In December 2011, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called on Israel to halt demolitions forthwith.
Israel's demolition of homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem displaced more than 1094 people in 2011, twice that of the previous year and the highest number since 2005.
After each demolition of the Shawamreh home, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions rebuilt it, as an act of political resistance to Israel's heinous demolition policy and to demonstrate that there are Israeli partners for peace. After the fourth demolition in 2003, the house was rebuilt as a peace centre and named Beit Arabiya. But now even this icon of peace is reduced to rubble.
How much longer will Israel be allowed to escape accountability by using the excuse that Palestinians don't comply with Israeli regulations when in fact Israel is the guilty party because it refuses to allow Palestinians to build their much needed homes?
We call upon all people concerned, including leaders of faith communities, to speak out and respond to repeated Israeli actions which only push peace further out of reach.
Linda Ramsden, Director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK
Rev Chris Rose, Director, Amos Trust
William Bell, Policy Officer Middle East, Christian Aid
Pat Gaffney, General Secretary, Pax Christi, International Catholic Movement for Peace
Linda Mead, Commitment for Life, United Reform Church
Paul Northup, Director, Greenbelt
Vivien Lichtenstein, Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Ibrahim Hewitt, Chair of Interpal (Palestinian Relief and Development Fund)
Ismail Patel, Chair, Friends of Al-Aqsa
Rt Rev Richard Llewellin, former Bishop of Dover
Warren Bardsley, KairosPalestine UK
Dr Stephen Leah, Member of the Methodist Conference
Jan Davies, Friends of Sabeel UK
Penny Rivers, Churchwarden of St John the Evangelist, Farncombe, Surrey
Angus Geddes, United Reformed Church, Havant
John Hilary, Executive Director, War on Want
John Pilger, Patron, ICAHD UK
Baroness Jenny Tonge, Patron, ICAHD UK
Prof Avi Shlaim, St Antony's College, Oxford, Patron, ICAHD UK
Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, Patron, ICAHD UK, author
Abe Hayeem, Chair, Architects and Planners Justice in Palestine
Sarah Colborne, Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign
After the demolition of an Israeli Peace Centre near Jerusalem, Christian Aid, Pax Christi, War on Want, the Greenbelt Festival, the Amos Trust and others sign letter calling upon all people concerned, including leaders of faith communities, to speak out and respond to repeated Israeli actions which only push peace further out of reach.
On Monday night, 23 January, Israeli authorities demolished Beit Arabiya, the peace centre for the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). Also demolished were the Abu Omar home, rebuilt by ICAHD with a team of international volunteers in the summer of 2011, and structures in the East Anata Arab al-Jahalin Bedouin community. A total of seven homes were demolished leaving 52 people displaced, including 29 children.
Beit Arabiya (meaning Arabiya’s House) is located in the West Bank town of Anata (Area C) just to the northeast of Jerusalem. It belongs to Palestinians Arabiya Shawamreh, her husband, Salim, and their seven children. Their home was demolished four times by the Israeli authorities and rebuilt each time by the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). After the fourth demolition it was dedicated by the Shawamreh family to be used as a peace centre and a living symbol of resistance to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian people and the desire for justice and peace for both people groups.
"This seems like a concerted, yet futile, effort to discourage ICAHD from rebuilding demolished Palestinian homes" said ICAHD Director Jeff Halper, academic, author, peace activist and a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize nominee (along with Palestinian academic and peace activist Ghassan Andoni).
On Thursday, 26 January, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (UNHC) Maxwell Gaylard visited the ruins of Beit Arabiya and the other demolitions where he also spoke with the affected Palestinian families, and was briefed by ICAHD.
“Israel as the Occupying Power has a fundamental responsibility to protect the Palestinian civilian population under its control and to ensure their dignity and wellbeing. The wholesale destruction of their homes and livelihoods is not consistent with that responsibility and humanitarian ideals. The current policy and practice of demolitions cause extensive human suffering and should end. Palestinians urgently require ready access to a fair and nondiscriminatory planning and zoning system that meets their needs for growth and development” said Gaylard.
ICAHD has funding from the EU. Beit Arabiya has hosted thousands of internationals including from faith groups – Jews, Christians, Muslims - who have also provided funds for ICAHD’s rebuilding programme.
For more information see ICAHD.
