Transcript Document

Aboud
X Aboud
Two thousand
five Hundred
People live in
Aboud.
Half of them are
Christian
Half are Muslim
They live
together in Peace
and Harmony
Shelling Almonds
Aboud Catholic Church
Midnight Mass
Below the village is a Roman Road
linking Jerusalem with the Galilee
Jesus and the Holy Family
would have used this road
Protestant Church
Fr. Abdallah Sumrein
The Orthodox Priest
Aboudies want to live in tranquillity.
But they are slowly being crushed by
expanding Israeli settlements, military
occupation with restrictions on
movement, and construction of Israel’s
land confiscation wall.
The
Green
Line
Aboud
=
Border
with
Israel
Line of THE
WALL
Note the locations of the Beit
Arye and Ofarim Settlements
The occupying power
shall not deport or
transfer part of its own
civilian population into
the territory it occupies
Fourth Geneva Convention
Article 49, Paragraph 6
Beit Arye Settlement
Built on land confiscated
from Aboud and
neighbouring Palestinian
villages
Settlements are not located in areas of
large Arab population, not because I
shied away from this but because the
Arabs did not settle in areas that were
of interest to us--because they are
difficult regions.
Were there Arabs in Beit Arye? Did
someone live in the area of Ofarim?
Not today or ever.
Ariel Sharon interview in the Israeli newspaper
Davar, July 14, 1995
Spring fed swimming pool in the
Lemon Valley, Aboud village.
A ‘difficult region’ according to Sharon!
On a major aquifer and with
relatively high precipitation (700mm
of precipitation annually) Aboud
sustains cultivation of fruit and olive
trees, cereal grains and grapevines.
Home in Aboud
Village
Were there
Arabs in Beit
Arye?
Did someone
live in the area
of Ofarim?
Not today or
ever.
Ariel Sharon
St. Mary’s Orthodox Church
Aramaic Plaque
A ruined aisle of St.
Mary’s Church has
been excavated
Revealing a mosaic floor
The Catholic Church
is built on the Site
of the ancient
church of St. Simon
Remains of St. Simon’s
below the modern church
Remains of other Ancient Churches in Aboud
•Messiah Church – Located where
tradition says Jesus preached
•Saint Anastasia Church
•Saint Abadia Church
•Knnasieh Church
•Saint Todros Church
•Dare Al-Kawkab Church
Al-Maqati an
area with
ancient tombs
Carvings of grapes were cut from
this tomb
In Palestine it is common for
archaeological sites to be
raided for Israeli collectors
On a hillside facing Aboud are
extensive 4th-7th Century
remains of St. Barbara’s
Monastery
At St. Barbara’s cave a
small church remained in
good repair
It was in regular use and
the centre of festivities on
St. Barbara's feast day
st
31
On
May 2002
the Israeli Army
blew up the ancient
Church of St.
Barbara
Aboudis viewing the destruction
It has now been rebuilt
In November 2000 Settlers
and the Israeli Army cut or
burnt 4000 Aboud Olive
Trees.
In October 2005 Settlers
uprooted 500 vines.
Road Block
Only one access road is now open
into the village
Aboud used to be a thriving centre, providing a
secondary school, shops and services for neighbouring
villages. Now it is a quiet cul-de-sac with shutters closed on
most businesses.
Israel’s Apartheid Separation
Barrier is being built on Aboud
Land
Fourteen
Kilometres of
the wall is
being built
within the
village
boundaries.
The wall could Isolate Aboud
farmers from:•26% of their land.
•389 Hectares of their land
•Many of their Olive and Fruit Trees
•A significant part of the water
Aquifer
•Rantis and other villages to the
North North West
Time.com
West
Bank
West
Bank
On 9 July 2004 the International Court of
Justice in The Hague ruled that: •The construction of the wall being built by Israel, in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, is contrary to international law.
•Israel is under an obligation to cease construction of the wall and to
dismantle forthwith the structure.
•Israel is under an obligation to make reparation for all damage caused by
the construction of the wall.
•All States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation
resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or
assistance in maintaining the situation.
•The United Nations, and especially the General Assembly and the Security
Council, should consider what further action is required to bring to an end
the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall.
The threat facing
Aboud is not
unique.
•The Separation Barrier confiscates
land from many Palestinian villages
•It is destroying the possibility of
establishing a viable Palestinian
state existing peacefully side by
side with Israel
•Its construction creates poverty,
resentment and anger
The barrier at Aboud is
part of a section that
could extend 22
kilometres into the
West Bank.
Ariel, the largest
illegal settlement
could be annexed to
Israel
Border with Israel
Line of the Barrier
Israeli Settlements
Palestinian villages
Ariel
I
S
R
A
E
l
West Bank
Aboud
Map produced by the U.N.
Fr Firas Aridah Catholic
Parish Priest in Aboud
We announce publicly and
decisively and under all the
circumstances that we
completely refuse the
building of this segregation
wall on the lands of our
village… we will resist
against this wall in all the
possible legal and
information means. We will
also arrange for peaceful
demonstrations and
protests in Aboud against
the wall.
We will tear down their Wall with our
hands,
We will defeat their racism with our
determination.
Christian-Muslim Unity
Archamandrite (now Bishop)
Attallah Hanna with Grand
Mufti Shaikh Taysir al-Tamimi.
Tear Gassed
Attacked by the Israeli Occupying
Forces
Peacefully challenging
Praying
Aboud 10th March 2006
Cardinal Mc Carrick
told villagers that
he had informed
President George
Bush of their plight,
and prayed with the
President for them!
Left: Cardinal
Mc Carrick ,
President of
the American
Catholic
Bishops
Conference
Centre right:
Michel Sabbah
Latin Patriarch
of Jerusalem
Please act to save this
unique and special
community
The
Green
Line
=
Border
with
Israel
Aboud
Campaigning makes a
difference
Red The line of the wall proposed in
March 2005
Orange. The line of the wall proposed
in October 2005
The
Green
Line
=
Border
with
Israel
Aboud
But the wall will still take a lot of land
far beyond the settlements, including a
hill one kilometre south of Ofarim.
Aboud will be cut off from Rantis and
Al-Lubban.
Send messages
of protest to
the Israeli
Embassy and
Government
Ask our Government to: -
• Take action to save Aboud
• Work for Israeli compliance with
the Fourth Geneva Convention
• Ensure that the UN enforces the
International Court of Justice
ruling
Help these Aboud children have
a future of justice, peace and
freedom
Produced by
Leicestershire Holy Land Appeal
www.leics-holyland.gothere.uk.com