ACTION ALERT

For Immediate Release
October 12, 2005

Palestinians Stranded on Iraq-Syria Border

According to UNHCR, nineteen Palestinian refugees from Baghdad,"including children, women and two semi-paralyzed men..." have been stranded at the Al-Walid border crossing between Iraq and Syria since October 5, 2005. ( http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&page=home&id=4346b2864 )

The refugees are trying to escape the persecution facing the Palestinian population in Iraq at the hands of those associated with the current Iraqi government. The Syrian border authorities have not yet allowed the stranded Palestinians entry into Syria. There are reports that many other Palestinians in Iraq have been forced to vacate their properties in search of safe haven.

We call on all people of conscience to do all or one of the following.

1. Contact the US Department of State, demanding that American occupation forces in Iraq put an end to anti-Palestinian attacks. According to the Geneva Conventions, the US is obliged and expected to protect all civilians in areas it is occupying by force.

US Department of State
Telephone: 202-647-6575
Fax: 202-647-4147
http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html

2. Call and fax the Syrian embassy in Washington, D.C. to ask that the stranded Palestinians be admitted into Syria.

Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic
Telephone: (202) 232-6313
Fax: (202) 265-4585
Email: syrembas@syrembassy.net

3. Call and fax the Iraqi "embassy" in Washington, D.C. and demand an immediate end to the persecution of Palestinian refugees in Iraq.

Embassy of Iraq
Tel: (202) 483-7500
Fax: (202) 462-5066; (202) 462-0564
Email: admin@iraqiembassy.org

4. Call, email and fax UNRWA offices in Damascus, Beirut, Gaza, and New York City, and request that:

-- The UN do its utmost to ensure that the Palestinian population in Iraq is protected

-- UNRWA and UNHCR continue to provide the refugees stranded at the Iraqi-Syrian border with shelter and basic needs until their situation is resolved

-- UNRWA and UNHCR help Syria, as needed, to admit the stranded Palestinians

UNRWA, Lebanon Field Office, Beirut
Hoda Samra
Public Information Officer
Tel: (+ 961 1) 840 490-5, 840 461-9 (ext 314)
Fax: (+ 961 1) 840 466
Email: lebpio@unrwa.org

UNRWA, Syrian Arab Republic Field Office, Damascus
Hala Mukhles
Public Information Officer
Tel: (+ 963 11) 613 3035 (ext 258)
Fax: (+ 963 11) 613 3047
Email: sarpio@unrwa.org

UNRWA, Headquarters, Gaza
Paul McCann
Chief, Public Information Office
Tel: (+ 972 8) 677 7526/7
Fax: (+ 972 8) 677 7697
Email: unrwa-pio@unrwa.org

UNRWA Liaison Office, New York
Chief, Liaison Office - Maher Nasser
One United Nations Plaza, Room DC1-1265, New York, NY 10017, USA
Telephone: (+ 1 212) 963 2255, (00 1 212) 963 1234
Facsimile: (+ 1 212) 935 7899

____________________________

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is the largest network of grassroots activists and students dedicated to Palestinian human rights. We are a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC
are tax-deductible.