Bil’in case continues at the Quebec Court of Appeal in Montreal

on June 3rd: support activities organized to support of Bil’in’s struggle in Palestine!

9h30: Appeal at the Quebec Court of Appeal
Courtroom Pierre-Basile-Mignault
100 Notre Dame East
metro Champ-de-Mars
Montreal, Quebec

19h : Conference with villagers from Bil’in and Israeli lawyer
Georges-Vanier Cultural Center
2450 Workman
Lionel-Groulx metro

June 3 2010: Solidarity with the village of Bil’in in their struggle against the Israeli Apartheid Wall and the Settlements

The popular resistance by Bil’in, a village in the West Bank, against the Israeli Occupation is ongoing and well known to Montrealers following the visit by three members of the Popular Committee of Bil’in in June, 2009 who came to attend the first hearing.

You may recall that the villagers of Bil’in launched a lawsuit against two companies registered in Quebec, Green Mount International and Green Park International, because they have constructed Israeli settlements on agricultural lands belonging to Bil’in, which had been confiscated previously by the Israeli state. The two companies are therefore accused, before the Superior Court of Quebec of war crimes, as specified by the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Canadian Law on Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes.

In the context of the lawsuit in June 2009, people in the court room heard the motion to dismiss the case, brought by the accused companies. The defense pled that the accusations should be heard before the High Court of Israel and on this argument they succeeded in convincing Judge Cullen of the Superior Court of Quebec that the case should be dismissed. The lawyers of Bil’in then appealed this decision, declaring that The High Court of Justice of Israel refuses to render a decision on the legality of the settlements in the context of the Fourth Geneva Convention, because it is a political matter. Thus the Israeli court is not one which would hear the case of Bil’in in any just and equitable way, if they would at all.

We invite you to help the cause of Bil’in by attending the appeal against the dismissal of the case, on June 3, 2010, 9:30 at the Quebec Court of Appeals and to participate in the activities organized in support of their struggle, namely a solidarity demonstration outside the courthouse and a conference with villagers who will come from Bil’in and their lawyer.

It is extremely important to show our support of Bil’in because justice must be done in this case against the Montreal companies, who are complicit in the military occupation of Palestine by Israel, and because the people of Bil’in live under severe repression on the part of the Israeli army. Demonstrations against the Apartheid Wall which have taken place every Friday for more than five years in Bil’in, always face Israeli weapons, tear gas, and the intimidation and arrest of peaceful non-violent demonstrators.

Last year one of the villagers, Bassem Abu Rahma, was killed by a tear gas projectile during a demonstration. Since the court case of June 2009, many have been arrested at demonstrations, while others have been kidnapped in night raids on the village. We must show our solidarity with the popular resistance of Bil’in and with Adeeb Abu Rahma and Abdullah Abu Rahma, who have been imprisonned for many months, awaiting trial.

for more information on Bil’in and the lawsuit:
www.bilin-village.org and bilinmtl.blogspot.com