YMCA-YWCA Olive Tree Campaign newsletter–June 2010

• Olive Tree Campaign report 2009 – 2010

  The Olive Tree campaign has issued its planting report, a comprehensive report on farmers, planting locations, sponsors, and progress of the campaign.

  Also, all our olive tree sponsors can now find out where their trees are planted by going to this link.

• Call for action
  Ahmed Barghouth – Abu Nidal – of Al Walaja is one of the very first farmers to receive olive trees from the olive tree campaign in 2003, About 100 sponsored olive trees were planted in his field.Abu Nidal and his family gave good care to the trees and expected a rewarding harvest for next October.

  In June 2010 Israeli bulldozers together with Israeli Army destroyed the land of Abu Nidal leaving him in a state of despair, outrage and hopelessness.

  The least we can do for Abu Nidal at this point is to read the suggested letter included in the link and pass it on to the Israeli embassies in your in our countries and our publish the story and the letter in the local media.

• Olive Picking Program 2010
  2010 will be the 7th year in which the Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine (JAI) and the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) organize the annual Olive Picking Program in Palestine in October 16th to 25th 2010. Learn more about the event and how to join.

  You are encouraged to join us in this exceptional event and also spread the word about it.

• Continuous Israeli destruction of Palestinian’s property and olive trees:
  Israeli settlers and Israeli occupation army continue to destroy Palestinian properties. Houses have been demolished on daily bases, land being stolen, settlements did not stop expanding (even with the Israeli decision to freeze settlement’s construction in the occupied territories).

  Below are some news on the Israeli destruction of Olive trees in various locations within the West Bank in the last two months:

  – Israeli Troops Issue 10-day Eviction Orders To Palestinians In Jordan Valley
  – Israeli Army Raids Bil’in and Burns Olive Tree
  – Settlers Destroy Farm Lands; Troops Detain 10 Civilians
  – Qusra village farmers driven off fields by settlers
  – Settler Torch Olive Orchard In Silwan
  – Settlers Set Farm Lands On Fire In Northern West Bank
  – Settlers Uproot 30 Olive Trees Near Qalqilia
  – Settlers Attack A Palestinian Town In Northern West Bank And Destroy Property And Trees

• Keeping Hope Alive
  The Sponsorship of an olive tree will send a simple message to the Palestinians we work with, Keep Hope Alive, and we care for your rights. It is also important that we as individuals from around the world get involved and try to help maintaining the Palestinians ownership of their private property! Property that has been within the farmers’ families for generations. Educate yourself and others about what is happening in Palestine and help in Keeping Hope Alive by Doing Something.