BPNIC Memo, 7/5/2007

The government in Israel and their army which still refuse to make a compromise for peace and allow Palestinians to exist in a nation of their own have increased their indiscriminate attacks against Palestinian nationals. Israel, a country with no written constitution and whose nuclear weapons are undeclared, during the past several weeks have indiscriminately fired weapons that have hit private homes and infrastructure, killing dozens including eleven children in the month of June, as reported by the PLO National and International Relations Department.

Israeli armored divisions, infantry divisions and F-16 jets continue to terrorize the civilian population in Gaza. Palestinian National Authority without an army and no international protection have demonstrated extreme restraint, but are now being forced to take stronger steps to prevent the growing threat to its nationals. Israel, a nation that ranks number four for having the most active troops per thousand citizens behind North Korea, Eritrea and Switzerland respectively, continues to occupy the Palestinian people illegally.

Israel and their army have increased their indiscriminate attacks against Palestinian nationals.

• Israel’s army during the month of June set ablaze a large plot of Palestinian farm land burning more then 2000 olive trees near the town of Hebron, preparing it for expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, according to a report by the Palestine News Network.
  
Israel continues to strike Palestinian leadership wherever they are in Israeli occupied lands.

• Israel continues to import advanced weaponry and constructing a wall in preparation for attacks against Palestinians nationals in the Israeli occupied territories.
  
• During 2000-2002, the army belonging to Israel demolished more than 3,000 Palestinian homes, as well as large areas of agricultural land, public and private properties, water and electricity infrastructure in urban and rural areas and continues to do so at an increasingly sharp rate. Bulldozers used for house demolitions have also killed civilians.
  

• Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert made clear during a June visit to the United States that a multinational force in Gaza is impossible by indicating that he wants Egypt to be the one involved. In interviews published March 30, Ehud Olmert also made clear that his country will continue to disregard the life of Palestinians by saying “the country of Israel bore no responsibility for the Palestinian refugees.”


• Ehud Olmert has vowed that his government will continue targeting “suspicious terrorists” Palestinians wherever they are in Israeli occupied territories. Since 2000, Israel has carried out dozens of targeted assassinations against Palestinians nationals.
  
• The government in Israel and their army continue amassing tons of sophisticated weaponry and continue building a wall preparing to escalate attacks on Palestinian nationals in the Israeli occupied territories.
  
• Israel’s military budget continues to be four times higher than the world average (2.6 per cent).
  

• Like every other nationals, Palestinians have the right and duty to defend their existence from a foreign occupier.


• Palestinian Authority has demonstrated extreme restraint in the face of ongoing military operations against its nationals.
  
• Palestinian militant response has not succeeded in reducing Israeli weapons fired while at the same time the Palestinian Authority has succeeded in making every effort to limit Israeli civilian casualties.
  
• Brazil has consistently backed the Palestinian Authority’s right to defend its nationals against Israeli attacks through non-violence means. “The Palestinian people – living in Palestine and as residents in Brazil - know that they have always counted on my sympathy and my support in the fight to have their own state as their homeland. Such support continues this day. I understand, however, the fight should be by peaceful means and through negotiations. Brazilians in majority are beside the Palestinian people and condemn violence as a source for the reaching of objectives,” Brazilian President Lula Da Silva told Palestinian-Brazilians in January.

• The government in Israel and their army has increased their indiscriminate attacks against Palestinian nationals.


• Israel continues to import advanced weaponry and constructing a wall in preparation for attacks against Palestinians nationals in the Israeli occupied territories.  
  
• Palestinian Authority has demonstrated tremendous restraint in the face of continuing attacks, but must take action to defend its nationals.