Washington, DC — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has called on all people of good will to organize in protest of Israel’s ongoing war against the Palestinian people, in which over 20,000 Israeli occupation forces are now involved throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. At least 33 Palestinians were killed today, many of them civilians, mainly during a massive assault on Jebaliya refugee camp. The West Bank town of Ramallah was completely overrun by occupation forces, where dozens of Israeli tanks are patrolling the streets. During the invasion of Jebaliya refugee camp, the AP reports that “many civilians, some in their pajamas, fled the fighting, moving toward nearby Gaza City on foot and in donkey carts. ‘They are killing us,’ said Laila Ayoub, 38, carrying a baby girl. ‘They used helicopters to fire on us while we were leaving.’”
ADC President Ziad Asali said “these latest outrages once again show that Prime Minister Sharon is determined to escalate the conflict at every stage in his futile effort to crush the Palestinian people through brute force. Meanwhile, Israeli civilians too are being killed without restraint. This occupation, and the terrible conflict it is fueling, have gone on far too long. It is time for all of us who believe in peace and justice to take a stand. We need to join together to demand a halt to this madness and an end to the occupation and the violence.” ADC has declared March 30, the Palestinian “Land Day,” to be a day of support for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians marked by two major demonstrations in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. The demonstrations to “End the Occupation, End the Violence” will in Washington be held at Freedom Plaza on 13th and Pennsylvania Ave near the White House from 1 to 4 PM, and in Los Angeles in front of the Federal Building at Westwood, which is at Wilshire Blvd. and Veteran St., at 1 PM. “I appeal to all people of goodwill in the United States,” Dr. Asali said, “to make their voices heard, to urge the Bush Administration to use its influence to end the occupation and the violence, and to join us in Washington and L.A. to stand for peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
Numerous atrocities by occupation forces continue to come to light. Responding to the killing of several medical personnel and deliberate destruction of ambulances, Physician for Human Rights has announced plans to hold a rally in Tel Aviv to protest Israeli attacks on Palestinian ambulances and paramedics. A set of disturbing photographs, which have been completely ignored by the American media, graphically depict Israeli border police carrying out an extrajudicial execution of a young Palestinian they claim was a suspected suicide bomber. The photos clearly show the man stripped to his underwear, prostrate, and completely subdued before being shoe in the head by Israeli soldiers. The photos can be viewed on the internet at www.electronicintifada.net