AboudAboud

Two Two thousand thousand two hundred two hundred People live People live in Aboud.in Aboud.

900 of them 900 of them are are Christian, Christian, the rest are the rest are Muslim.Muslim.

Below the village is a Roman Road Below the village is a Roman Road linking Jerusalem with the Galileelinking Jerusalem with the Galilee

Jesus and the Holy Family would have used this road

Protestant Church

Fr. Abdallah Sumrein

The Orthodox Priest

Catholic Church

Midnight Mass

AboudAboud

The

Green

Line

=Border with Israel

Line of THE WALL

Note the locations of the Beit Note the locations of the Beit

Arye and Ofarim SettlementsArye and Ofarim Settlements

Fourth Geneva Convention Fourth Geneva Convention Article 49, Paragraph 6Article 49, Paragraph 6

The occupying power The occupying power shall not deport or shall not deport or transfer part of its own transfer part of its own civilian population into civilian population into the territory it occupiesthe territory it occupies

Beit Arye Settlement

Built on land Built on land confiscated from confiscated from Aboud and Aboud and neighbouring neighbouring Palestinian villagesPalestinian villages

Settlements are not located in areas of large Arab population, not because I shied away from this but because the Arabs did not settle in areas that were of interest to us--because they are difficult regions.

Were there Arabs in Beit Arye? Did someone live in the area of Ofarim? Not today or ever. Ariel Sharon interview in the Israeli newspaper Davar, July 14, 1995

Spring fed swimming pool in Spring fed swimming pool in the Lemon Valley, Aboud the Lemon Valley, Aboud village.village.

A ‘difficult region’ according to A ‘difficult region’ according to Sharon!Sharon!

On a major aquifer and with On a major aquifer and with relatively high precipitation relatively high precipitation ((700mm of precipitation annually)700mm of precipitation annually) Aboud sustains cultivation of fruit Aboud sustains cultivation of fruit and olive trees, cereal grains and and olive trees, cereal grains and grapevines.grapevines.

Were there Arabs in Beit Arye?

Did someone live in the area of Ofarim?

Not today or ever.

Ariel Sharon

Home in Aboud Village

The Catholic The Catholic Church is built on Church is built on the Site of the the Site of the ancient church of ancient church of St. SimonSt. Simon

Remains of St. Simon’s below the modern church

Orthodox ChurchOrthodox Church

Aramaic Plaque

A ruined aisle of A ruined aisle of St. Mary’s Church St. Mary’s Church has been has been excavatedexcavated

Revealing a mosaic floor

Remains of other Ancient Churches in Remains of other Ancient Churches in AboudAboud

•Messiah ChurchMessiah Church – Located where – Located where tradition says Jesus preachedtradition says Jesus preached

•Saint Anastasia ChurchSaint Anastasia Church

•Saint Abadia ChurchSaint Abadia Church

•Knnasieh ChurchKnnasieh Church

•Saint Todros ChurchSaint Todros Church

•Dare Al-Kawkab ChurchDare Al-Kawkab Church

Al-Maqati an area with ancient tombs

Carvings of grapes were cut Carvings of grapes were cut from this tombfrom this tomb

In Palestine it is common for archaeological sites to be raided for Israeli collectors

On a hillside facing Aboud On a hillside facing Aboud are extensive 4are extensive 4thth-7-7thth Century remains of St. Century remains of St. Barbara’s MonasteryBarbara’s Monastery

At St. Barbara’s cave a At St. Barbara’s cave a small church remained small church remained in good repairin good repair

It was in regular use It was in regular use and the centre of and the centre of festivities on St. festivities on St. Barbara's feast dayBarbara's feast day

On 31On 31stst May May 2002 the Israeli 2002 the Israeli Army blew up Army blew up the ancient the ancient Church of St. Church of St. BarbaraBarbara

Aboudis viewing the destructionAboudis viewing the destruction

It has now been rebuilt

In November 2000 In November 2000 Settlers and the Israeli Settlers and the Israeli Army cut or burnt 4000 Army cut or burnt 4000 Aboud Olive Trees.Aboud Olive Trees.

In October 2005 Settlers In October 2005 Settlers uprooted 500 vines.uprooted 500 vines.

Road Block

Aboud used to be a thriving centre, providing a secondary school, shops and services for neighbouring villages. Now it is a quiet cul-de-sac with shutters closed on most businesses.

Only one access road is now open into the village

Aboudies want to live in tranquillity.

But they are slowly being crushed by expanding Israeli settlements, military occupation with restrictions on movement, and construction of Israel’s land confiscation wall.

Fourteen Kilometres of the wall is being built within the village boundaries.

We will tear down their Wall We will tear down their Wall with our hands, We will defeat with our hands, We will defeat

their racism with our their racism with our determination determination

Left: Cardinal Mc Carrick , President of the American

Catholic Bishops

Conference

Centre right: Michel

Sabbah Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

Aboud 10th March 2006

Christian-Muslim Unity Christian-Muslim Unity Archamandrite (now Bishop) Archamandrite (now Bishop)

Attallah Hanna with Grand Attallah Hanna with Grand Mufti Shaikh Taysir al-Tamimi.Mufti Shaikh Taysir al-Tamimi.

AboudAboud

The

Green

Line

=Border with Israel

Line of THE WALL

The wall could Isolate Aboud The wall could Isolate Aboud farmers from:-farmers from:-

•26% of their land.26% of their land.

•389 Hectares of their land 389 Hectares of their land

•Many of their Olive and Fruit Many of their Olive and Fruit Trees Trees

•A significant  part of the water A significant  part of the water Aquifer Aquifer

•Rantis and other villages to the Rantis and other villages to the North North WestNorth North West

Time.com West Bank

West Bank

•The construction of the wall being built by Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, is contrary to international law. •Israel is under an obligation to cease construction of the wall and to dismantle forthwith the structure. •Israel is under an obligation to make reparation for all damage caused by the construction of the wall. •All States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation. •The United Nations, and especially the General Assembly and the Security Council, should consider what further action is required to bring to an end the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall.

On 9 July 2004 the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that: -

The threat facing Aboud is not unique.

•The Separation Barrier The Separation Barrier confiscates land from many confiscates land from many Palestinian villagesPalestinian villages

•It is destroying the possibility It is destroying the possibility of establishing a viable of establishing a viable Palestinian state existing Palestinian state existing peacefully side by side with peacefully side by side with IsraelIsrael

•Its construction creates Its construction creates poverty, resentment and angerpoverty, resentment and anger

The barrier at Aboud is part of a section that could extend 22 kilometres into the West Bank.

AboudAboud

Ariel

Border with IsraelBorder with Israel

Line of the BarrierLine of the Barrier

Israeli SettlementsIsraeli Settlements

Palestinian villagesPalestinian villages

ISRAEl

West Bank

Ariel, the largest illegal settlement could be annexed to Israel

Map produced by the U.N.

We announce publicly and decisively and under all the circumstances that we completely refuse the building of this segregation wall on the lands of our village… we will resist against this wall in all the possible legal and information means. We will also arrange for peaceful demonstrations and protests in Aboud against the wall. 

Fr Firas Aridah  Catholic Parish Priest in Aboud

What future is there for the people of Aboud?

Please act to save this unique and special community

The

Green

Line

=Border with Israel

AbouAboudd

Campaigning makes a Campaigning makes a differencedifference

Red Red The line of the wall The line of the wall proposed in March 2005proposed in March 2005

Orange.Orange. The line of the wall The line of the wall proposed in October 2005proposed in October 2005

The

Green

Line

=Border with Israel

AbouAboudd

But the wall will still take a lot of But the wall will still take a lot of land far beyond the settlements, land far beyond the settlements,

including a hill one kilometre south including a hill one kilometre south of Ofarim.of Ofarim.

Aboud will be cut off from Rantis Aboud will be cut off from Rantis and Al-Lubban. and Al-Lubban.

Send messages of protest to the Israeli Embassy and Government

Ask our Government to: -

• Take action to save Aboud

• Work for Israeli compliance with the Fourth Geneva Convention

• Ensure that the UN enforces the International Court of Justice ruling   

Help these Aboud children Help these Aboud children have a future of justice, have a future of justice, peace and freedompeace and freedom

Produced by Produced by

Leicestershire Holy Land AppealLeicestershire Holy Land Appeal

www.leics-holyland.gothere.uk.comwww.leics-holyland.gothere.uk.com