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
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WWW: http://al-awda.org

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