CPTNET
July 31, 1998
WEST BANK: CPTers Join Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals in Rebuilding
Demolished House

by Mark Frey

Building began Friday, July 31 on the house of Salim and Aravia Shawamreh and
their six children at the village of Anata (east of Jerusalem.) CPTers Jim
Satterwhite and Bill Pluecker worked together with Israelis, Palestinians, and
internationals on the first day of construction.

The Israeli military destroyed the house on July 9. During the demolition, a
bus-load of Israelis protested the action. Several protesters were beaten by
soldiers. Soldiers also at one point ran and shot towards a group of
Palestinians, throwing rocks from a distance, seriously hurting one
boy. (People wishing a full eyewitness account of the demolition may request
"Lena doesn't live here anymore" from Bat Shalom at batshalo [at] netvision [dot] net [dot] il)

The rebuilding will be covered on the Sunday evening CBS news in the US, and
on CNN internationally.

The cost of the construction is estimated at $20,000, half of which will be
raised by various Israeli peace groups, while the other half is being raised
by a cluster of Palestinian families who also have demolition orders.

Organizing groups -- the Palestinian Land Defense Committee and the Israeli
Committee Against House Demolitions -- were concerned that the Israeli
military might try to stop the construction. Off and on throughout the day
the Israeli army and Civil Administration (military occupation) authorities
monitored the work, watching from atop a hill across the valley.

Israelis participating in the project said that according to Israeli radio
news, the Civil Administration and military
regard it as very serious that Israelis are helping in the building of an
"illegal structure."

Israeli groups participating in the rebuilding include the Israeli Committee
Against House Demolitions (itself composed of a number of Israeli groups),
Rabbis for Human Rights, Bat Shalom and Gush Shalom. They are joined by CPT
and LAW (Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment) and others.