Stop the Demoltion of Palestinian Homes

A. Jaber (pha31@cc.keele.ac.uk)
Wed, Mar 22 1995 16:39:11 GMT

[Please send followups to soc.culture.palestine;
not to soc.religion.bahai -srb mod]

ACTION ALERT

Stop the Baha'i Demolition Plans in Haifa's Palestinian Sector

March, 1995
Background:

While the city of Haifa has long been admired for its cosmopolitan
environment, its beauty also stems from the fact that Palestinian
residents of the port city have preserved their historic houses, that
date to hundreds of years.

However, in a silent bid to purchase Palestinian properties in the Arab
sector of Haifa, the Baha'i World Center is planning to implement a
project which will lead to the disappearance of Haifa's Arab character
and history. The properties, which in most cases belong to Palestinians
who fled their homeland when Israel was created in 1948, will be
destroyed in order to create "beautiful gardens" in their place, as
ordered by the Baha'i prophet, Baha'ullah.

The Baha'i faith is considered by its followers to be "the youngest of
the world's independent religions". The central theme of their
messenger's teaching "...humanity is one single race and that the day has
come for its unification in one global society."

Such message neglected to take into consideration the human aspect of the
culture, history and identity of the Palestinian people. After his exile
from Persia, Baha'ullah was sent to Akka, Palestine in 1868. After his
release from Akka Prison, he was welcomed by the Palestinian inhabitants
as a guest among them, unfortunately their warm hospitality will be
repaid with the defacing of their history and presence in the port city.

According to a Baha'i official, the demolition process will begin by
early April. Your support is urgently needed in order to defend the
Palestinian character and presence in Haifa.

As long as the issue of the Palestinian refugees from 1948 has not been
addressed or resolved yet, such attempts by the Baha'is to create,
whether intentionally or unintentionally, an artificial character in the
city should not be accepted.

Plans to beautify the city are welcome, however they need not come at the
expense of other people's history and rights.

ACTION:
Support our campaign in Haifa, please

1- Call for an end to the demolition process.
2- Protest and condemn the proposed plan.
3- Show solidarity with the Palestinians of Haifa in their effort to
defend their properties.

Call / Write to:
Mr. Murray R. Smith
Deputy Secretary-General
Haifa
Baha'i World Centre
P.O. Box 155, 31 001
Haifa
Tel: 04-358-195 or 358-358
Fax: 04-358-129