CPTnet
December 14, 1998
Bethlehem: International Christian Peacemaker Group Holds Banners at Clinton
Visit

Tomorrow, U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Bethlehem. Members of Christian
Peacemaker Teams and supporters will carry banners that say, "Peace Must =
Justice & Security for Palestinians," "No U.S. $ for Settler Bypass Roads,"
and "Free Palestine's Political Prisoners" to draw Mr. Clinton's attention to
two problems facing Palestinians.

Over 1000 Palestinian families throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem have
orders for the demolition of their homes, often because of an Israeli settler
bypass road planned or built within 150 meters of the house. The U.S.
president agreed in October to ask Congress for up to half a million U.S.
dollars to help fund settler bypass roads under the rubric of "funds for
redeployment." Such funding undermines Palestinian security and unfairly
"rewards" Israel for signing an agreement it is not carrying out.

The second problem speaks to the Israeli government's failure to release
Palestinian political prisoners as it agreed, which is causing widespread
protest in the West Bank through hunger strikes, clashes and marches.

CPT members encourage international journalists, Mr. Clinton and members of
his entourage and his family to visit a Palestinian family whose home has been
demolished, or to visit an Israeli prison to observe prisoners' conditions. We
would be delighted to set up a meeting with a Palestinian family whose home
has demolished -- or to give a tour of Hebron to interested people.