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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Life under occupation Home page  back Print  Send To friend ICAHD Monthly Newsletter - June 2011 ICAHD - June 2011 http://www.icahd.org/ Israel`s policy of house demolitions and evictions is illegal under international law, and is politically motivated; its purpose is to disenfranchise entire Palestinian communities and expropriate their land. Annually since 2003, ICAHD has made it possible for internationals and Israelis to join together with Palestinians in the West Bank town of Anata to defy the Occupation and rebuild the demolished homes of Palestinian families. Within two weeks we rebuild an entire home, from foundation to roof, and in the process reorganize relationships on the ground. We send a message to the world: We refuse to be enemies; together we resist the occupation. At the end of the camp, international participants return home as advocates for peace, carrying ICAHD’s vision of what a just and sustainable resolution might look like. Above: Members of the Abu Omar family In the summer of 2011 (July 10-25, 2011), ICAHD will once again rebuild a Palestinian home. The Abu Omar family home was built in 1990 on privately owned land and demolished by the Israeli military in 2005.Ahmed Abu Omar (46) had applied for a building permit, but was refused on the grounds that his land was zoned as an agricultural area. This is a story we hear often and it reflects Israel`s long-time, unlawful policy of curtailing all construction by Palestinians since 1967. With a growing family, the Abu Omars had little choice but to build anyway. In 2003 they received notification that the Israeli authorities deemed the house illegally built, and in March 2005 a demolition order was posted to their door. One month later the family home was demolished within a matter of hours by Israeli bulldozers. They were offered neither alternative housing nor compensation for the demolition, which constitutes a grave violation of international h umanitarian law. The Abu Omars would have been left without shelter if it were not for the kindness of a neighbor who provided a small house, and the commitment of ICAHD who built a small, temporary shelter. Ahmed described the effect on the family of losing their home as “dying every day.” Top: Abu Omar home before demolition, Bottom: Abu Omar home after demolition ICAHD, in consultation with the local community council, has decided to rebuild the Abu Omar home at their request. You can imagine how delighted and enthusiastic the family is at the prospect of having a home of their own again. Their courage to defy the Israeli Occupation’s atrocious practice of demolition, forced eviction, and land expropriation is and inspiration to us all. Last few openings for the summer 2011 rebuilding experience remain! For more information, you may contact us at summercamp@icahdusa.org (interested parties from America) or summercamp@icahduk.org (intersted parties from Europe) or tours@icahd.org (rest of the world). How can you help? You can take part in the Summer Rebuilding Camp by providing scholarship assistance for one or more participants, informing other organizations and individuals of this activity, and helping us publicize our weekly reports from the camp on the internet. Make a donation online to support the rebuilding camp or contact us for more information about how you can support this extraordinarily valuable program. 50$ will buy a bag of cement. 200$ will buy a crate of plumbing and roofing materials. 1,500$ will provide a scholarship for one participant. ICAHD Donation ICAHD-USA Donation (donations to ICAHD-USA are tax deductible) ICAHD-UK Donation ca Links to the latest articles in this section Occupation forces injure mourners following funeral of slain infant Mohammad Tamimi Nabi Saleh village assaulted - toddler shot in the head died in hospital Palestinians in the snow: thrown from home into the snow, throw snowballs and get arrested