In this video-post you will get to know the children of the Nawaja and Shuneran families, the two largest families in Susya. You can observe the difficulty of growing up in a deprived village under constant threat of demolition. The population of Susya is impoverished, existing on the margins of Palestinian society. The simple wish of Susya’s residents is to be able to continue to make a living by practicing their traditional lifestyle of grazing and agricultural work. If we take away their ability to sustain themselves, who will take moral and practical responsibility for their welfare?
Watch: Introducing the Children of Susya
Act Now!
Help us prevent Susya from being wiped out.
- Spread word of the injustice;
- Write to Israel’s President Shimon Peres (Sample letter and email below), demanding that this moral stain in our name be prevented. President Peres cannot and should not interfere with the legal process. However, if we meet our goal of 2400 letters in the next 24 hours we may be able to generated some much needed publicity before the hearing, and influence what President Peres does after the hearing.
Write to President Shimon Peres:
Email: President of the state of Israel Mr. Shimon Peres: public@president.gov.il
Fax: +972-2-5887225
Please send copies of all emails and faxes, as well as any responses you receive, to RHR at info@rhr.israel.net
Subject: Please use your power to prevent the injustice of wiping out the entire Palestinian village of Susya
Dear Mr. President
Please use your power to prevent the injustice of wiping out the entire Palestinian village of Susya, whose only offense is building for its own survival. The villagers have they been forced to build their flimsy homes on their farmland only because they have been twice expelled from their homes by the IDF.
Background: The Palestinian village Susya is located in the South Hebron Hills, one of the poorest, disempowered areas in the entire West Bank. It is one of several small communities in the region that are part of a unique culture living until this day in caves. Susya consists mainly of tents and the few remaining caves not destroyed, with no electricity, water or sewage infrastructure. The residents barely subsist on seasonal agriculture and herding. The attempt to force these simple people off their lands has been likened to the kivsat harash,
Susya is located on its residents’ farmland, for which they have no construction permits. They didn’t move there to flout the law. Rather, they were expelled from their previous homes. Many of the residents originally lived just on the Israeli side of the 1967 border, but joined family members in the original village of Susya after being expelled into the West Bank in 1948. In 1986 the Susya was declared a closed archaeological zone because an ancient Hebrew synagogue had been unearthed there. The Palestinians were expelled from their village without receiving any alternative accommodations. They moved to a different set of caves on their farmland.
In 2001 all the villagers were again expelled, this time from their farmland. Again, the army destroyed the caves in which they lived. The reason: A settler from the adjacent settlement of Susya had been murdered. The killer eventually apprehended was from the town of Yatta, but that didn’t stop the army from destroying all of Susya. The idea of collective punishment – of punishing an entire village for the offenses of one person – is distorted, destructive and unlawful to begin with. But, in the case of Susya, the punishment was meted out to a village that had nothing to do with the murder.
The Israeli High Court ruled that demolitions must stop, and the residents must be permitted to return. Because the caves had been destroyed, the Susya residents were forced to build tin shanties and tents. However, planning for Palestinians in the Occupied Territories has been controlled by the military since 1971, without Palestinian representation. The planning committees were unprepared to even approve the construction needed to replace the caves illegally demolished by the army. Demolition orders have been issued for all structures in the village from 2001 until today. Recently, the extremist organization Regavim petitioned the court to expedite the carrying out of outstanding demolition orders. The entire village is in peril.
This Thursday, January 31st, a fateful High Court hearing on the Regavim petition will take place. It will not only determine Susya’s future, but will have implications for endangered homes throughout the Occupied Territories. We are cautiously optimistic that the Court will not approve Regavim’s request, because the Court will probably accept the State’s position that demolitions cannot be carried out before due consideration has been given to a new alternative zoning plan that has submitted by Rabbis For Human Rights. However, if the Court merely accepts the State position, we leave in place the discriminatory planning system denying Susya and other Palestinian communities any possibility of even minimum humanitarian development. In all likelihood, the Civil Administration will eventually reject the new zoning plan, and Susya will be again in danger.
First and foremost, this terribly unjust. Please take to heart the Torah’s oft repeated command to remember the bitterness of Egyptian oppression when we relate to the strangers in our midst. Furthermore, the hatred and misery created by planning discrimination and administrative demolitions make the dream of peace and security ever more distant, and further erode Israel’s standing in the community of nations.
We know that you cannot and should not interfere in judicial decisions. However, you can use your influence to persuade the new Israeli government to end the intentionally discriminatory planning process for Palestinians in Area C, and you can work for a moratorium on administrative home demolitions until such time as a more just system is in place.
Sincerely,
Your name
Background: The Palestinian village Susya is located in the South Hebron Hills, one of the poorest, disempowered areas in the entire West Bank. It is one of several small communities in the region that are part of a unique culture living until this day in caves. Susya consists mainly of tents and the few remaining caves not destroyed, with no electricity, water or sewage infrastructure. The residents barely subsist on seasonal agriculture and herding. The attempt to force these simple people off their lands has been likened to the kivsat harash, the Biblical parable of a wealthy man who steals the one ewe lamb of a poor man. The prophet Nathan uses this story to rebuke King David.
Susya is located on its residents’ farmland, for which they have no construction permits. They didn’t move there to flout the law. Rather, they were expelled from their previous homes. Many of the residents originally lived just on the Israeli side of the 1967 border, but joined family members in the original village of Susya after being expelled into the West Bank in 1948. In 1986 the Susya was declared a closed archaeological zone because an ancient Hebrew synagogue had been unearthed there. The Palestinians were expelled from their village without receiving any alternative accommodations. They moved to a different set of caves on their farmland.
In 2001 all the villagers were again expelled, this time from their farmland. Again, the army destroyed the caves in which they lived. The reason: A settler from the adjacent settlement of Susya had been murdered. The killer eventually apprehended was from the town of Yatta, but that didn’t stop the army from destroying all of Susya. The idea of collective punishment – of punishing an entire village for the offenses of one person – is distorted, destructive and unlawful to begin with. But, in the case of Susya, the punishment was meted out to a village that had nothing to do with the murder.
The Israeli High Court ruled that demolitions must stop, and the residents must be permitted to return. Because the caves had been destroyed, the Susya residents were forced to build tin shanties and tents. However, planning for Palestinians in the Occupied Territories has been controlled by the military since 1971, without Palestinian representation. The planning committees were unprepared to even approve the construction needed to replace the caves illegally demolished by the army. Demolition orders have been issued for all structures in the village from 2001 until today. Recently, the extremist organization Regavim petitioned the court to expedite the carrying out of outstanding demolition orders. The entire village is in peril.
On Thursday, January 31st, a fateful Supreme Court hearing on the Regavim petition will take place. It will not only determine Susya’s future, but will have implications for endangered homes throughout the Occupied Territories. We are cautiously optimistic that the Court will not approve Regavim’s request, because even the State has said that demolitions cannot be carried out before due consideration has been given to a new alternative zoning plan RHR has submitted, that would legalize the homes and school and solar panels of Susya. However, if the Court merely accepts the State position, we leave in place the discriminatory planning system denying Susya and other Palestinian communities any possibility of even minimum humanitarian development.
We must spread the word regarding this injustice, and the desecration of God’s Name that could take place -In our name. We cannot let our country act toward the stranger in our midst in such a way that we forget our heritage. We were slaves in Egypt, and we have been commanded to remember the bitter taste of oppression.
For more information: The origin of the expulsion – A Brief history of Palestinian Susya
Please join us in the High Court on This Thursday (31.1) at 11:30 in order to Save Susya!
14 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 26, 2013 at 6:55 pm
וידאו-בלוג ופעולה ישירה להצלת סוסיא | שומרי משפט – רבנים למען זכויות האדם
[…] לחץ בינלאומי על מקבלי ההחלטות. אנא כנסו, צפו בסרטונים (פרק א', פרק ב'), שתפו ושלחו מייל לנשיא המדינה וראש […]
June 16, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Percy
in line with the insurers operational models and structural differences.
Long-term policyholders are provided with full coverage in terms of wellness, maternity,
and coverage during traveling, however premium varies.
Wearing a piece of silver jewelry may not guarantee a perfect health, but
it will most likely contribute to a better one.
June 16, 2013 at 3:06 pm
Private Health Insurance Providers Uk
Zone in on those private medical insurers that offers you value for money in terms of packages, discounts and benefits.
When shopping for health insurance, it may be beneficial to consider the best of
the best. If you want to make the most out of your insurance premium,
you should figure out exactly what you need before you consider
applying for health insurance in Australia.
June 17, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Francis
Excellent post however I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject?
I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thanks!
August 31, 2013 at 12:34 am
http://webleague.altervista.org/
We use many of the same drugs in cattle that are
administered to people for respiratory illness.
Then see if you save money by having a high deductible health
plan. One major difference is that dependents will now be individually rated.
August 31, 2013 at 4:30 am
health insurance quote article
From the customer’s POV, this is a good enough way to grasp the
situation. In my romantic heart I think of honey as liquid sunshine in a jar.
With this type of program, monthly premiums are adaptable the covered with insurance bash has the method to
choose or remove distinct factors inside their protection policy.
September 2, 2013 at 9:01 am
health insurance quote compare plans
Although many were qualified, many opted to hold on to their cash instead and save it for actual medical
emergencies if the need arises. Both the forcing of
one to engage in commerce by law and the prosecution of one who does not are un-Constitutional.
Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she
makes – and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.
September 2, 2013 at 8:09 pm
health insurance quotes for self employed people
This type of liability insurance for engineers covers damage or injury to your client.
You can do it by hand and send it off to the IRS, or you can go
to see a paid preparer. The internet is a powerful tool for obtaining insurance
quotes because it allows an individual to
compare plans side-by-side in a relatively short amount of time.
September 17, 2013 at 6:11 pm
www.internet-friedhof.de
Earlier people norkally nnot take this seriously, but noow days
everyone is so afraid of medical expenses thast drag them
to buy some health insurance. Whatever profession you may be in,
creativity is something that is viotal too business
growth. “Stimulus jobless benefits extend to small businesses.
September 30, 2013 at 5:28 am
home insurance quotes over 50
Perhaps thousands of dollars in jewellery, heirlooms and small electronics were lost.
The ideal way to go about purchasing a home insurance plan is
by comparijng andd selecting on the web. Contents coverage can
provide for replacement oor payout for furniture,
jewelry, or other items oof personal property.
May 4, 2015 at 7:25 pm
my link
Wire Raceway is a product bought iin many hardware shops, it’s often pressent in electrical supplies.
May 6, 2015 at 4:09 am
one-time offer
The first and thhe first necessity that arrives with thhe electrician providers is with
the electrical fittings.
June 13, 2015 at 5:44 am
טכנאי מחשבים באיזור הצפון
טכנאי מחשבים בקריות, טכנאי מחשבים
בחיפה , טכנאי מחשבים באיזור חיפה
והקריות, טכנאי מחשבים בקרית ים, טכנאי מחשבים בקרית חיים, טכנאי מחשבים בקרית ביאליק, טכנאי מחשבים בקרית מוצקין , טכנאי מחשבים בקרית
אתא , תיקון מחשבים בחיפה , תיקון מחשבים בקריות , תיקון
מחשבים בקרית ים , תיקון מחשבים בחיפה
והקריות , תיקון מחשבים בקרית ביאליק, תיקון מחשבים
בקרית מוצקין, מעבדת מחשבים בקריות ,
מעבדת מחשבים בחיפה , תיקון מסך מחשב בקריות ,
תיקון לפטופים בקריות , תיקון מחשבים , טכנאי מחשבים ,
רן מחשבים , רן מחשבים – אלופים בשירות , רן מחשבים
בקריות , טכנאי מחשבים באיזור הצפון , טכנאי מחשבים עד הבית , טכניי מחשבים
בקריות , תיקון מחשב בבית הלקוח , תיקון מסך מחשב , בניית אתרי אינטרנט , בניית אתרי תדמית , בניית אתרי
אינטרנט לבעלי עסקים , בניית אתרים ,
עיצוב אתרי אינטרנט , מעצב גרפי , מעצבים גרפיים , בניית
אתר לעסק
December 27, 2016 at 3:03 am
địa điểm in hóa đơn vat
Hurrah, that’s what I was exploring for, what a information!
present here at this blog, thanks admin of this website.