[Peace-discuss] Petition to stop US aid to Israel.

[Al Kagan]

To sign the petition below, go to 
http://www.stop-us-aid-to-israel.org/petition/

Statement posted:   August 1, 2002
 
Verified Signatures:   358


                          STOP US AID TO ISRAEL



To:  President George W. Bush and the United States Congress

We, the undersigned, are appalled by the human rights abuses against 
Palestinians by the Israeli government, the
continued military occupation and colonization of Palestinian 
territory by Israeli armed forces and settlers, the forcible
eviction of the inhabitants from, and the demolition of, Palestinians 
homes, towns, and cities. We find the recent attacks
on Israeli civilians unacceptable and abhorrent. But these should not 
and do not negate the human rights of the
Palestinians.

We find it reprehensible that US tax dollars, in the form of US aid 
to Israel, are being used to fund Israel's oppressive
policy towards the Palestinians. This aid not only sustains Israel's 
illegal occupation and provides the means for Israel
to continue violating the human rights of Palestinians, but also 
violates the US Arms Export Control Act, which
prohibits the President from furnishing military aid or selling 
weapons to any country that consistently violates
internationally recognized human rights standards. We demand the 
immediate cessation of all US aid to Israel until
Israel honors United Nations authority and abides by the rules of 
international law.  In particular, we demand that:

              1.  Israel comply with United Nations Resolution 242, which notes
              the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by 
war, and which
              calls for withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from the Occupied
              Territories.
              2.  Israel comply with the United Nations Committee Against
              Torture 2001 Report, which recommends that Israel's use of torture
              be ended.
              3.  Israel cease the building of new settlements, and 
vacate existing
              settlements, in the Occupied Territories, in compliance with the
              Fourth Geneva Convention. ("The occupying power shall not deport
              or transfer parts of its own civilian population into 
territories it
              occupies"; Article 49, paragraph 6.)
              4.  Israel acknowledge the applicability of United Nations
              Resolution 194 with respect to the rights of refugees, 
which grants
              refugees the choice between returning to their former homes and
              property compensation. ("Resolves that the refugees wishing to
              return to their homes and live at peace with their 
neighbours should
              be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that
              compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not
              to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under
              principles of international law or in equity, should be 
made good by
              the Governments or authorities responsible"; Paragraph 11(a)).


                                      Sincerely,

                                    The Undersigned



-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu