Washington, DC | March 15, 2007| “Amana, The Settler Movement,” an organization which describes itself as part of the settlement arm of Gush Emunim, is trying to convince Orthodox Jewish Americans to buy settlements (which are illegal under International law) in Israel. In addition to violating US anti-discrimination and civil rights laws, these events promote discrimination, endorse apartheid, and the illegal sale of Palestinian occupied land.
Under the guise of a “real estate fair,” they claim that the purchase of an illegal settlement is a “zero risk venture.” They also allege, “Your investment is insured, protected and 100% legal.” These fairs are not open to the general public, only to members of the US Jewish community.
What they fail to mention is that, one third of these illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank are built on privately owned land, as reported by official Israeli statistics. Without regard to land ownership or international law, Amana has already sold eight homes in the illegal settlements. Ranging in price from $93,000 to $165,000 the settlement homes are then rented to settlers for $250-400 per month.
They have already held one such fair in Teaneck, New Jersey, and now other fairs are planned the in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami Beach, Florida on Sunday, March 18. Ten illegal settlements will be represented, making Palestinian land available to Jewish-Americans, but not to Palestinians, Palestinian-Americans, or non-Jewish Americans.
EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 18
The first event begins at 9:30 AM at Chabad of Boca Raton, on 17950 Military Trail in Boca Raton, Florida.
The next event, also in Boca Raton, will begin at 12:00 PM at Boca Tov Cafe (Dairy Cholov Yisroel), at 21065 Powerline Road.
Later that afternoon, in Surfside/North Miami Beach, at 4:00 PM, the Shul of Bal Harbour, will host a settler real estate fair at 9540 Collins Avenue.
TAKE ACTION!
Please contact the following public officials to express your outrage at this event. This event promotes discrimination, endorses apartheid and the illegal sale of Palestinian occupied land, in addition to violating anti-discrimination and civil rights laws. Included below is are talking points and a sample letter.
TALKING POINTS:
1) The advertisement and sale in Florida communities of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories may violate Florida, federal and international law, including Florida Civil Rights Law, Fair Housing Act, sections 760.23 and 760.25 and the Federal Fair Housing Act.
2) Pursuant to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory, states are prohibited from transferring civilians from the occupying power’s territory into the occupied territory, and from creating permanent changes in the occupied territory that are not for the benefit of the occupied population. There exists broad international consensus that all Israeli settlements in the West Bank — including those in East Jerusalem – violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and are, therefore, illegal according to international law. Any sales of settlements are presumably illegal.
3) The illegality of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has been affirmed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 465, the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest legal body, in article 120 of its July 9, 2004 advisory opinion (http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm ), and by several major human rights organizations worldwide. Not only did the US government repeatedly affirm this position throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but the Israeli Supreme Court has acknowledged de facto its validity by ruling that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are under “belligerent occupation” in 1979, 2002 and 2004.
4) The possibility that the rental and sale of Israeli settlements at these events in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami Beach, Florida may also contradict US government foreign policy as outlined in the United States Government’s “Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” which, in Phase I, requires Israel “to freeze all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements).” http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/20062.htm
SAMPLE LETTER
I am writing with great concern about the proposed sales of Israeli settlements (settlements are illegal under International law) by Amana in Boca Raton and Surfside/North Miami Beach in Florida.
If these illegal West Bank settlements are being sold in Florida exclusively to people of the Jewish faith, and not to members of other religious and ethnic groups, including Palestinians, or if the advertisement of such sale expresses, directly or indirectly any discrimination against other religious or ethnic groups, such sales or advertisements may violate state and federal discrimination laws, including Florida Civil Rights Law, Fair Housing Act, sections 760.23 and 760.25 and the Federal Fair Housing Act.
The Geneva Conventions outline the responsibilities of an occupying power under international law. Pursuant to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory, states are prohibited from transferring civilians from the occupying power’s territory into the occupied territory, and from creating permanent changes in the occupied territory that are not for the benefit of the occupied population. There exists broad international consensus that that all Israeli settlements in the West Bank — including those in East Jerusalem – violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and are, therefore, illegal according to international law. Any sales of settlements are presumably illegal.
The illegality of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has been affirmed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 465, the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest legal body, in article 120 of its July 9, 2004 advisory opinion (http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm), and by several major human rights organizations worldwide. Not only did the US government repeatedly affirm this position throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but the Israeli Supreme Court has acknowledged de facto its validity by ruling that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are under “belligerent occupation” in 1979, 2002 and 2004.
The United States, as a High Contracting Party to the Fourth Geneva Convention, has both general and specific obligations with respect to the implementation and enforcement of the Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The ongoing failure to act to hold Israel accountable to its obligations as the Occupying Power constitutes a breach of these obligations. Aiding and abetting the commission of an act which is considered a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, such as the transfer of civilians to occupied territory, constitutes a war crime under international law and under the US War Crimes Act of 1996.
Finally, we wish to draw your attention to the possibility that the rental and sale of Israeli settlements at this event in Florida may also contradict US government foreign policy as outlined in the United States Government‘s “Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” which, in Phase I, requires Israel “to freeze all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements).” (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/20062.htm)
Once again, I urge you, in your capacity as a public servant, to ensure that these planned March 18, 2007 event in Florida does not violate local or international laws, nor contradict US foreign policy.
Thank you for your attention to these important issues.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FLORIDA OFFICIALS
-Boca Raton Mayor Steven L Abrahams, (561)393-7700, sabrams@ci.boca-raton.fl.us , Fax:(561) 367-7014
-Boca Raton City Manager Leif Ahnell, (561)393-7700, BocaCM@ci.Boca-Raton.fl.us , Fax: (561) 367 7014
-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, (850)-414-3300, Fax: (850) 410 1630
-Boca Raton, State Attorney, Barry E. Krischer, (561) 355-7100, StateAttorney@sa15.state.fl.us, Fax: (561) 355 7274
-North Miami Beach Mayor, Raymond F. Martin (305)-957-3062 Fax (305) 787-6036
-North Miami Beach City Manager, Kevin Klopp (305)-948-2900 Fax: (305)
957 3602
-North Miami Beach, City Attorney, Howard Lenard (305)-787-6004 Fax
(305) 787-6004
-Congressman Alcee Hastings Contact Information (for Boca Raton residents) http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=186&lvl=C&chamber=H
-Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Contact Information (for Surfside
residents)
http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=180&lvl=C&chamber=H
-Senator Bill Nelson Contact Information http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=10892&submit.x=18&submit.y=11&submit=go
-Senator Mel Martinez Contact Information http://capwiz.com/adc/bio/?id=10033&submit.x=18&submit.y=19&submit=go
-United States Department of State- International Law Division (202)776-8342