my occupied territory: DC Demonstration Against Gaza Seige-Monday @ 5 PM

(I received this email from fellow Palestinian activists in the DC region)

End the Siege of Gaza

Demonstrate Against Israeli Violations

of Human Rights and International Law

MONDAY, JULY 3^rd

5:00 – 6:30 P.M.

Dupont Circle in Washington, DC

All People of Good Conscience

Raise Your Voices – Bring Your Signs

Israel could not carry out its crimes against the Palestinian people without

YOUR tax dollars.

Humanitarian Crisis

Most of the population of Gaza's 1.4 million resident has been left without water and electricity. The destroyed power station provided power to the majority of Gaza's residents and supplied power essential to the functioning of the water system, sewage treatment, and medical treatment.

An estimated 72% of Palestinians are either unemployed or working without pay as the US-led sanctions against the Palestinian Authority proceed. The economic crisis in Gaza is particularly bleak, as movement restrictions and border closures imposed by Israel have prevented adequate humanitarian aid from reaching the majority of the population of Gaza . Officials have indicated that Gaza is only days away from a deadly humanitarian crisis.

Prisoners

While a great outcry is heard in the mass media about one captured Israeli soldier, the same media pays no attention to the 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners being held illegally under terrible conditions in Israeli prisons. At least 335 of these prisoners are children. Palestinian prisoners are systematically tortured by Israel , the only country in the world that has legalized torture.

Israel in Violation of International Law

Israeli is granted tacit approval by the international community for its policies of collective punishment while the US and EU implement sanctions against the Palestinian people. Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention provides, "No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited."

Israel is using weapons supplied by the United States to target Palestinian civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip in violation of the US Arms Export Control Act. We must hold Israel accountable for its abhorrent actions in the Gaza Strip and for the arrests of Palestinian government officials.

We must call attention to the fact that these grave violations of international law and human decency are funded by our US tax dollars and are carried out with the use of US military equipment. Israel receives more than $3,000,000,000 in military and economic aid from the US each year.

(You can also help by writing a letter to the UN and to the Arsenal football team which struck a deal to boost tourism in Israel, details from Ohoud)

I leave you with these words of wisdom from the great Martin Luther King, Jr.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.