For More Information, Call:
Land and Water Establishment For Release 3:00 p.m. Tel: (972) (02) 812364/824559 January 14, 1995 Fax: (972) (02) 811072
Statement by Advocate Shawqi Issa from the Land and Water Establishment
Support the Land Defense Committees!
What we ask for is support for the Land Defense Committees, and not for the formation of bureaucratic committees issuing orders from offices far from the field.
Struggle against settler aggression against Palestinian land must take place on the endangered land itself. Support must be given to the landowners to prevent the settlers from destroying it. Effective struggle against settler activity does not take place during meetings in offices and by giving instructions and orders to landowners.
Leading politicians have attempted to form bureaucratic committees. This does not help, but in fact impedes the resistance process. At this time, everyone should support the Land Defense Committees as the most effective means of protest.
The Land Defense Committees were established in August and September 1994 in many villages by the landowners themselves. Land Defense Committees still need to be established in the rest of the villages facing land confiscation and settlement expansion.
Some of the committees established by politicians discussed collecting money for the landowners facing confiscation. But the landowners are not in need of money. They need support against the settlers' bulldozers, and for their demand to stop the peace negotiations until all activity on the part of the settlers is halted.
These are the demands we have heard by the landowners over the last several months, every day and in every village. They ask everyone to support the decisions of the landowners themselves and of the Land Defense Committees.
Most recently, the landowners have requested trees so they may continue their protest through cultivating their land.
** The Land and Water Establishment is a Palestinian human rights advocacy organization. The lawyers of LAWE represent the people of Al Khader and other villages.