Begin forwarded message: From: "Linda Lotz" Date: August 10, 2005 8:33:45 AM EDT To: "Dan Walsh" Cc: Subject: FW: Israeli poster on Ramya As you’ll see, the text reads: "Is This Acceptable? Expropriation For Public Use Immigrant Housing To Be Built Here Ramya Solidarity Committee, September 1991" To recap the story behind the poster: Whilst the rest of the world was watching Desert Storm, Israeli authorities gave notice to a number of “unrecognized” villages – i.e. villages deliberately kept off the planning maps from the time of the founding of Israel – that their land was to be confiscated for development to benefit the Jewish community at a time when more accommodations were needed due to the influx of Soviet émigrés. Prior to the notice of confiscation to Ramya itself, Carmiel had been built in the Galilee on land confiscated from Ramya but the village itself was refused access to electricity, water, paved roads, etc. ( I have a couple of nice photos from the village and the rally). The confiscation order was fought in the courts for many years. This legal battle contributed to organizing amongst the unrecognized villages, which in turn contributed to the Israeli-Palestinian human rights movement in the Galilee and Negev. This poster was produced by a committee established by or in close support with the folks at Challenge Magazine. You might see Roni ben Afrat, Michal Schwartz, etc. about the subsequent history. On the Israeli side – at least in 1991 when I was there – response to the confiscation order was deeply emotional. Many peaceniks understood that it was unfair to remove Israeli-Palestinians from their land, but they were firmly committed to bringing Soviet and other Jews into the country. For many, silence was easier. Thus, the 9/91 protest I attended featured speakers from a very limited part of the peace/political spectrum, such as Knesset member Tamar Gorzansky. The poster’s reflection of this controversy was mirrored in our office at AFSC in Pasadena; a second copy of the poster was torn from a door and ruined by a guest to the building. Unfortunately, I only had a small window into all of this organizing. I hope the Israelis or Israeli-Palestinians can provide more details.