PARIS,
February 16 (IslamOnline.net) - Scores of people are to take to
streets of Paris on Monday, February 16 in protest at the visit of
Israeli President Moshe Katsav to the country.
Stopping
the construction of the controversial separation wall and pulling out
of occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are to top the
list of demands by the protestors.
The
demonstrations are organized by ten parties and human rights groups,
including the French Jewish federation for peace along with human
rights league and the movement against racism and for friendship among
nations as well as the Green Party.
People
will descend on the Bastille Square, a prison demolished during the
French Revolution, on the evening, with slogans against Israeli
occupation and almost-daily aggressions against the Palestinians.
The
10 organizations and parties have issued a joint statement earlier in
the day, demanding the demolition of the separation wall, which Israel
insists of constructing despite the world-wide wave of criticisms.
The
organizations strongly protest against the decision of the Israeli
government to build the wall, which would isolate the Palestinian
occupied territories, read the statement, a copy of which was obtained
by IslamOnline.net.
Pressures
The
statement said that the demonstrators would call on the French
government and President Jacques Chirac, who would meet Katsav, to
practice pressure on the Israeli president to demolish the separation
wall.
Israel
claims the wall is necessary for maintaining its security. But the
Palestinians dismiss the allegation as deceptive.
The
Palestinians - backed by international community - maintain that the
wall, which cuts deep into the West Bank, is nothing but an Israeli
land-grab and a bid to pre-empt the borders of their future state.
Dozens
of Palestinian towns and villages, in addition to several quarters in
occupied Jerusalem, will be surrounded by the barrier and cut off from
the rest of the Palestinian territories, isolating some 350,000
Palestinians.
The
wall will eventually snake some 700 kilometers along the West Bank and
leave even larger swathes of Palestinian territory on the Israeli
side.
Immediate,
Full Pullout
Demonstrators
will also urge the immediate and full withdrawal of the Israeli troops
from the occupied territories and the right of the Palestinian people
to live up to their expectations, according to the U.N. resolutions.
The
statement has called upon the European Union to terminate the social
support financing deal earlier concluded with Israel.
The
Israeli President is to hold a public meeting with the Jewish
community in France to be organized by the institution representing
Jews in the country.
Sorbonne
University is due to grant an honorary doctorate to the Israeli
President during his visit to its campus on the second day of his
four-day trip.
Obstacles
Meanwhile,
the Paris-based Frontiers Without Borders sent a letter to Chirac,
urging him to debate Israel's restrictions to the work of foreign and
Palestinian reporters in the occupied lands with the visiting Israeli
leader.
