CMEP Action Alert: Tell Congress about Wall in the Cremisan Valley
#Palestine, #Israel
Tomorrow the Israeli Supreme Court will decide whether to allow construction to go forward of a barrier wall that will separate this rich agricultural valley from the 58 Palestinian families who tend the land, many of whom are Christian.
Israeli authorities say the barrier is needed for security, but walls could be built around the settlements if needed for security. In fact settlers have asked that existing security barriers be removed as they not needed.
The convent school is run by six nuns for nearly 400 local children. The wall would surround the school on three sides and separate the convent from the neighboring monastery which produces the famous Cremisan wine. The nuns would lose access to 75% of their land and the school would be situated in a military zone accessible through a locked fence.
Local Christian residents would no longer be able to participate in the annual religious event of the Holy Spirit Procession, in which they walk from Cremisan to the Annunciation church in Beit Jala.
Cremisan is the last remaining space of expansion for the community of Beit Jala as well as one of the last green, and most beautiful sites in the Bethlehem area.
Some information for this letter is from “Last mass held in Beit Jala as court to rule on land seizure” by Charlie Hoyle, Ma’an News Agency. (Published Friday 24/01/2014 (updated) 27/01/201. Accessed January 27, 2014)