Al Aqaba village, with a population of around 300 people (before the occupation in 1967, it had over 1,000 inhabitants), lies in the Jordan Valley, far east of the green line, where most nations recognize as Israel's border.
IN the past week the Israeli Army entered Al Aqaba village to issue very serious orders that may quickly lead to the demolition of the homes of seven families and the demolition of Al Aqaba's new Peace road. The families are required to evacuate their homes by Dec 17th.
According to Al Aqaba's attorney Abduallah Hamad of the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC). Overloaded JLAC is filing petitions to save some 50 Palestinian neighborhoods of 7-50 homes each , in response to this huge number of demolition orders in Area C!
As we approach International Human Rights day, lets now turn our attention to this urgent task. The Kossack Community can help save a village.
Some History.
Area C refers to the agreement under the Oslo Accords, which split the West Bank into 3 areas, Area A, which is under the nominal jurisdiction of the Palestine Authority Area B, Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control and Area C, Under Israel's full control. Under international law, Israel is then fully responsible for the welfare of Palestinians under areas it controls.
Area C covers 60% of the West Bank, home to around 70,000 Palestinians. It is also the area in which most Jewish settlements, all illegal under international law, are built. Compelling statistical evidence shows that while it is extremely hard for Palestinians to obtain building permits, settlements continue to grow rapidly.
Research by the Israeli group Peace Now found that 94% of Palestinian permit applications for Area C building were refused between 2000 and September 2007. Only 91 permits were granted to Palestinians, but 18,472 housing units were built in Jewish settlements.-Guardian
18,472 vs 91 permits. IN other words, 200 Times more permits for settlements, despite their illegality under international law. For the Palestinians, Israel imposed a virtual freeze. It is clear that the settlement project is for the purpose of displacing the Palestinians from as much of their land as possible. Many Palestinians chose to build without permits, risking demolition by the Occupation forces.
Note that Peace Now report cited above covers the years 2000-07 during the Israeli governments of Barak, Sharon, Olmert. Labor and Kadima. We can expect that Likud is not any less unfair, but certainly there is little difference in the parties in Israel on this issue.
Now about Al-Aqaba
The story began almost a year ago, on May 10, 2007, when the Israeli Army handed out Al-Aqaba village council a map in which the village boundary is set to new parameters, the map showed an Israeli plan to redraw the village’s boundary in accordance to military needs. Accordingly, some 80 % of the village lands were lost. The Israeli plan has taken almost all the agricultural lands, grazing lands and the areas on which the village may expand its built-up area in the future. The Israeli Army is set to demolish all of the houses located outside the new village boundary as defined by the military order.
Israeli military Bases in Al- Aqaba area
The area were Al-Aqaba village is located is also packed with Israeli military bases, three Israeli military bases in particular established in the areas surrounding Al-Aqaba village ( Tsivi, Cobra 1 , Cobra 2), the Israeli Army frequently conducted military training, terrorizing the village’s inhabitants. Over the past decades of Israeli occupation and due to the Israeli military practices and violent behaviors; the population of Al-Aqaba village diminished from 1000 inhabitants in 1967 to 73 today (PCBS 2006). More than that the Israeli practices have caused the death (shot during live ammunition practices) of 8 people and injuries of more than 50 people since 1971.
Demolition Warnings in Al-Aqaba Village
On May 8, 2007, the Israeli Occupation Army handed out military notices to six residents from Al-Aqaba village to demolish their residential houses under the pretext of building without licenses.
As mentioned earlier in the case, Al-Aqaba village received dozens of Israeli military orders for houses demolishing with regard to building without proper licensing. During the years period between 2003 - 2006, the residents of Al-Aqaba village received 29 demolition warnings by the Israeli Army to demolish so-called illegal structures built without proper licensing, these demolishing orders targeted; an agricultural pond, a mosque, a kindergarten (built in 2002 with the funding provided by the US-based 'Rebuilding Alliance' and the Japanese and Belgian Embassies and the Norwegian People), the village’s warehouse for electrical generator, two cement built rooms and 22 houses, in addition to an order to bulldoze a 500m long by 4m wide newly asphalted road used by the residents of the village to access areas in the West Bank. The residents of Al-Aqaba village and its council filed for injunctions on the Israeli Army’s demolishing orders, but were postponed for sometime, still the Israeli Army went with demolishing warnings and actually razed seven houses and destroyed the agricultural pond under the pretext of build without licensing and in close range to the Israeli Army’s military bases in that area; as for the remaining demolishing orders they are pending court orders, but the owners and the village council fear that the Army will not wait until the court ruling is out and just carry out their will and demolish the rest of the structures. Applied Research Institue
The villagers, led by Mayor Haj Sami Sadeq, have initiated a local and international campaign, in cooperation with several Israeli and American human rights organizations, to save the village. The campaign has included taking Israelis and foreign diplomats to visit Aqabah, lobbying the Quartet and asking for its intervention, and conducting a US speaking tour with the participation of Mayor Sadeq and prominent Israeli architect Shmuel Groag. The goal of the campaign is to encourage the Israeli authorities to authorize the land-use plans and allow the village to stand. here
Mayor Hag Sami Sadeq has been on a speaking tour of the US, and i met him when he spoke in Berkeley. He is confined to a wheelchair because he was the victim of a stray bullet from Israeli Occupation Forces that train in the area. (a US-subsidized bullet, i might add).
This brings us back to the news of this week. Seven family homes in Al Aqaba under immediate threat of demolition by the military.
Take Action
Call your congressperson. Here's the Instructions and Talking Points From The Rebuilding Alliance. You need to make sure your congressperson contacts Israeli authorities on your behalf. Make some phone calls, build some peace. we can save these homes.
Haj Sami Sadeq signed his urgent action letter the other day as follows, he still believes that despite everything..."Al Aqaba Village still believes in peace and love for all peoples in the world. And invite them to stand beside them to protect their village from threat of demolition. In peace we believe, Haj Sami Sadeq". Please take heart, give now for a Human Rights Day gift - the people of Al Aqaba are building a birthing center, adding to an existing medical clinic, so women will not be hampered by military checkpoints during labor.. give here). Your donation means not only that you will help create this place for these women giving birth, it is an investment in a future of justice and peace for all the people of the Middle East, it is an act of faith. It is saying that you believe that Al Aqaba has a future.
faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on the unseen realities....
Right now, as Palestinians, Jews, and internationals together demand justice, human rights, and the end of a system of oppression, often at great personal cost, we should realize that this suffering and struggle together may eventually give birth to a more just social order. I have not the slightest doubt that it will come to pass.