Take a minute to write to the Canadian members of parliament.

Over the last few days, Israeli settlers have placed new caravans on the lands of Yanoun village near Nablus.

Rashed Murar, representative of Yanoun village, in the municipality of Aqraba, said that settlers from the settlement outpost '777' ploughed new lands near the settlement, and then at one o'clock in the middle of night, they set up two mobile homes on the northern lands of the village.

There are 36 people remaining living in Yanoun. About 90 percent of the land has been now confiscated by illegal settlements. Murar indicated that the people of Yanoun are now not allowed to move away from the last house in the village more than ten meters.

Over 65 Canadian members of parliament have said they are against annexation. We would hope this includes on the ground real time annexation that continues to happen daily in occupied Palestine, and which is in hyper-drive behind the veil and preoccupation of Covid-19.

Let Canadian elected officials know that to be against annexation, is to stand with the people of Yanoun, and denounce the war crimes committed under the Fourth Geneva Convention. This includes the establishment of illegal settlements, land confiscation, and not providing dignity, safety and the basic needs of the occupied population.

Background:

Yanoun has been under attack from settlers since the mid 1990s, encircled by illegal settlements of Itamar, Yizhar and Bracha. These illegal settlements are on the hills surrounding Yanoun on all sides.

In 2002, the villagers fled Yanoun after settlers forcibly beat villages, chopped down the village's  approximately  one thousand olive trees, and slaughtered the livestock. Israeli peacemakers came to live in the village, allowing many of the villagers to have returned. Shortly after that, the churches in Palestine asked the World Council of Churches for help, and an ecumenical accompanier team was placed in this village. This team provided 24/7/365 day protective presence for about 15 years.  

Read more:

About Yanoun

Holy Land: Illegal settlers in new land grab, Independent Catholic New, August 22, 2020

Of Olive Orchards and Armed Zealots, Counterpounch, November 2, 2002

They Come Down from the Hills and Get Us with Dogs and Guns, Vice, September 12, 2012

About Annexation

How will annexation change the legal landscape in the West Bank? by Jonathan Kuttab, Electronic Intifada, August 7, 2020