a letter to the newspapers
The following is a letter that I'm sending to some newspaper here in Fort Collins. As mentioned in the letter, this last weekend was the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Palestine. I had really wanted to go to D.C. for a large rally and march demanding an end to the occupation but it did not work out. And then, too late, I wished I had helped to do something locally, in coordination with efforts nationally and internationally. So, I wrote a letter. That will sure change everything.
This last weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The situation worsens, as Israel continues to build illegal settlements in the West Bank, construct a wall on land inside Palestinian territory, confiscate Palestinian agricultural land, and maintain a brutal military occupation.
In the West Bank, hundreds of internal checkpoints prevent freedom of movement and subject Palestinians to daily humiliation. Israeli settlements, funded by the Israeli government using U.S. foreign aid, surround every city in the West Bank. Israeli-only roads crisscross the West Bank. Sniper towers wage psychological war on Palestinians. I witnessed this in the streets of Askar refugee camp outside the city of Nablus. A green beam of light was projected from an Israeli military installation on a nearby hilltop into the camp after dark. This targeting laser was trained on individuals; the message very clearly being “We can see you and shoot and kill you any moment we wish.”
So the occupation continues, entering its 41st year. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and others are only too happy to continue this conflict, as it means profit. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid in the world and most of the money is used to purchase weapons from U.S. corporations. These corporations then contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns, ensuring their profit interests will be looked after. As long as this continues, we will see many more of these anniversaries.
This last weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The situation worsens, as Israel continues to build illegal settlements in the West Bank, construct a wall on land inside Palestinian territory, confiscate Palestinian agricultural land, and maintain a brutal military occupation.
In the West Bank, hundreds of internal checkpoints prevent freedom of movement and subject Palestinians to daily humiliation. Israeli settlements, funded by the Israeli government using U.S. foreign aid, surround every city in the West Bank. Israeli-only roads crisscross the West Bank. Sniper towers wage psychological war on Palestinians. I witnessed this in the streets of Askar refugee camp outside the city of Nablus. A green beam of light was projected from an Israeli military installation on a nearby hilltop into the camp after dark. This targeting laser was trained on individuals; the message very clearly being “We can see you and shoot and kill you any moment we wish.”
So the occupation continues, entering its 41st year. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and others are only too happy to continue this conflict, as it means profit. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid in the world and most of the money is used to purchase weapons from U.S. corporations. These corporations then contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns, ensuring their profit interests will be looked after. As long as this continues, we will see many more of these anniversaries.
posted by matt iv at 1:58 PM
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