September 7, 2017
To: President Mahmoud Abbas
President of the Palestinian National Authority
Re: Immediate and Unconditional Release of Palestinian Human Rights Defender, Issa Amro.
Dear President Abbas:
I write to you on this day, September 7, 2017, exactly twenty years after my niece, Smadar Elhanan, the granddaughter of Matti Peled was buried in Jerusalem. As you know, she was killed in a suicide mission carried out by three young Palestinians, whose lives were also lost in the operation. In front of me there is a photo of you standing next to the late Shahid Dr. Issam Sartawi, the late President, the Shahid Yasser Arafat and my late father, General Matti Peled together in Tunis.
Dear Mr. President, Issa Amro is a Palestinian Fida’i – he is defending almost single-handedly the old city of Hebron from the Jewish settlers and military. He is the sole reason that Tel Rumeida, with its ancient and beautiful olive trees are still within Palestinian reach. I personally have visited Tel Rumeida countless times, and I brought many people to see it and to visit the house of YAS, Youth Against Settlements, which was established by Issa Amro.
Issa is highly respected in Palestine and around the world as an honest and true defender of human rights. The house where YAS has its center stands in front of Baruch Marzel and other Israeli criminals who have already stolen Palestinian land in Hebron and wish to steal this piece of land from Palestinian hands as well. It is only the courage and leadership of Issa Amro that is keeping them from succeeding and destroying more Palestinian land.
I plead with you to release Issa Amro from custody immediately and without condition and to make sure that the charges brought against him are dropped without delay.
Respectfully,
Miko Peled
Yes, Issa must be released immediately (and is now out on bail). All charges should be dropped and the PA must end its persecution of those who resist occupation and learn to live with freedom of speech.