Urgent Message – tomorrow’s action (25.9) at Khirbet Makhoul canceled

Following an appeal lodged by the attorney acting for inhabitants of Khirbet Makhoul, a temporary judicial injunction allowing villagers to return to their village and re-build their homes. We have no details of the injunction and what conditions are set in it, when we get such details we will publish them.

The court did clearly stipulate that during the villagers’ return there should be be no disturbance of public order and security.

Thus, in concurrence with the residents we agreed to cancel our intended visit.

We will follow events and decide on our further steps accordingly.

We hope the villagers to re-build their homes and live there securely for all time.

Yaakov Manor 50-57332760+972-

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Solidarity visit in the village of Khirbet Makhoul in the Jordan Valley, which was destroyed by the army

Wednesday 25 September 2013

On Monday 16 September, the army completely demolished the village of Khirbet Makhoul in the northern Jordan Valley. Subsequent attempts by the Red Cross to bring humanitarian aid were prevented through the use of stun grenades. Consular staff from European Union countries were removed from the area, in violation of their diplomatic immunity. Village residents remained without shelter and means of livelihood, exposed to the blazing sun and night-time cold.

Activists, women and men, those who care, will join this important visit, during which we will erect a shelter in protest of the demolitions and of consigning the residents to a life without shelter

Background:

The village of Khirbet Makhoul was settled by Palestinians prior to 1948. Following Israel's occupation in 1967, the army demolished the entire village and its stone homes without any reason. Since then, village residents have resided in temporary structures - tin shacks and tents.

Some 120 residents live in the village, where the percentage of old and the elderly is high.

According to the Oslo Agreements, Khirbet Makhoul, like most of the territory of the Palestinian Jordan Valley, is defined as Area C. Over the years, the state of Israel has conducted a policy of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian residents of Area C. For this goal, all means prohibited by international conventions are resorted to - transferring the occupying population to occupied territories - settlements, land confiscations, taking over natural resources - water and minerals, home demolitions, water deprivation, limiting movement and innumerable harassments to disrupt daily life.

The Jordan Valley and South Hebron Hills are two prominent examples of this policy.

We call for an end to the ethnic cleansing!

Partner organisations: Civil Disobedience, Coalition of Women for Peace, Gush Shalom,Hithabrut-Tarabut, Machsom Watch, Public Committee against Torture in Israel, Ta'ayush: Arab-Jewish Partnership, the Alternative Information Center, Yesh Gvul , Woman In Black, New Profile.

Representatives of the media are welcome to use our transportation:

Tel Aviv: Arlozorov train station, Sixt car park at 8.00 a.m.

(registration: Yaakov Manor, 050-5733276, manor12@zahav.net.il)

Jerusalem: Liberty Bell Park, 8.30 a.m.

(registration: Connie Hackbarth, 052 -6375033, conniehackbarth@hotmail.com;

Arik Ascherman: 050-5607034)