Thirty-nine newcomer Congresswomen and men, and 5 newcomer Senators are going to Capitol Hill in January! To give members of Congress and their constituents the opportunity to see for themselves, Rebuilding Alliance, is hosting a Congressional Leadership Learning Mission to Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, December 14-21st. Constituents in their state or district have the most influence in convincing them to take this important trip — invite your’s today.
Donna Baranski-Walker calls on the U.S. State Department– and ambassador-nominee David Friedman– to prevent the imminent Israeli demolition of a West Bank Palestinian school and village, Khan al Ahmar, which is alongside the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.
“Why is this happening now?” That’s the question a senior adviser to President Obama asked Donna Baranski-Walker of the Rebuilding Alliance when her team with him last week to urge the President’s leadership to stop the crisis of demolitions underway in Area C of the West Bank. Baranski-Walker writes, “Tangible action by the President, Senators and Representatives, and by U.S. citizens as their constituents, is needed now to recognize Palestinian planning rights and stop the demolitions of Palestinian homes, barns, schools and water cisterns in Palestine’s Area C.”
The Israeli Army has initiated a crisis of demolitions in the West Bank’s Area C, displacing more Palestinian families this year than in all of 2015. A stated program of forced relocation is underway. The Rebuilding Alliance urges Americans to call Congress to oppose US support for the project.
Dr. Yasser Abu Jamei, Executive Director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, has begun a speaking tour in the U.S. about “Trauma and Hope” in Gaza. His first engagements are on the West Coast. It will culminate in New York late in the month and in Washington on November 1.
55 families live in Susiya in the occupied West Bank, and Israel is poised to remove them; only a coalition of human rights groups has prevented the action. But bulldozers have been moved into the area; don’t let this take place over the perilous July 4th weekend.
The Government of Israel has demolished Al Araqib village 83 times and levied huge fines and an outrageous lawsuit against the villagers to press them to give up their land. Please ask your senators and representative to press the Government of Israel to withdraw the outrageous fines and lawsuit against the residents of Al Araqib and recognize their right to live on the land they own.
This past month, Rebuilding Alliance’s office in San Mateo filled with thousands of bags of gently-used clothes, shoes, and bedding for those in Gaza who lost everything. A hundred volunteers — all faiths and backgrounds — sorted and packed over 600 boxes. Albayk Restaurant donated lunch each day and Home Depot discounted tape and boxes. The United Nations is helping Rebuilding Alliance get this first shipping container into Gaza for delivery to the Al Basma Club for the Disabled (ABCD). ABCD is the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization in Gaza City who will distribute to the families who need it most.