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Mass Rally for Palestinian Refugee Rights (New York, 7 April 2001) - Palestine Right to Return Coalition (al-Awda)

BADIL Resource Center 
15 January 2001 
For Immediate Release  

Calls For
GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION, ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORSHIP and DONATIONS

Based on the successful Right-of-Return rallies held simultaneously in Washington DC, London, Lebanon and Palestine in September 2000, the Palestine Right of Return Coalition (Al-Awda) has announced a second round of rallies on 7 April 2001. Thousands are again expected to march and rally, this time in New York City and in other cities around the world, to reaffirm the right of Palestinian refugees to return to homes and lands from which they were expelled in 1948 and thereafter. The rallies on 7 April 2001 will coincide with the fifty-third anniversary of the massacre of Palestinians in the Jerusalem village of Deir Yassin committed by Zionist forces in 1948. 

The rallies and marches on April 7 are intended to draw the public's attention to the human rights abuses and suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people. They are also intended to send a strong signal of support to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, who continue to suffer human rights abuses under Israeli occupation. More than three hundred and fifty Palestinian civilians have been killed and over 11,000 injured by Israeli forces in the past few months. Many of those injured and killed are refugees. 

Palestinian refugees, numbering more than 5 million in the year 2001, represent one of the oldest and the largest refugee population in the world. Their suffering is magnified by Israel's ongoing denial of their right to repatriation and restitution, as required by international law and UN resolutions, especially UN Resolution 194.

 

The Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition (Al-Awda) calls for

ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORSHIP:
Groups wishing to co-sponsor the 7 April 2001 rally in New York City, or to inquire about rallies in other countries, can contact [email protected] or as indicated below.

CALL FOR GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION:
To join an Al-Awda/PRRC grassroots action committee currently mobilizing for April 7 in your area, visit: http://www.al-awda.org/committees.htm. To help establish Al-Awda/PRRC action committees in your area, please send a message to [email protected] indicating your location.

CALL FOR DONATIONS
To send a donation to help defray the costs of the rally, please address checks to:
PRRC, The Palestine Right To Return Coalition
PO Box 401
Hummelstown, PA 17036
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://al-awda.org
Fax: 001-717-832-1123