Israeli peace groups protest Orient House occupation
by Gush Shalom Last week the whole world immediately became aware of the Orient House, the building in East Jerusalem seized by the Israeli police under orders of the Sharon Government. The international media reported that it was a major centre of Palestinian political and cultural activity and that its occupation by the police was a direct violation of an explicit written guarantee, given in 1993 by Shimon Peres — then, as now, Foreign Minister of Israel. What was hardly mentioned in the media was the special role this place has for the Israeli peace camp. In no other Palestinian venue were peace- seeking Israelis such frequent visitors, always made to feel at home and engage in fruitful discussion and dialogue. It was painful to see on the TV screen the conquering soldiers and police arrogantly trampling the same beautiful balconies and verandas where such a short time ago Palestinian and Israeli peace-seekers had stood together in amity. And seeing the Israeli flag raised by the stupid arrogant conquerors on top of the building filled us with shame and disgust for the flag of our country. Contrary to Sharon's claim to have "restored Israeli sovereignty in Greater Jerusalem" by closing down the Orient House and more than ten other Palestinian institutions, this brutal and high-handed act demonstrated for all to see that East Jerusalem is an occupied territory, held by the State of Israel by sheer brute force. The Orient House had been a primary target for Sharon and the rest of the Israeli right-wing. Last Thursday's terrible suicide bombing served as the pretext for implementing this long-prepared design and occupation of Orient House. It was a very thin pretext, since not even Sharon dared claim that this building or anyone in it, was in any way connected to the bombing. In the past two days Israeli peace activists — as well as a sizeable number of international volunteers from the US and various European countries — joined the increasing wave of protests by Palestinians outside the occupied Orient House. Gush Shalom and the Women's Coalition for Peace, in co-ordination with the Palestinian leadership in East Jerusalem, resolved to hold their own demonstration at the Orient House — or as near as we can get, considering the enormous police presence all around, blocking off whole streets. This protest is to take place on Tuesday, August 14 and will call for the immediate restoration of the Orient House to its Palestinian owners. (An earlier demonstration was brutally broken up by Israeli police.) Here is a draft protest letter to go to the Israeli Government and President Bush:" "The whole world was shocked again by a very devastating terrorist attack - - this time in the centre of Jerusalem. But to see the Government of Israel make use of this terrible event as a pretext to clamp down on the Orient House is, in itself, flabbergasting. To destroy this centre of dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis and a place frequently visited by international diplomats doesn't give to the Palestinians the message that the violence should end. On the contrary, there can only be expected more violence after such a symbol of reason and mutual respect is shut down." Send to: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Office of the Prime Minister 3 Kaplan Street, PO Box 187 Kiryat Ben-Gurion. Jerusalem 91919 Israel Fax: + 972 2 651 2631 Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres Fax: +972-2-5303704 e-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il Ambassador Embassy of Israel (Australia) 6 Turrana Street, Yarralumla. ACT 2600 Email: canberra@israel.org Send a copies to: president@whitehouse.gov Send a message of solidarity to the peace activists of Israel and Palestine: info@gush-shalom.org