Visit Palestine, July 8-16, 2011
Palestinian civil society organisations applaud the Freedom Flotilla which will again defy Israel’s brutal and illegal siege of Gaza. Throughout the world, honest people will make an effort to support this international initiative.
At the same time, while attention is focused on Gaza, it is important not to forget that Israel continues to pursue a racist policy of Apartheid in all parts of historic Palestine. In the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Negev and in Galilee, Israel inflicts ethnic cleansing, assassinations, the imprisonment of civilians and other human rights violations on the Palestinian population.
For this reason, Palestinian civil society is calling on organisations and people of conscience throughout the world to support a second initiative this summer. This one concerns Israel’s ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine.
The indignities to which Palestinians are subjected daily are reflected in the attitude of officials at Tel Aviv airport, who try to prevent human rights activists from entering the occupied territories – territories the international community judges to be illegally occupied by Israel. This arbitrary, illegal and abusive behaviour by Israel must be opposed.
Therefore, the week of July 8-16 has been designated a week of solidarity in support of the Right to Enter Palestine. (See http://www.righttoenter.ps .)
Hundreds of men, women, and children are expected to visit Palestine during this period. They will arrive at Tel Aviv airport, since the only Palestinian airport was destroyed by Israel and entry from Jordan is also controlled by Israel. The international community must recognize the right of Palestinians to welcome visitors from abroad and the right of Palestinians living abroad to visit Palestine without harassment by Israeli officials.
Israel seeks to isolate the Palestinians. However, citizens of all nations will visit Palestine on July 8-16 and you are invited to join them and to defy Israel by rejecting Israel’s "right" to keep Palestine isolated.
Lodging will be provided for you and you will, without doubt, enjoy both Palestinian hospitality and the program of solidarity and peaceful activities in the towns and villages that are resisting Israeli annexation of their land.
For more info, please see: http://www.righttoenter.ps.
To be put in touch with organizers of the trip for your country, please write to: info@palestinejn.org .
Distributed by PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity)
WWW.PAJUMONTREAL.ORG