Washington, DC, July 17 - The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomed President George W. Bush's proclamation
today in support of what he termed  "captive nations," and his statement that "America reaffirms our solidarity with and support for people
living under conditions of servitude.  They are the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity."

However, ADC reminded President Bush that Palestine, which he failed to mention among his examples of "captive nations," is the
clearest example of a captive nation in the world today.  Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territories is the last military occupation
identified by the U.N. Security Council to persist in the present day.  The 3.5 million Palestinians who suffer under Israeli military
occupation live as noncitizens, subject to the rule of a hostile and abusive foreign army which facilitates an aggressive campaign of Israeli
colonization.

President Bush also denounced dictators and despots, but failed to acknowledge that the most onerous form of tyranny is living under a
foreign military dictatorship.  This summer, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands has acquired not only the distinction of being the
last remaining military occupation in the world according to the U.N. Security Council, it has surpassed Japan's 34 year long occupation
of Korea and become the longest military occupation in recent history.

ADC President Ziad Asali said "we strongly agree with the moral principles articulated by the President with regard to captive nations
week.  We urge the President and all our fellow Americans to think of the suffering of the people of Palestine during this year's captive
nations week.  The bondage that the Palestinians suffer at the hands of the Israeli army and settlers defines more clearly what it means to
be a captive nation than any other circumstance in the world.  We cannot aspire to build a world of freedom, dignity, and tolerance while
allowing millions of people to be denied their basic human rights, their national rights and their right to live as citizens in their own country.
If captive nations week is to mean anything, it must mean opposing a cruel and seemingly endless  foreign military occupation of an
entire people."
 
 

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American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
Tel: (202) 244-2990, Fax: (202) 244-3196
E-mail: adc@adc.org
Web   : http://www.adc.org