Let the Refugees Return Home!

The Somerville Divestment Project announces on Tuesday, September 12th, 1:00 that Somerville residents submitted the required signatures that allowed for the 2 Public Policy ballot questions (on human rights for Palestinians)Ýon the November ballot in the 27th Middlesex district. [Ballot questions' text]

The 1st ballot question ... in support of the Right of Return of Palestinian Refugees. The 2nd ballot question ... divest from Israel bonds and military companies tied to Israel's occupation.

Rabbi Dovid Weiss, and Rabbi Webbermen, scholars of Judaism from the Neturei Karta of New York, an Orthodox Jewish organization, will speak in front of Somerville City Hall in favor of Palestinian human rights along with Somerville residents; Rabbi Weiss notes that Judaism rejects Zionism - the project for a colonial conquest of the indigenous Palestinians to form a Jewish state. Rabbi Weiss of the Neturei Karta is in favor of both ballot questions put forward by Somerville residents.

David Rolde, Secretary of the Green-rainbow Party will be present to support passage of the ballot questions.

In 1948, 750,000 Palestinians civilians were ethnically cleansed from what is today called Israel [often referred to as 'historic Palestine']. Zionist leaders from as early as 1882 proposed a Jewish majority State that necessitated the removal of Palestinians.ÝToday there are over 5 million Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations.

The 1st ballot question for Somerville residents who live in the 27th district calls for the State Representative of the 27th Middlesex district to support the State of Massachusetts issuing a statement in support of the Right of Return of Palestinian Refugees.

For 6 decades Palestinian Refugees have called for the Right of Return.Ý Under the Declaration of Human Rights, civilians expelled or otherwise displaced from their homes as a result of a conflict have the right to return to their homes AND be compensated for any theft of their property.

The London Return Center, a research organization that advocates for Return, notes that

return is not only morally correct but also entirely feasible.Since over 80 % of Jewish people are concentrated in metropolitan areas in historic Palestine, the return of Palestinian refugees does not require the displacement of large numbers of Jewish people. The London Return Centre has developed a detailed plan that allows for each of the 5 million Palestinian refugees to return with little or no significant effect on the Jewish population.

The people of the City of Somerville have never issued a statement in support of the Right of Return - a universal human right - of Palestinian refugees. Instead Somerville invests $250,000 in Israel Bonds that are used to continue the ethnic cleansing by funding more Jewish settlements on Palestinian land.

Somerville also invests money in companies such as Caterpillar Tractor that sell equipment to Israel to commit human rights violations documented by even Amnesty International. Caterpillar, and Somerville, profit off of illegal attacks on Palestinian homes, schools, ambulances, and the destruction of millions of Palestinian olive trees - an economic mainstay of the Palestinian population. Thousands of Palestinian people are detained and Palestinian civilians are subjected to targeted assassination, detentions without cause, and the use of disproportionate force on Palestinian civilian demonstrators. In fact, human rights workers from around the world have been targeted, like the American peace activist Rachel Corrie who was murdered with a Caterpillar bulldozer.

The 2nd ballot question calls for the State Representative from the 27th district to support Massachusetts divesting from Israel bonds and military companies tied to Israel's occupation.

Polls in many Arab and Muslim countries indicate that the denial of Palestinian human rights is the prime reason for animosity toward the United States that provides military and political assistance to Israel to forcibly deny justice and human rights to Palestinian refugees.

The SDP, like many other groups, including numerous religious organizations such as the New England Conference of Methodist Churches, and the Congregational Church, support divestment from military companies that profit from Israel 's attacks on Palestinian civilians. Divestment is a key step towards justice and thereby peace - not just in historic Palestine, but throughout the Middle East.

Download press release .doc