2 October 2004

(Name of Senator or MP)

Senator/Member for (State/Electorate)

GPO Box (#)

(Suburb) (State) (Postcode)

Dear Senator (insert name of Senator),

I seek your response, as a Senator for Queensland, to several questions I have regarding the right of return of the Palestinian refugees to their homeland, the majority of which is known today as Israel.

Firstly, though, I would like to state some facts about which I am not certain you are aware. Refugees, including Palestinian refugees, have a right under international law to repatriation and compensation for suffering incurred. I refer you to Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which reaffirms the right of every human being to leave and return to his or her country of origin. I also refer you to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which asserts that any forced migration or refusal to repatriate people displaced from their homes and lands is a violation of basic human rights. Furthermore, on 28 November 1947 (before the state of Israel was declared), UN Resolution 181 was passed, which recommends the partition of Palestine for the formation of a Jewish state and a Palestinian state and forbade population transfer.

The Palestinian refugees are demanding their human right to return to their homeland and the United Nations and international law supports them in this demand. UN Resolution 194 was passed on 11 December 1948; it specifically applies to the Palestinian refugees. Paragraph 11 states, ‘the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which under the principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible' . By the way, the consensuses of international experts on the issue as well as the international community do hold Israel responsible. Resolution 194 has been subsequently reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly almost on an annual basis ever since. Additionally, the UN Resolution 273 that admitted Israel as a member-state of the UN was conditional on Israel's acceptance of certain UN Resolutions, including 181 and 194.  

With respect to the present situation, you should know that one million Palestinian refugees are imprisoned on two-thirds of the Gaza strip (5,000 people per square kilometre) under an illegal Israeli military occupation. Seven thousand Israeli settlers illegally (as far as the UN and international law are concerned) occupy the remaining one-third of the strip. To compound the injustice, southern Palestine i.e. the land beyond the Gaza strip's eastern electric fence, is only sparsely populated. Hence, the return of the Gaza refugees to their homes in southern Palestine would affect only a minute fraction of Israelis. Similarly, the return of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon to their homes in Galilee would affect not more than one percent of Israelis. You might be interested to know that the number of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and Lebanon combined is equal to the number of Russian immigrants whom the Israeli government settled in the 1990s. Tell me, how can it be justified to facilitate the settlement of Russian immigrants while denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes? The reasons for denying the Palestinian refugees their human right to return to their homes cannot, therefore, be practical or logistical. Could the reason then be racism?

That Israelis would have to be displaced to allow for the return of Palestinian refugees is propaganda. Take a look at the demography of Israel: 78 percent of Israelis are living on 14 percent of Israel; only 22 percent of Israelis live on the remaining 86 percent of Israel, which happens to be the very land that most of the Palestinian refugees are from. The homes and heritage of now five million Palestinian refugees is located on 17,325 square kilometres of rural land, which is presently occupied by only 154,000 Israelis. Moreover, the argument that it is not practicable or feasible for Israel to accept the Palestinian refugees is totally discredited by the fact that Israel actively encourages Jews from around the world to migrate to Israel. You may recall that the invitation for Jews in France to migrate to Israel has recently been reiterated by Ariel Sharon. Can this be explained except by reason of racism?  

These facts should make the point that the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and lands is not only a moral and legal requirement but also logistically and practically feasible.

My questions to which I would like you to respond are as follows:

•  Do you believe that all countries should uphold the UN Declaration of Human Rights?

•  Do you believe that all countries should uphold the Geneva Conventions?

•  Do you believe the all member-states of the United Nations should adhere to the Resolutions concerning them?

•  Do you accept that Israel is in violation of UN Resolution 194, the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and the Forth Geneva Conventions with respect to the issue of the Palestinian refugees' right of return?

•  Do you believe that Australia, a member-state of the UN, should support the Palestinian refugees' right of return to their homeland as enshrined in UN Resolution 194, the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and the Forth Geneva Conventions?

•  Are you willing, in your capacity as a Senator/Member for (State/Electorate) , to contribute to an effort on the part of Australia toward the fulfilment of the Palestinian refugees' right of return to their homeland?

Australia has actively contributed to war in the Middle East. Isn't it time we actively contributed to peace there instead? Peace is dependant upon the fulfilment of the Palestinian refugees' right of return as it would resolve the most pervasive injustice of the conflict.  

I await your response.

Sincerely,

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02 October 2004

Your Local Member's/Senator's Name
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Dear ……………………………..

I seek your assistance in a matter that is of great concern to me as a supporter of human rights, the rule of law, democracy, and as an Australian. The illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel is the world's longest running conflict and a test of the humanity of our generation.

I am sickened by the policies and tactics of the Israeli government in their cruel and inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people. The atrocities committed by the Israeli military against Palestinian civilians are in violation of International Law, the Charter of Human Rights, and even the tenets of Judaism itself.

Israel, a nation that actually DOES possess weapons of mass destruction, has illegally occupied the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for almost four decades in violation of numerous UN Resolutions. It directs its military and security forces to kill and injure Palestinian people; assassinate their leaders; subject them to inhumane curfews and closures; restrict their movement to work, school, markets, and even medical treatment; bulldoze their homes and demolish their infrastructure. Where else in the world do you see tanks, helicopter gun ships, and even fighter aircrafts employed against civilians crowded into refugee camps? A nation such as Australia cannot allow such a deplorable situation to continue.

In addition to democracy, human rights, and International Law, Australia is also committed to anti-racism. The state of Israel, with Zionism at its core, is an affront to all of our principles. The tenets of Zionism permit the settlement of a Jewish person in Israel but deny Palestinian people the right of return to their homeland for no other reason than that they are non-Jewish. The tenets of Zionism are also opposed to democracy. By its own admission, Israel has denied the right of return to the Palestinian people for fear of upsetting the demographic balance of Israel and therefore Zionist political control. Criticism of Zionism or Israel is not anti-Semitism; rather it is criticism of state terrorism.

As my democratic representative, I request you take appropriate steps toward modifying Australia's policy toward Israel, including:

• publicly and officially condemning Israel for its acts of terrorism against the Palestinian people and its ongoing violations of UN Resolutions and International Law; and
• advocating Australia cut diplomatic ties and cease trade relations with Israel until it complies with UN Resolutions and Geneva Conventions regarding the rights of the Palestinian people and eliminates its weapons of mass destruction.

I request you simultaneously take appropriate steps toward modifying Australia's policy with respect to the plight of the Palestinian people by advocating Australia: • increase humanitarian aid; • actively support their right of return;

• campaign internationally for ending of the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine; and
• actively support the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

There can be no peace without justice. Please work on my behalf and see that our nation makes an honest effort to give justice to the Palestinian people.

Sincerely,

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