[Peace-discuss] Local pressure points to resist Israeli offensive

[Danielle Chynoweth]

Hi friends,

In the face of the current massacre of Palestinians I have felt helpless.
In the face of my helplessness I have been trying to find some LOCAL
PRESSURE POINT to raise my voice against the carnage.

I have found two campaigns that are doing just that.

#1
There is a Palestinian rights group on campus, the Democratic Solidarity
Committee (DSC), calling for UI's divestment from corporations involved in
Israel such as weapons manufacturers, Boeing and Lockheed Martin (UI
invests $20 million in these two), SBC Communications, Time Warner, ATT,
and others.

View information about their divestment campaign at uofidivest.org.

* This Wednesday * 10 - 4 on the Quad the DSC construct a mock Palestinian
refugee camp on the Quad to illustrate how 1 million Palestinians
live.  The camp will include an Israeli guard post, tanks signed "made in
the USA," barbed wire, and IDF soldiers.

#20
Also, Caterpillar, the makers of the bulldozers currently ripping through
Palestinian owned houses, is right here in our own back yard.  Gush Salom,
an Israeli justice group is leading a letter campaign to pressure
Caterpillar to denounce the Israeli government for using its bulldozers to
demolish homes.  As of March 1, Caterpillar had received 500 letters from
around the world.  Gush Shalom wants to send 5000.

Below is the text of the letter to print, sign, and send.

peace,
danielle

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Office of the Chairman
Caterpillar, Inc.
100 N. E. Adams St.
Peoria, IL 61629-7240

Dear Mr. Barton:

As a responsible CEO of a reputable American company such as Caterpillar,
you must be aware of the claims made against your corporation in
relationship to the current demolition of Palestinian homes in the Gaza
Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Reportedly, the Israeli government used Caterpillar’s bulldozers on
numerous occasions for the purpose of toppling the homes of totally
innocent Palestinian civilians. According to the Associated Press, Israel
destroyed 60 homes in the Rafah refugee camp Jan. 10, 2002. This left over
600 Palestinians in utter destitution. The demolition continued Jan. 14
with the demolition of nine homes in East Jerusalem. As far as we know,
the most recent of these illegal and repeated eliminations of Palestinian
property occurred the first week of February, in which seven homes were
razed, at least three of them in East Jerusalem. In a recent article from
the Associated Press news service, the mayor of East Jerusalem, Ehud
Olmert, recently stated that Palestinian houses are to be demolished on a
weekly basis. AP news also reported that "...more than 5,100 Palestinians
[have been] made homeless in the past 16 months in Israeli home
demolitions, according to an Israeli human rights group."

Israel is using Caterpillar bulldozers to collectively punish the innocent
Palestinian population. The people that are being victimized by this
illegal action are blameless men, women and children, now left with
nothing but the rubble of their homes, their anger and their grief.
This policy of perpetually destroying property of innocent civilians
causes Israel to be in direct conflict with international laws that Israel
has signed onto. According to the Fourth Geneva Conference of 1949,
Section 3, Article 53:

"Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property
belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the
State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative
organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered
absolutely necessary by military operations."

This resolution was renewed in October of the new millennium by the United
Nations’ Resolution 1322 that requires "
Israel, the occupying Power, to
abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and its responsibilities under
the Fourth Geneva Convention."

Because of the current Israeli government's belligerent disregard for
international law, the United States, as well as respected organizations
such as Amnesty International, the United Nations Human Rights Committee,
and Human Rights Watch have condemned the bulldozing of Palestinian homes.
As a highly regarded company, it would be advisable for Caterpillar to
follow their example and denounce Israel’s use of Caterpillar’s bulldozers
for illegal purposes.

The current situation could and most likely will prove to be a public
relations disaster for Caterpillar. Your corporation runs the risk of
becoming the first corporation to be attacked in the new anti-apartheid
divest-from-Israel campaign. If you will remember back to the divestment
campaign against South Africa in the 1980's, you will sense the severity
of this risk. For this reason, as well as simple morality, Caterpillar
ought to seriously consider halting all additional sales of products that
Israel may use against innocent civilians in direct violation of
international law that both the US and Israel have signed onto. It is not
in your interest to send the message that Caterpillar supports the illegal
destruction of innocent civilian homes.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,



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Danielle Chynoweth

Graphic Design Director * On the Job Consulting, Inc. * www.onthejob.net
Alderperson,  Ward 4 * Urbana City Council * www.city.urbana.il.us