In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Israeli Perpetrators Of 1948 Massacre Of Palestinians Must Face Justice

 Washington, DC (February 1, 2000)- American Muslims for Jerusalem today
 insisted that US authorities assist international groups in bringing to
 justice those responsible for crimes against humanity in the Palestinian
 village of Tantura.  The call came following revelations concerning the
 massacre of up to 200 Palestinians by Israeli forces in 1948.

 "Just like those who perpetrate crimes against humanity in Rwanda, Bosnia
 and Kosovo are being brought before international courts, those who
 murdered the residents of Tantura should see a courtroom

 An academic paper written at the University of Haifa has recently confirmed
 details of the Tantura massacre. Teddy Katz, the paper's author,
 interviewed survivors and Israeli soldiers who were present at the
 massacre.  Katz reports that on May 15, 1948 elements of the Israeli
 Alexandroni Brigade took villagers and executed them in small groups in the
 village cemetery.  According to a survivor the killings continued until a
 Jew from a nearby settlement threatened to "shoot himself unless the
 soldiers stopped the executions." (Reuters, 1/19/00)

 The village was later razed "to make way for a parking lot for a nearby
 beach and the Nahsholim kibbutz?" (Reuters, 1/19/00)

 A member of the Israeli Parliament has called on the government to "take
 responsibility for what has happened and compensate the (families of)
 victims of all massacres." (AFP, 1/23/00)

 "These massacres were designed to inspire fear in the residents of
 Palestinian villages.  They worked, causing many to flee from the threat of
 indiscriminate slaughter," says Turaani. "To this day these people, their
 children and grandchildren have not been permitted to return to their
 land."

 A United Nations Resolution was passed on Dec. 11, 1948 calling for the
 repatriation and compensation by Israel of Palestinian refugees.  To this
 day Israel has failed to honor this resolution.  Today there are more than
 3 million Palestinian refugees.

 American Muslims for Jerusalem
 208 G Street NE
 Suite 100
 Washington, DC 20002
 Phone: (202) 548-4200
 Fax: (202) 548-4201
 E-mail: [log in to unmask]
 WWW: http://www.amjerusalem.org >>

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