Tell Congress: Peace process or not, settlements must stop.
Call for an end to all Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories.
I am writing to express my concern about the continued expansion of Israeli settlements along with the infrastructure that supports them. Regardless of the status of the peace negotiations, the U.S. government must address this issue.
On the occasion of the talks? collapse, the Israeli peace organization, Peace Now, published a report stating, ?During the 9 months of Secretary Kerry?s efforts in the region, the Israeli Government promoted plans and tenders for at least 13,851 housing units in the settlements and East Jerusalem ? an average of 50 units per day and 1,540 units per month.?
More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem ? all of which are illegal under international law.
In addition to the expansion of the settlements themselves, a complicated infrastructure system supports the settlement enterprise while constraining Palestinians? freedom. In the West Bank, a network of Israeli-controlled roads, the practice of land confiscation by the Israeli government, and the culture of impunity surrounding settler violence, for example, all serve to facilitate settlement growth.
The expansion of settlements and their attendant infrastructure does not make Israelis or Palestinians more secure, but instead cripples daily life for Palestinians and pushes any possible resolution further away.
I ask you to insist that Israel be held accountable for its support of the illegal settlement enterprise. I hope that you will work with the State Department to bring these important concerns to the attention of the Israeli government and to insist on action now.
With gratitude for your service, I thank you for considering my concerns.
On the occasion of the talks? collapse, the Israeli peace organization, Peace Now, published a report stating, ?During the 9 months of Secretary Kerry?s efforts in the region, the Israeli Government promoted plans and tenders for at least 13,851 housing units in the settlements and East Jerusalem ? an average of 50 units per day and 1,540 units per month.?
More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem ? all of which are illegal under international law.
In addition to the expansion of the settlements themselves, a complicated infrastructure system supports the settlement enterprise while constraining Palestinians? freedom. In the West Bank, a network of Israeli-controlled roads, the practice of land confiscation by the Israeli government, and the culture of impunity surrounding settler violence, for example, all serve to facilitate settlement growth.
The expansion of settlements and their attendant infrastructure does not make Israelis or Palestinians more secure, but instead cripples daily life for Palestinians and pushes any possible resolution further away.
I ask you to insist that Israel be held accountable for its support of the illegal settlement enterprise. I hope that you will work with the State Department to bring these important concerns to the attention of the Israeli government and to insist on action now.
With gratitude for your service, I thank you for considering my concerns.
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