〈Urgent statement〉
We protest against the Israeli occupation forces attacking UAWC headquarters and closing it for six months!
In the morning of July 7, the Israeli Occupation Forces raided the headquarters of the UAWC (Palestinian Agricultural and Labor Relations Commission) in Ramallah, confiscated their computers which have data related to the farmers and the agricultural technology, and ordered a six-month closure.
We, “Olive No Kai” in Japan will protest with full anger at the Israeli occupation authorities' attack on the UAWC headquarters and the order to close it.
UAWC has been working to establish food sovereignty for Palestinian farmers while resisting the occupation of Israel.
Since the occupation of 1967, the Israeli occupation system has consistently destroyed agriculture in the West Bank, which had been self-sufficient in 90% of its basic crops. Even after the Oslo Accords, 61% of the West Bank is still in District C, which is under the control of the Israeli Occupation Forces.
District C contains many farmlands that support Palestinian agricultural production, and is also under the control of the fertile Jordan Valley, which produces nearly 50% of Palestinian agricultural production. Israel also controls more than 85% of Palestinian water resources.
Furthermore, more than 800,000 olive trees which are culturally and economically important for Palestinian people, and which have been used for food, soap and crafts, have already been burned and uprooted since 1967.
The Israeli occupation authorities have consistently implemented a policy of destroying the Palestinian agricultural base and placing the Palestinian economy in subordination.
In contrast, UAWC has been struggling for establishing food sovereignty in Palestine through many projects to protect Palestinian farmers, such as “Let's plant seeds in District C!" Campaign, the Olive Harvest Campaign, local Seed Bank activity, and installing agricultural water storage tanks and pumps.
The fight of Palestinian people protesting the expulsion of residents in Sheikh Jara and the closure of Al-Axar in East Jerusalem against Israeli occupation is spreading a wide area throughout West Bank and Garza Strip, despite the Netanyahu administration's air bombing of Gaza.
On the other hand, in Israel, after four general elections, the far-right “Yamine(right wing) coalition government who agreed only with ‘anti-Netanyahu’ was established on June 13.
Since the inauguration of the new Bennett administration, airstrikes on Gaza have been carried out four times, and crackdowns on Palestinian people have been carried out in various parts of the West Bank. It continues its racist occupation policy, which is no different from the Netanyahu administration.
We, “Olive No Kai”, protest against the attack and closure of the UAWC headquarters by the Israeli occupation authorities, and call on as many Japanese as possible to stand in solidarity and join the struggle of the Palestinian people against the occupation regime.
Olive no Kai
8th July 2021
