ACTION ALERT
For Immediate Release
February 8, 2006
DEMAND ARAB INSTITUTION DISASSOCIATE ITSELF FROM THE JNF/KKL
Recent evidence has emerged that the Badia Research and Development Center
in Amman Jordan is associated with the US-based International Arid Lands
Consortium (IALC) of which The Jewish National Fund (JNF or KKL in Hebrew)
is a founding and leading member with its representative, Joseph Hess,
acting as Vice President of IALC. The association by an Arab institution
with the IALC is particularly surprising and objectionable given that the
JNF/KKL practices racism and genocidal policies against Palestinian Arabs in
violation of international law.
For example, in the period 1948-1950, after the Zionist conquest of
Palestine, the JNF/KKL confiscated 2,550 sq.km of Palestinian land by a
fictitious and unlawful 'sale' agreement with David Ben Gurion. The
confiscated land was the property and home of several hundred Palestinian
villages which were emptied of their residents, who have since been denied
their right to return. Further, the racist JNF/KKL forbids any Palestinian
citizen of "Israel" from renting, living, using, buying or working on a
piece of land acquired by the JNF/KKL. Most of the depopulated
village houses were looted and destroyed by the JNF/KKL. Many of the holy
sites, particularly mosques, were destroyed or neglected or were transformed
into bars, restaurants or stables in violation of human rights and common
standards of decency.
For a Palestine Land Society report on the activities of the JNF/KKL, please
see http://www.al-awda.org/pdf/jnfreport.pdf
ACTION
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, calls on all people and
organizations of conscience to contact the Badia Research & Development
Center in Amman Jordan to ask that institution to reconsider its association
with the IALC and JNF/KKL.
TALKING POINTS
* It is astonishing and offensive that an Arab institution like the Badia
Research and Development Center would even consider associating with the
JNF/KKL.
* The JNF/KKL practices racism and genocidal policies
in violation of international law http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html.
* Association with JNF/KKL is also in violation of Arab League resolutions.
See
http://www.badil.org/Documents/Protection/Protect-Documents-LAS.htm.
* The Badia Research & Development Center, Higher Council for Science &
Technology should reconsider its participation in the IALC and take
immediate action to disassociate itself from the JNF/KKL.
CONTACT
Please address your letters to:
Mr. Mohammad Shahbaz, President
Badia Research & Development Center
Higher Council for Science & Technology
Amman, Jordan
Email: shahbaz@hcst.gov.jo
Please cc your letters to alerts@al-awda.org
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org
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