18 sept 2017
Nadia Shoufani
Canadian elementary school teacher Nadia Shoufani has won a year-long struggle against efforts by Israel lobby groups to force her out of her job.
Shoufani, who teaches in Mississauga, west of Toronto, was the subject of complaints because of a July 2016 speech she gave at a rally in support of Palestinian rights.
“Earlier this year Ms. Shoufani’s case came before the Ontario College of Teachers and she was found not to be in breach of the professional conduct expected of a teacher,” Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, said in a statement to The Electronic Intifada on Monday.
“She is in her classroom and has not been disciplined.”
“Despite this, we remain incredibly disappointed that her professional integrity was publicly called into question without due process having occurred,” Stuart added. “This case should never have gone before the College of Teachers, and Ms. Shoufani should not have been put through the ordeal of the past months.”
Stuart’s union represented Shoufani at the Ontario College of Teachers, a licensing body, and at the school board.
Stuart said Shoufani “is a dedicated and compassionate educator, and we are pleased that she can finally put this behind her.”
“Malicious smear campaign”
In a Facebook post last week, Shoufani thanked friends and supporters who helped her achieve “a victory for myself, for the Palestine solidarity movement, for freedom of expression.”
The Facebook post was not publicly visible, but was quoted by the Palestine solidarity group Samidoun.
Shoufani did not provide a comment for The Electronic Intifada.
Independent Jewish Voices, one of the groups that had supported Shoufani, congratulated her for prevailing against a “highly coordinated and malicious smear campaign against her [that] was designed to ruin her career.”
“Shoufani’s victory over the well-resourced organizations that tried to make an example of her sends a strong message to Canadian civil society that those of us who support the human rights of Palestinians will never succumb to the bullying tactics of Israel lobby groups,” the Jewish activist group added.
Suspended for speaking out
Shoufani was suspended in July 2016, when the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board began to investigate her over a speech supporting Palestinian rights that she gave at a rally in Toronto.
The rally marked al-Quds Day, normally the last Friday of Ramadan, which many people observe as a day of solidarity with Palestinians.
During her address, Shoufani defended the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and colonization.
She quickly became the target of a campaign by anti-Palestinian activists seeking to have her dismissed for allegedly supporting “terrorism.”
Israel lobby groups B’nai Brith Canada, the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Canada were actively involved in the effort to silence Shoufani.
The lobby groups honed in on her comments about Ghassan Kanafani, the celebrated Palestinian writer who spoke about Palestine as a cause for all revolutionaries.
Kanafani, who was assassinated by an Israeli death squad in 1972, is a “martyr,” Shoufani said.
Kanafani was also a prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Canada listed as a “terrorist” organization in 2003, more than 30 years after a car bomb planted by Israel’s Mossad spy agency blew him apart in Beirut, along with his teenage niece Lamis.
Right to free expression“
A teacher should never have to worry that their professional reputation will be attacked in an effort to prevent them from exercising their right to free expression,” Stuart, the president of Shoufani’s union, told The Electronic Intifada. “Ms. Shoufani was expressing herself as a private citizen.
Stuart added: “We have always maintained that teachers are entitled to our personal political views. We use our professional judgment to determine whether it is appropriate to voice these perspectives in the classroom. However, so long as we are acting within the law, there is no reason why we should be prohibited from participating in political activities outside of school.”
Shoufani also drew broad solidarity from hundreds of fellow educators across Canada and in other countries who signed petitions supporting her right to speak out.
Shoufani’s victory is all the more significant, as it comes amid persistent efforts by Israel lobby groups and Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to stigmatize and marginalize those who support Palestinian rights – especially the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.
But recent polls show that these efforts are out of step with the public: there is wide [PDF] support [PDF] among Canadians for Palestinian rights.
Canadian elementary school teacher Nadia Shoufani has won a year-long struggle against efforts by Israel lobby groups to force her out of her job.
Shoufani, who teaches in Mississauga, west of Toronto, was the subject of complaints because of a July 2016 speech she gave at a rally in support of Palestinian rights.
“Earlier this year Ms. Shoufani’s case came before the Ontario College of Teachers and she was found not to be in breach of the professional conduct expected of a teacher,” Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, said in a statement to The Electronic Intifada on Monday.
“She is in her classroom and has not been disciplined.”
“Despite this, we remain incredibly disappointed that her professional integrity was publicly called into question without due process having occurred,” Stuart added. “This case should never have gone before the College of Teachers, and Ms. Shoufani should not have been put through the ordeal of the past months.”
Stuart’s union represented Shoufani at the Ontario College of Teachers, a licensing body, and at the school board.
Stuart said Shoufani “is a dedicated and compassionate educator, and we are pleased that she can finally put this behind her.”
“Malicious smear campaign”
In a Facebook post last week, Shoufani thanked friends and supporters who helped her achieve “a victory for myself, for the Palestine solidarity movement, for freedom of expression.”
The Facebook post was not publicly visible, but was quoted by the Palestine solidarity group Samidoun.
Shoufani did not provide a comment for The Electronic Intifada.
Independent Jewish Voices, one of the groups that had supported Shoufani, congratulated her for prevailing against a “highly coordinated and malicious smear campaign against her [that] was designed to ruin her career.”
“Shoufani’s victory over the well-resourced organizations that tried to make an example of her sends a strong message to Canadian civil society that those of us who support the human rights of Palestinians will never succumb to the bullying tactics of Israel lobby groups,” the Jewish activist group added.
Suspended for speaking out
Shoufani was suspended in July 2016, when the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board began to investigate her over a speech supporting Palestinian rights that she gave at a rally in Toronto.
The rally marked al-Quds Day, normally the last Friday of Ramadan, which many people observe as a day of solidarity with Palestinians.
During her address, Shoufani defended the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and colonization.
She quickly became the target of a campaign by anti-Palestinian activists seeking to have her dismissed for allegedly supporting “terrorism.”
Israel lobby groups B’nai Brith Canada, the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Canada were actively involved in the effort to silence Shoufani.
The lobby groups honed in on her comments about Ghassan Kanafani, the celebrated Palestinian writer who spoke about Palestine as a cause for all revolutionaries.
Kanafani, who was assassinated by an Israeli death squad in 1972, is a “martyr,” Shoufani said.
Kanafani was also a prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Canada listed as a “terrorist” organization in 2003, more than 30 years after a car bomb planted by Israel’s Mossad spy agency blew him apart in Beirut, along with his teenage niece Lamis.
Right to free expression“
A teacher should never have to worry that their professional reputation will be attacked in an effort to prevent them from exercising their right to free expression,” Stuart, the president of Shoufani’s union, told The Electronic Intifada. “Ms. Shoufani was expressing herself as a private citizen.
Stuart added: “We have always maintained that teachers are entitled to our personal political views. We use our professional judgment to determine whether it is appropriate to voice these perspectives in the classroom. However, so long as we are acting within the law, there is no reason why we should be prohibited from participating in political activities outside of school.”
Shoufani also drew broad solidarity from hundreds of fellow educators across Canada and in other countries who signed petitions supporting her right to speak out.
Shoufani’s victory is all the more significant, as it comes amid persistent efforts by Israel lobby groups and Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to stigmatize and marginalize those who support Palestinian rights – especially the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.
But recent polls show that these efforts are out of step with the public: there is wide [PDF] support [PDF] among Canadians for Palestinian rights.
1 sept 2017
$1 billion lawsuit targeted individuals, organizations and institutions that provide services to the IDF or otherwise support Israeli ventures in the West Bank, including Sheldon Adelson, Haim Saban, Bank Leumi, and Motorola.
A US court has thrown out a billion-dollar lawsuit aimed at slashing funding to Israeli charities and institutions in the West Bank, ruling these organizations comply with Treasury Department regulations for non-profit status and noting the attempt to block funding was a political question that is outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The suit, Al-Tamimi v. Adelson, charged 49 defendants—including philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, Texas Pastor John Hagee, media mogul Haim Saban, non-profits such as the Hebron Fund and corporate entities such as Bank Leumi, Motorola and other companies that provide services to the IDF—with violating both international law and US policy by supporting Israeli ventures in the West Bank.
The plaintiffs originally sought some $35 billion in damages, which was subsequently scaled down to $1 billion.
While not addressing the details of the case—accusations that financial support to Israeli projects in the West Bank violated American and international law by supporting the “genocide” of Palestinians—Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the acts detailed in the suit involved “political questions” which were outside the purview of the judicial branch.
Attorney Marc Zell, who represented several of the charities named in Al-Tamimi v. Adelson, told TPS the case was an important victory for Israel in the fight against Palestinian attempts to “change the narrative” about Israel and the Palestinians in the court of public opinion.
“I don’t even think the plaintiffs expected this case to survive judicial scrutiny,” said Zell, who also serves as chairman of the Israel branch of Republicans Overseas. “That was never really the point. It was 'lawfare'—the attempt to reshape the narrative of what is going on here between Israel and the Palestinians."
The ruling was the second defeat for Palestinian supporters in the US courts in recent months. In June, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia knocked back a request by Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa to force the US Treasury to invalidate the tax-exempt status granted to charities which support humanitarian activities in Jewish communities in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to order the Treasury Department to initiate an investigation into the tax-exempt charities and, based on the investigation, to revoke the exemption granted to such entities.
However, in June Washington, DC District Court Judge Randolph Moss determined that none of the plaintiffs had constitutional standing to bring the suit in federal court. Notably, Abulhawa has appealed to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, but the appeal is still pending.
A US court has thrown out a billion-dollar lawsuit aimed at slashing funding to Israeli charities and institutions in the West Bank, ruling these organizations comply with Treasury Department regulations for non-profit status and noting the attempt to block funding was a political question that is outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The suit, Al-Tamimi v. Adelson, charged 49 defendants—including philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, Texas Pastor John Hagee, media mogul Haim Saban, non-profits such as the Hebron Fund and corporate entities such as Bank Leumi, Motorola and other companies that provide services to the IDF—with violating both international law and US policy by supporting Israeli ventures in the West Bank.
The plaintiffs originally sought some $35 billion in damages, which was subsequently scaled down to $1 billion.
While not addressing the details of the case—accusations that financial support to Israeli projects in the West Bank violated American and international law by supporting the “genocide” of Palestinians—Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the acts detailed in the suit involved “political questions” which were outside the purview of the judicial branch.
Attorney Marc Zell, who represented several of the charities named in Al-Tamimi v. Adelson, told TPS the case was an important victory for Israel in the fight against Palestinian attempts to “change the narrative” about Israel and the Palestinians in the court of public opinion.
“I don’t even think the plaintiffs expected this case to survive judicial scrutiny,” said Zell, who also serves as chairman of the Israel branch of Republicans Overseas. “That was never really the point. It was 'lawfare'—the attempt to reshape the narrative of what is going on here between Israel and the Palestinians."
The ruling was the second defeat for Palestinian supporters in the US courts in recent months. In June, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia knocked back a request by Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa to force the US Treasury to invalidate the tax-exempt status granted to charities which support humanitarian activities in Jewish communities in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to order the Treasury Department to initiate an investigation into the tax-exempt charities and, based on the investigation, to revoke the exemption granted to such entities.
However, in June Washington, DC District Court Judge Randolph Moss determined that none of the plaintiffs had constitutional standing to bring the suit in federal court. Notably, Abulhawa has appealed to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, but the appeal is still pending.
8 aug 2017
The leader of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II discussed with the Egyptian ambassador to Israel Hazem Khairat ongoing efforts to reconstruct Deir al-Sultan archeological site in Occupied Jerusalem.
Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church Boulos Halim said in a statement posted on Facebook that the pope met with ambassador Khairat over the latest developments as regards the reconstruction of Deir al-Sultan. No further details were revealed on the issue.
Deir al-Sultan is a holy Christian site located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Israel grabbed hold of the site following the 1967 war and handed it over to the Ethiopian church after it expelled the Coptic orthodox monks.
The Coptic Church won over 100 lawsuits filed at the Israeli Supreme Court to retrieve the site.
Spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox Church Boulos Halim said in a statement posted on Facebook that the pope met with ambassador Khairat over the latest developments as regards the reconstruction of Deir al-Sultan. No further details were revealed on the issue.
Deir al-Sultan is a holy Christian site located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Israel grabbed hold of the site following the 1967 war and handed it over to the Ethiopian church after it expelled the Coptic orthodox monks.
The Coptic Church won over 100 lawsuits filed at the Israeli Supreme Court to retrieve the site.
2 aug 2017
At the behest of the attorney general, the Israeli high court of justice on Tuesday postponed its hearing on a petition filed by international human rights groups demanding an end to Israel’s reduction of electricity supply to the beleaguered Gaza Strip.
Lawyer Khaled Dusouqee, who filed the petition on behalf of French and Swedish human rights groups, stated that the Israeli attorney general submitted a request asking for postponing the hearing to give the government some time to discuss the issue and provide a response.
Dusouqee added that the court judge adjourned the hearing for two weeks and demanded the Israeli government to respond to the complaint filed by the organizations before the end of this period, otherwise he would issue a final judgment on the case.
Israel decided last June to reduce the amount of electricity supply to Gaza at the request of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
Accordingly, electricity provided for Gaza through Israel’s cross-border power lines have been decreased from 120 to 48 megawatts.
Lawyer Khaled Dusouqee, who filed the petition on behalf of French and Swedish human rights groups, stated that the Israeli attorney general submitted a request asking for postponing the hearing to give the government some time to discuss the issue and provide a response.
Dusouqee added that the court judge adjourned the hearing for two weeks and demanded the Israeli government to respond to the complaint filed by the organizations before the end of this period, otherwise he would issue a final judgment on the case.
Israel decided last June to reduce the amount of electricity supply to Gaza at the request of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
Accordingly, electricity provided for Gaza through Israel’s cross-border power lines have been decreased from 120 to 48 megawatts.
8 feb 2017
Palestinian and Jewish activists have filed a lawsuit with a US court against Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials over war crimes they committed against Palestinian citizens.
According to Maariv newspaper on Tuesday, 35 Palestinian and Jewish activists, all American citizens, are suing Netanyahu, his war minister Avigdor Lieberman and former foreign minister of Israel Tzipi Livni.
The legal complaint accuses the three Israeli officials of committing war crimes against the Palestinians and funding illegal settlement construction in the West Bank.
The lawsuit also names David Friedman, Trump’s ambassador-designate to Israel, and his charity, American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva Center, as being a major fundraiser for illegal Israeli settlements.
The complaint was prepared by noted attorney in Washington Martin McMahon, who has filed three other lawsuits that are currently before US courts and aim to cut off the stream of funding from the US to Israeli colonialism.
According to Maariv newspaper on Tuesday, 35 Palestinian and Jewish activists, all American citizens, are suing Netanyahu, his war minister Avigdor Lieberman and former foreign minister of Israel Tzipi Livni.
The legal complaint accuses the three Israeli officials of committing war crimes against the Palestinians and funding illegal settlement construction in the West Bank.
The lawsuit also names David Friedman, Trump’s ambassador-designate to Israel, and his charity, American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva Center, as being a major fundraiser for illegal Israeli settlements.
The complaint was prepared by noted attorney in Washington Martin McMahon, who has filed three other lawsuits that are currently before US courts and aim to cut off the stream of funding from the US to Israeli colonialism.
4 dec 2016
A Palestinian representative body announced on Saturday it is examining ways to prosecute Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu for racial incitement.
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of the Green Line, one of the top representative organizations in Palestine, accused Netanyahu of hate speech against Palestinian citizens of 1948 Occupied Palestine after a series of fires broke out across the area.
The committee condemned the Prime Minister’s statements, in addition to the role played by some of his ministers and the Israeli mass media.
The organization dubbed Netanyahu’s language a gateway to the escalation of incitement against the Palestinian people.
The committee also issued a statement criticizing the occupation government for its racist law on religious broadcasts, in reference to an Israeli ban on Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer).
The move came after Netanyahu claimed that Palestinians had been deliberately starting the fires that swept across many parts of the Green Line (territories occupied by Israel in 1948).
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of the Green Line, one of the top representative organizations in Palestine, accused Netanyahu of hate speech against Palestinian citizens of 1948 Occupied Palestine after a series of fires broke out across the area.
The committee condemned the Prime Minister’s statements, in addition to the role played by some of his ministers and the Israeli mass media.
The organization dubbed Netanyahu’s language a gateway to the escalation of incitement against the Palestinian people.
The committee also issued a statement criticizing the occupation government for its racist law on religious broadcasts, in reference to an Israeli ban on Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer).
The move came after Netanyahu claimed that Palestinians had been deliberately starting the fires that swept across many parts of the Green Line (territories occupied by Israel in 1948).
30 nov 2016
A Santiago-based court in Chile on Monday filed a war crimes lawsuit against three Israeli Supreme Court adjudicators for approving the construction of the Israeli separation wall, declared illegal by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2004.
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the lawsuit was filed by six Palestinian landowners in Beit Jala in the occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem and alleged war crimes, including crimes against humanity, against former chief Justice Asher Grunis, and Justices Neal Hendel and Uzi Vogelman.
The claimants reportedly own the land that is expected to be cut off from their village by the separation wall, while five of the plaintiffs are Chilean nationals, Haaretz reported.
Haaretz added that as the lawsuit continues to unfold, more individuals could be charged with authorizing the wall’s construction in violation of international law.
Residents in Beit Jala have been engaged in a decade-long battle against Israeli military orders to build the separation wall around Beit Jala and the illegal Israeli settlement of Har Gilo.
Observers have also long argued the separation fence had no security benefit for Israel and was being constructed to annex Palestinian land and connect illegal settlements.
Israeli authorities renewed construction of apartheid walls that encroach deep into the occupied territories despite international condemnation, leaving Palestinians stranded and isolating communities from their agricultural lands.
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the lawsuit was filed by six Palestinian landowners in Beit Jala in the occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem and alleged war crimes, including crimes against humanity, against former chief Justice Asher Grunis, and Justices Neal Hendel and Uzi Vogelman.
The claimants reportedly own the land that is expected to be cut off from their village by the separation wall, while five of the plaintiffs are Chilean nationals, Haaretz reported.
Haaretz added that as the lawsuit continues to unfold, more individuals could be charged with authorizing the wall’s construction in violation of international law.
Residents in Beit Jala have been engaged in a decade-long battle against Israeli military orders to build the separation wall around Beit Jala and the illegal Israeli settlement of Har Gilo.
Observers have also long argued the separation fence had no security benefit for Israel and was being constructed to annex Palestinian land and connect illegal settlements.
Israeli authorities renewed construction of apartheid walls that encroach deep into the occupied territories despite international condemnation, leaving Palestinians stranded and isolating communities from their agricultural lands.
30 june 2016
Members of the Shuheibar family from Gaza City are pursuing in justice French company Exxelia Technologies for having allegedly sold a sensor used in a missile that killed three children on their roof.
A Palestinian family filed suit in France on Wednesday against the French company Exxelia Technologies for alleged complicity in war crimes and manslaughter. The plaintiffs, represented by the law firm Ancile-avocats and assisted by the Christian NGO ACAT, are members of the Shuheibar family residing in Gaza City who had three children die in an Israeli strike in 2014.
On July 17, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a missile—apparently fired by a drone—struck the roof of the family's house where five children were feeding pigeons. A girl, Afnan, 8, and two boys, Wassim, 9, and Jihad, 10, were killed. Two other boys, Udai, 15, and his cousin Bassil, 9, where seriously wounded.
A French-made component was found amongst the debris of the missile fired at the house. ACAT and its Palestinian partner documented the attack, collected testimonies, and submitted the debris for analysis by international military experts.
The expert reports established that the French component found was a Hall effect sensor made by the French company Eurofarad, today named Exxelia Technologies after its acquisition by Exxelia Group in 2015. This component is part of a small-grade missile fired by air, apparently by a drone.
The survivors and witnesses claim that no military target was present in the house at the time of the attack or at any other time. If this is the case, the house would be considered a civilian target that could not be attacked under international law, and violation of this would constitute a war crime.
The plaintiffs accuse the French company of being guilty of implication in war crimes, or at least of manslaughter if it is proven that it sold the sensor to an Israeli defense company.
Joseph Breham, an attorney with Ancile-avocats, said, "It's unfortunate that the blatant impunity for war crimes committed in Gaza forces the victims to employ French justice. His colleague, Ingrid Metton, said, "The French arms industy can no longer escape its morale and legal responsibility. Selling materials that are used for war crimes must be severely punished."
Hélène Legeay, head of North African/Middle Eastern programs at ACAT, said "Beyond the Exxelia case, we call on France to show responsibility, (the country that) played a key role in the development and adoption of the Arms Aid Treaty." This treaty forbids states from exporting arms and components that could be used to commit war crimes.
"Instead of congratulating itself for selling arms to countries that commit grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law, France should ensure that in the future, one will not be able to find a single French-made piece at a war-crime site."
A Palestinian family filed suit in France on Wednesday against the French company Exxelia Technologies for alleged complicity in war crimes and manslaughter. The plaintiffs, represented by the law firm Ancile-avocats and assisted by the Christian NGO ACAT, are members of the Shuheibar family residing in Gaza City who had three children die in an Israeli strike in 2014.
On July 17, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a missile—apparently fired by a drone—struck the roof of the family's house where five children were feeding pigeons. A girl, Afnan, 8, and two boys, Wassim, 9, and Jihad, 10, were killed. Two other boys, Udai, 15, and his cousin Bassil, 9, where seriously wounded.
A French-made component was found amongst the debris of the missile fired at the house. ACAT and its Palestinian partner documented the attack, collected testimonies, and submitted the debris for analysis by international military experts.
The expert reports established that the French component found was a Hall effect sensor made by the French company Eurofarad, today named Exxelia Technologies after its acquisition by Exxelia Group in 2015. This component is part of a small-grade missile fired by air, apparently by a drone.
The survivors and witnesses claim that no military target was present in the house at the time of the attack or at any other time. If this is the case, the house would be considered a civilian target that could not be attacked under international law, and violation of this would constitute a war crime.
The plaintiffs accuse the French company of being guilty of implication in war crimes, or at least of manslaughter if it is proven that it sold the sensor to an Israeli defense company.
Joseph Breham, an attorney with Ancile-avocats, said, "It's unfortunate that the blatant impunity for war crimes committed in Gaza forces the victims to employ French justice. His colleague, Ingrid Metton, said, "The French arms industy can no longer escape its morale and legal responsibility. Selling materials that are used for war crimes must be severely punished."
Hélène Legeay, head of North African/Middle Eastern programs at ACAT, said "Beyond the Exxelia case, we call on France to show responsibility, (the country that) played a key role in the development and adoption of the Arms Aid Treaty." This treaty forbids states from exporting arms and components that could be used to commit war crimes.
"Instead of congratulating itself for selling arms to countries that commit grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law, France should ensure that in the future, one will not be able to find a single French-made piece at a war-crime site."
13 june 2016
A group of American Palestinians from the West Bank have filed a lawsuit in a Washington court against a string of US-based tycoons, companies and organizations supporting settlement construction on Palestinian land.
The suit was filed in the Federal District Court of Washington DC last Monday, June 6, 2016, according to Israeli newspapers.
Brought by Washington lawyer Martin McMahon on behalf of Basem Attamimi, a resident of the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, and about 35 others, the suit says that the respondents contravened American law against money laundering, in terms of which the transfer of money for the purposes of committing a crime is illegal.
According to the plaintiffs, the establishment of settlements in the occupied territories has been accompanied by violence, death and injury, the destruction of houses and the burning of trees and is thus criminal.
The suit also includes other accusations against the respondents.
Among those named in the suit are casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, sponsor of settler groups in Jerusalem Irving Moskowitz, evangelist John Hagee, Israeli businessman Lev Leviev, media mogul and film producer Haim Saban, and former diplomat Elliot Abrams.
The American organizations named in the suit include Friends of the IDF in the US, Friends of Ariel, Honenu, the Hebron Fund, the Karnei Shomron Fund and the Falic Family Foundation as well as a group of pro-settlements lawyers.
Among the businesses named in the suit are Bank Leumi, Bank Hapoalim, Volvo (whose vehicles are allegedly used in house demolitions,) Africa-Israel, Motorola, Hewlett Packard and RE/MAX real estate.
Tamimi is a long-time anti-settlement activist. The current suit complements one he brought in December against the US Treasury for allowing tax-free donations to settlements. The federal court accepted the lawsuit and will convene a hearing on this case in early October.
The suit was filed in the Federal District Court of Washington DC last Monday, June 6, 2016, according to Israeli newspapers.
Brought by Washington lawyer Martin McMahon on behalf of Basem Attamimi, a resident of the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, and about 35 others, the suit says that the respondents contravened American law against money laundering, in terms of which the transfer of money for the purposes of committing a crime is illegal.
According to the plaintiffs, the establishment of settlements in the occupied territories has been accompanied by violence, death and injury, the destruction of houses and the burning of trees and is thus criminal.
The suit also includes other accusations against the respondents.
Among those named in the suit are casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, sponsor of settler groups in Jerusalem Irving Moskowitz, evangelist John Hagee, Israeli businessman Lev Leviev, media mogul and film producer Haim Saban, and former diplomat Elliot Abrams.
The American organizations named in the suit include Friends of the IDF in the US, Friends of Ariel, Honenu, the Hebron Fund, the Karnei Shomron Fund and the Falic Family Foundation as well as a group of pro-settlements lawyers.
Among the businesses named in the suit are Bank Leumi, Bank Hapoalim, Volvo (whose vehicles are allegedly used in house demolitions,) Africa-Israel, Motorola, Hewlett Packard and RE/MAX real estate.
Tamimi is a long-time anti-settlement activist. The current suit complements one he brought in December against the US Treasury for allowing tax-free donations to settlements. The federal court accepted the lawsuit and will convene a hearing on this case in early October.
8 mar 2016
A group of Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans who have been victims of Israeli settlement construction filed a lawsuit this week to demand financial compensation from some of the companies, individuals and organizations responsible for funding the construction.
Israeli settlement construction takes place on illegally seized Palestinian land, and is considered a flagrant violation of international law and Israel's responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention as an occupying power.
The U.S. Government has also condemned Israeli settlement construction – although a bill being considered by the U.S. Congress right now would make it illegal to boycott Israeli products that come from these illegal settlements.
In fact, U.S. Law currently allows U.S. Citizens to donate to the Israeli military directly – the only military on earth that U.S. Citizens are allowed to directly donate to. In addition, U.S. Citizens and groups are permitted to give tax-deductible donations to Israeli settlement construction project – despite the fact that doing so directly violates U.S. Stated policy.
The lawsuit launched this week names Washington lobbyist and multi-millionaire Sheldon Adelson, investor Irving Moskowitz, right-wing mega-church pastor John Hagee and other individuals who have funneled millions of dollars into Israeli colonial settlement construction.
In addition, a number of organizations are named in the lawsuit, including 'Christian Friends of Israeli Communities', Israel Chemicals Limited, the controversial Dead Sea cosmetics company Ahava, and security firm G4S.
Martin McMahon, one of the lawyers representing the complainants in the lawsuit, told reporters from Al Jazeera, "It's about time that the world woke up to the fact that Palestinians are being murdered every day with US taxpayer dollars."
In addition to charging the defendants with funding illegal settlement construction, the lawsuit also charges five counts of conspiracy, war crimes, aggravated trespass, pillage and racketeering.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Washington DC.
Israeli settlement construction takes place on illegally seized Palestinian land, and is considered a flagrant violation of international law and Israel's responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention as an occupying power.
The U.S. Government has also condemned Israeli settlement construction – although a bill being considered by the U.S. Congress right now would make it illegal to boycott Israeli products that come from these illegal settlements.
In fact, U.S. Law currently allows U.S. Citizens to donate to the Israeli military directly – the only military on earth that U.S. Citizens are allowed to directly donate to. In addition, U.S. Citizens and groups are permitted to give tax-deductible donations to Israeli settlement construction project – despite the fact that doing so directly violates U.S. Stated policy.
The lawsuit launched this week names Washington lobbyist and multi-millionaire Sheldon Adelson, investor Irving Moskowitz, right-wing mega-church pastor John Hagee and other individuals who have funneled millions of dollars into Israeli colonial settlement construction.
In addition, a number of organizations are named in the lawsuit, including 'Christian Friends of Israeli Communities', Israel Chemicals Limited, the controversial Dead Sea cosmetics company Ahava, and security firm G4S.
Martin McMahon, one of the lawyers representing the complainants in the lawsuit, told reporters from Al Jazeera, "It's about time that the world woke up to the fact that Palestinians are being murdered every day with US taxpayer dollars."
In addition to charging the defendants with funding illegal settlement construction, the lawsuit also charges five counts of conspiracy, war crimes, aggravated trespass, pillage and racketeering.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Washington DC.
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