from Jewish settlers Tuesday, January 28, as Israelis were likely to re-elect Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on a tough security pledge.
The Palestinians were killed during Israeli raids on Jenin and Gaza, reports said, shortly after Sharon vowed not to talk peace until Palestinians end their 28- month uprising against what they regard as Israel’s occupation.
Palestinian Christians also expressed concern that Jewish settlers will use the Election Day to "take the opportunity to grab as much land as they can", BosNewsLife learned.
"You may not be aware that, in advance of every election, settlers take the opportunity to grab as much land as they can and establish "facts on the ground".
POLITICAL MANDATE
"(This) cannot or will not be reversed in the event of a new political mandate," said United States born Alison Jones-Nassar in an open letter to U.S. President George W. Bush, seen by BosNewsLife.
On February 5, the Israeli Supreme Court will decide whether the Nassar family can keep its near 80-year old farm, as it hands down a a final ruling regarding the legal ownership of the property.
However after almost 12 years of legal wrangling, Lawyer Jonathan Kuttab suggested that "previously the Court has shown great reluctance to interfere in any decision regarding the rights of Palestinians to their land."
"GREAT BLOW"
Nassar warned that a negative decision "would deal a great blow to the dwindling Christian population in the Bethlehem area in these already very difficult times."
"We did not resort to "terrorism" or violence of any kind, " said Nassar in the letter to Bush. "For more than eleven years we have been involved in a legal battle with the military authorities and we have played by all the rules."
"We have provided witnesses when required. We have paid for expert consultations when required. We have navigated checkpoints, closures, and curfews on hundreds of occasions in order to make appearances at the military court near Ramallah when required."
MILITARY APPEALS
But, she said, the military appeals committee finally rejected the challenge from her and her husband ”contrary to every foundation of law and democracy that Israel supposedly upholds." Nassar fears that Jewish settlers will now further occupy the land, located just south of Bethlehem.
"In November 1991, the same week my husband and I were married, the State of Israel declared my husband’s family farm as "state land," she said.
Palestinian Christians are also concerned about further violence, after Israeli forces attacked the St Philip’s Episcopal Church in the Ahli Arab Hospital compound of Gaza City, Friday, January 24, in which one patient died of shock and one gate keeper wounded.
The Palestinian Authority has accused Sharon of stepping up military operations to boost popular support for his policies. But the Israeli Government says the military operations are needed to combat Palestinian militants and suicide attacks.
