Take Action - Requests from the United Church
Susiya Home Demolition Update
The following Urgent Action request was shared on January 16, 2018 by Beth Baskins, Program Coordinator, Social Analysis and Congregational Engagement, The United Church of Canada / L’Église Unie du Canada.
Susiya’s lawyer is writing with urgency:
The Government of Israel gave notice on Jan. 10th that they intend to demolish 15 homes and structures in the Palestinian village of Susiya.
According to the High Court decision days earlier, this triggers a 15 day clock.
Advocate Mishirqi Assad, attorney for Susiya, has until this Wednesday (January 17) to oppose. Then it is up to the High Court to issue an injunction against demolition to stop the bulldozers now set to demolish on January 23rd.
We are asking you to call or write to the Canadian Government again. The impact that ordinary people who seek justice can have when they take action is clear.
Demolitions have been postponed thus far. Contact your elected representatives, asking them to act urgently for the sake of justice for the people of Susiya.
Write to the Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and your member of Parliament:
As noted in the Haqel press release found on Rebuilding Alliance website, Adv. Quamar Mishirqi-Assad, legal counsel to the village of Susiya and and Co-Director of Haqel, states:
According to the High Court decision days earlier, this triggers a 15 day clock.
Advocate Mishirqi Assad, attorney for Susiya, has until this Wednesday (January 17) to oppose. Then it is up to the High Court to issue an injunction against demolition to stop the bulldozers now set to demolish on January 23rd.
We are asking you to call or write to the Canadian Government again. The impact that ordinary people who seek justice can have when they take action is clear.
Demolitions have been postponed thus far. Contact your elected representatives, asking them to act urgently for the sake of justice for the people of Susiya.
Write to the Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and your member of Parliament:
- Ask Minister Freeland to call on the Israeli government reverse the decision to demolish the villages of Susiya.
- Ask Minister Freeland to urge Canada to call on the Israeli government to immediately freeze all settlement activity and demolition orders.
- Request that your MP call on Minister Freeland during question period to ask what actions Canada is taking to press the Israeli government to reverse the demolition orders.
- A sample letter is available under Downloads, below.
- Share this Take Action on your social media networks. Use the hashtags #UCCan, #Susiya, #Israel, #Palestine.
- Urge Minister Freeland to request that Canadian diplomatic missions in Palestine and Israel visit Susiya immediately. We have contacted the office in Ramallah asking them to make a visit. In 2015, European Union representatives visited the village of Susiya, which was then also threatened with demolition. International publicity from this visit was vital in halting the planned demolitions at that time.
As noted in the Haqel press release found on Rebuilding Alliance website, Adv. Quamar Mishirqi-Assad, legal counsel to the village of Susiya and and Co-Director of Haqel, states:
- "The demolition of 20% of the structures in the village will create a grave humanitarian disaster leaving at least 100 residents without shelter in harsh winter weather. The State's intention is nothing less than a lack of good faith and testifies to the lack of goodwill and the absence of any genuine intention to regulate the village as required in accordance with international law."