From: Jewish Peace Lobby <0005491843@mcimail.com>
Subject: Israeli expulsions
Originator: scj@israel.nysernet.org
Reply-To: <Jewish Peace Lobby <0005491843@mcimail.com>>
Organization: Nysernet
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 18:54:27 GMT

Date:     Thu Dec 31, 1992  6:36 pm  GMT
From:     Jewish Peace Lobby / MCI ID: 549-1843
 
TO:       The Progressive Jewish Mailing List
          EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
          MBX: PJML@utxvm.cc.utexas.edu
Subject:  Re: Israeli Expulsions
Message-Id: 83921231183638/0005491843PK3EM
 
     

For Immediate Release		Contact: Jimmy Rosenberg
December 24, 1992			Phone: 301-589-8764
								
	JEWISH PEACE LOBBY PROTESTS LAST WEEK'S EXPULSION
	OF 400 PALESTINIANS FROM THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES 

	The Washington-based Jewish Peace Lobby protests last
week's expulsion of some 400 Palestinians from the West Bank
and Gaza. According to Jewish Peace Lobby President Jerome
Segal, while the Peace Lobby does share the outrage of
Israelis at the recent murder of border policeman Sergeant
Toledano, it strongly disagrees with the Israeli government's
decision to retaliate by expelling the 400 Palestinians.

	The Jewish Peace Lobby raises three objections:

	From a moral point of view, guilt is a necessary
precondition for punishment;  the 400 people expelled were not
ascertained by any valid judicial inquiry to have been guilty
of any connection with the killing. Second, rounding up and
expelling 400 Palestinians from the territories is a
violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions against expulsion
from occupied territories.  Third, on a pragmatic level,
expulsions will not prevent Hamas from attempting similar
actions and have undercut those Palestinians who are
committed to the peace process. 

 the full text of the statement follows.

 	The Jewish Peace Lobby shares the
outrage of Israelis at the recent kidnapping and murder of
Sergeant Toledano, and joins in the general condemnation of
Hamas not only for this action, but for its determination to
undercut efforts to achieve peace betwee n Israelis and
Palestinians. Further, we affirm Israel's right to protect its
citizens from this kind of attack. 
 
	At the same time, we voice our opposition to the
recent decision by the Israeli government to expel some 400
Palestinians from the territories. 

	Our opposition emerges from three perspectives: moral,
legal and pragmatic. 

	1. Moral: The 400 people expelled were not ascertained
by any valid judicial inquiry to have been guilty of any
connection with the killing. From a moral point of view, guilt
is a necessary precondition for punishment. 
	
	2. Legal: Whatever legal questions there may be about
the status in international law of orders to expel an isolated
individual who has committed a capital offense, there can be
no doubt that the rounding up and expulsion of 400
Palestinians from the ter ritories is a violation of the
Geneva Convention against expulsions from occupied
territories. 

	3. Pragmatic: From a pragmatic concern for the peace
process, the expulsions also make no sense. They will not
prevent Hamas from attempting similar actions; they have made
heroes out those who carried out the action; and they have
undercut those Palesti nians who are committed to the peace
process. 

	The longer the stalemate over the fate of the 400
continues, the more thoroughly the Palestinian population will
rally around Hamas. 

	We urge the Israeli government to readmit the 400, and
to bring to trial those that it believes are linked to the
killing of Sergeant Toledano.  
			####
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish,talk.politics.mideast