went up under the
pretext of security against terrorism. If this is the case, we question
why the wall is built many kilometers within the Green Line (pre-1967
borders) in areas around the illegal settlements of Ariel and Gush Etzion.
However, a wall that cuts people's lives and lands apart is an act of
terrorism in itself, and we reject the wall no matter where it is. This
wall must fall!

Most recently, on February 20, 2005, Ariel Sharon's Israeli government
approved the final route of the wall.

After the final approval of the wall, the occupation forces have been
moving ahead with its construction at a tremendous speed. Villages such as
Biddu, Beit Surik, Bil'in, Rafat, and Hebron have seen the total
devastation of their lands over the last few weeks, but resistance is on
the rise!

Recently, villages have been going out in non-violent direct actions
against the wall day in and day out, and they have been met with
overwhelming military violence. The Israeli border police and army use
tear gas, wooden clubs, rubber bullets, and even live ammunition to
disperse demonstrations where Palestinians, Israelis, and international
activists are present. In Beit Surik, Israeli officers have been
infiltrating peaceful demonstrations, arresting many young men, and even
throwing stones at protesters.

During the first phase of the wall's construction, 6 Palestinians were
killed by the Israeli army for non-violently resisting the wall. How many
more must fall before we join them in their struggle?

There can be no peace while Palestine is being ghettoized. We must resist
the wall now, before it is too late. Our government has remained silent in
the face of this internationally recognized crime, so we must take action
ourselves.

DOWN WITH THE WALL! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!

For more info, contact ism-montreal at resist.ca