[Note: Rich Meyer, coordinator or the Campaign for Secure Dwellings (CSD) ,
sent the following out to North American participants in the campaign
recently. CPT encourages all participants in CPTnet to send letters and
faxes as well.]

To Partners in the Campaign for Secure Dwellings:

Shortly after the elections in Israel we asked you to send faxes, letters or
e-mail to Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak. From conversations with a number
of you, and from copies that some of you sent me, I am reminded again of the
important resource we have in this network of the Campaign for Secure
Dwellings. The high rate of support you give in these efforts means that
when we coordinate and focus, we can place a significant number of messages
on the desk of an official. If each partner group generates three or four
messages, we are sending 200 to 300 messages.

Barak is still working at putting together a governing coalition. His
policy directions seem to also be still in a formative stage, with signals
pointing one way one day and a different direction the next. With this
fluidity, now is an important time for us to contact Barak with
encouragement to do the things that make for peace.

Our appeal to you today is very similar to last month:

PLEASE SEND A FAX, LETTER or e-mail to Ehud Barak, with a cc to your
Minister of Foreign Affairs/Secretary of State (addresses below). Faxes or
letters are stronger than e-mails. In your message to Barak, include these
points:

1. Remind him of his mandate to end the policies of destruction, and to
build peace.

2. Urge him to anounce a halt to home demolitions from the moment he
takes office. Point out that the threat of demolition creates fear and
insecurity in the lives of thousands of Palestinian families; he must take
steps to reduce that fear in order to build peace.

To the best of my knowledge, none of us have received replies to any
messages to Barak to date. In part this is an indication of the stage of
organization of his administration. I would be very interested in receiving
a copy if you receive a response.

Even if you did this just two or three weeks ago, please repeat the
exercise.
Now is when Barak and his people are making these decisions. As always, we
are glad to see copies of the letters or faxes you send. For Palestinian
partner families, every effort we make on their behalf is an encouragement.

ADDRESSES:

In Canada:

Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak
c/o Embassy of Israel
50 O'Connor Street #1005
Ottawa, ONT K1P 6L2
Fax: 613-237-8865

Barak's party office is amuta [at] ehudbarak [dot] co [dot] il and his parliamentary office
is ebarak [at] parliament [dot] gov [dot] il

cc: Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottowa ONT K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-996-3443
axworl [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca

In the US:
Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak
c/o Embassy of Israel
3414 International Drive NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 202-364-5423

Barak's party office is amuta [at] ehudbarak [dot] co [dot] il and his parliamentary office
is ebarak [at] parliament [dot] gov [dot] il

cc: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: 202-736-4461
secretary [at] state [dot] gov

Thanks for your participation and support,

Rich H. Meyer
CPT Campaign for Secure Dwellings
13416 CR 44, Millersburg IN 46543-9726 USA
phone/fax 219-642-3920 cptcsd [at] npcc [dot] net

"This house belongs to God . . ."

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) coordinates the Campaign for Secure
Dwellings in cooperation with the Israeli Committee Against House
Demolitions and the Hebron Land Defense Committee. CPT is a program of
active peacemaking supported by Mennonite and Brethren congregations and
Friends meetings.