Critical Tour in Israel, August 2007

In connection with WRI Council and Seminar in Neve-Shalom - Wahat al-Salam, August 2007, prof. Uri Davies organised a Critical tour to Israel.

Canada Park. A "non-segregational" recreational park with some "nice historical ruins". The park is built on top of 3 old Arab villages bombed to the ground in 1948 - thus the historical ruins. The park is in close vicinity of desecrated arab cemetaries. Canada park lies beyond the "green line" and would be concidered illegal occupation under the UN Security council resolutions. The park is built with Canadian donations through the Jewish National Fund.

___ is a rich neighbourhood in Tel-Aviv. Formerly multiethnic neighbourhood was occupied by ethnic jewish residents while the ethnic arab realestate owners fled in a fear violence in 1948. When in 1991 majority of the jewish population fled in fear of Iraqi missile attack the ownership of realestate was not tranfered to those staying behind. The undemolished mosque in ___ is a symbol of the good intentions of the State of Israeli towards other religious or ethnic groups.

The Israeli arab population of 20% of Israeli citizens is by law resticted to reside only on 7% of the area of State of Israel. Of this 7% only about half is actualized. In other parts there is active harrasment through bureacracy, especially regarding building permits.

The oldest building in the originally arab, now multiethnic town of Lida (Lod) is not in good condition. The town administation has repeatedly prohibeted renovating/concerving this historical arab dwelling. Also most non religious arab/muslim historical sites are simply left to erode. This is seen as a sublte effort to in time erase the non jewish history of Palestine.