Still happening

A Letter to Burlington Free Press    April 16, 2001

        Imagine your home being bulldozed before your eyes. Imagine your children coming home from school to find their home a pile of rubble. This happened to 2,650 Palestinian homes from 1987 to 1999 according to Amnesty International. Israeli peace groups valiantly protest and rebuild, only to be arrested as was Rabbi Asherman who sat in front of a bulldozer. This cruel and barbaric practice has intensified under Prime Minister Sharon. Why? Because they are Palestinians without building permits. Why not? the K as official Israeli policy restricts Palestinian construction to small enclaves, i.e., ghettos, and to deny building permits to Palestinians whose land is located outside the ghettos.

        Palestinians apply for permits. Palestinians are denied. Jewish settlers who not only have no problem getting permits, but receive government assistance take the land. The policy and practice are racist to the core. Violating international law and the most basic norms of human behavior, Israel is an occupying power on occupied land denying occupied people the right to have a roof over their heads. We Americans give around one third of our annual foreign assistance budget to Israel, making us accessories to or after the fact. Do we want this barbaric practice doe in our name?

MIRIAM WARD

Burlington