OCAP Builds Cement Wall Against Real Estate Developer In Solidarity With Palestinian People

A media release received over email...

For Immediate Release
Saturday, November 15th, 2008

OCAP Builds Cement Wall Against Real Estate Developer In Solidarity With Palestinian People

OCAP demands immediate end to the settlements on Palestinian land, calls for building real affordable housing in Toronto

Today, as part of the International Week Against Israel's Apartheid Wall, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) has erected a reinforced cement wall in front of the Toronto building '50 On the Park' at 50 Portland St. (Bathurst and King) owned by wealthy real estate developer Leviev-Boymelgreen. Leviev-Boymelgreen is a developer in Toronto and Brooklyn and also builds illegal Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestine.

By building Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Boymelgreen is committing war crimes under International Law. Boymelgreen is expanding the illegal settlement of Mod'in Illit that is built on the land of the West Bank Palestinian village of Bil'in. 60% of Bil'in's land has been stolen by Israel in the expansion of settlements and by the building of the separation Wall. Bil'in is a village that is being strangled - made into an open air prison surrounded by settlements, Occupation forces and military, and enclosed by Israel's Apartheid Wall. This is a system of colonization and apartheid against the Palestinian people which has gone on for 60 years.

In Toronto and New York, Boymelgreen builds luxury condos in the place of real affordable housing, displacing poor and low-income people from our neighborhoods. On top of this, Boymelgreen is a bad boss to workers. Boymelgreen has unjust and unfair labour practices; underpays workers, puts them in dangerous working conditions, and denies the right of workers to organize in unions.

Today, OCAP sent a strong message to Boymelgreen to get out of Toronto, Brooklyn and Palestine. We hold Boymelgreen responsible for supporting Israel's ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people and we will not allow a corporation like Boymelgreen to build condos in Toronto.

The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty calls for justice for Indigenous and poor people from Toronto, to Brooklyn to Palestine. As an anti-poverty organization, we support the brave struggle of the Palestinian people against the Apartheid state of Israel.

In Toronto we will continue to struggle for the right to real affordable and accessible housing. We will not be pushed, priced or policed out by wealthy real estate developers like Boymelgreen and the government policy that backs them up.

Build affordable housing NOT condos!
Free Palestine. Fight to Win.

To see the poster, click here.

Modi'in Illit contract for Greenpark and Greenmount that Leviev-Boymelgreen is involved in: http://adalahny.org/images/file/green%20park.pdf

For photos, visit www.ocap.ca