ISRAELI BOY CALLS WORLD TO MINE ACTION AT
BANKS OF JORDAN RIVER

Eleven Year Old Landmine Survivor Inspires Global Leaders and Military Commanders to Turn Mines to Vines™ at Baptism Site of Jesus

June 30, 2010—Jordan River, Israel—Daniel Yuval, age 11, lost his right leg to a landmine while playing in the snow on a family trip to the Golan Heights in February. In an extraordinary response to Daniel's call to action to clear all non–operational minefields, leading Knesset members, government ministers, business representatives and global leaders will join military officials in an unprecedented briefing in the Jordan Valley this week. The mine-free Israel campaign is dedicating the day to answer Daniel's call, so that no more footsteps are lost to the perils of landmines. The day begins at 9 AM with a gathering of dignitaries at the minefield surrounding Qaser el Yahud—the Baptismal site of Jesus on the bank of the Jordan River. Tzachi Hanegbi, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, will tour the site with Jerry White, a leader of the Nobel Peace Prize–winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, who, like Daniel, lost his leg to a landmine over 26 years ago in the Golan. Hanegbi's leadership has resulted in the introduction of unparalleled legislation for landmine action, supported by 73 Knesset members across all party affiliations. The legislation would mandate a national authority to clear all landmines not required for security purposes. This would include the agricultural areas of the Arava Valley as well as the sites sacred to all faiths, including two billion Christians worldwide eager to see the third holiest site of Christianity set free from mines and open to pilgrims and tourists. Officials estimate the site, once demined, could welcome over one million visitors annually.

Heidi Kühn, Founding CEO of Roots of Peace (www.rootsofpeace.org), one of the largest agricultural NGOs in Afghanistan, will lead a ceremonial planting in the minefield with the vision of transforming Mines to Vines™ minefields into vineyards throughout the Jordan Valley. In addition to Afghanistan, Roots of Peace has been working for the past 12 years in Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, Vietnam, and Iraq. Currently, Roots of Peace is working with USDA, USAID, ADB, EU, and World Bank support in 27 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan—having removed over 100,000 landmines/UXO before returning the land to productive agricultural use. Kühn says, “We are planting the roots of peace in The Holy Lands—joined by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike—as we strive to demine the Baptism site of Jesus along the banks of the Jordan River. Together, we are transforming seeds of hatred into seeds of hope while respecting our sacred common grounds.” His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, who visited the Baptismal Site of Jesus in 2009, had a personal audience with Ms. Kühn, after which The Vatican stated: “We must renew and strengthen our commitment at both the international and local levels to rid agricultural fields of the death-dealing landmines that are devastating the lives of so many people, particularly women and children.”

Jerry White and the Mine–Free Israel Campaign released this week the first comprehensive report, “Explosive Litter: Status Report on Minefields in Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” reporting that nearly half a million mines are no longer operational and could be removed today. Mine Free Campaign Coordinator Dhyan Or says “Landmines left over from decades of conflict are buried in thousands of minefields along Israel's border with Jordan. It is in Israel's interest to clear these mines, saving lives and limbs and returning land to productive use. In fact, this could be done in five to ten years.” The Kingdom of Jordan has already cleared all minefields in the Jordan Valley, and along its border with Israel, expecting to become mine–free by mid–2011. Less than ten years ago, Jordan had a similar level of contamination as Israel has today.

The landmine briefing will conclude with a VIP Reception hosted by young Daniel Yuval and his family, joined by Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, MK Tsahi Hanegbi, International Ambassadors, Maxwell Gaylord, resident UN Coordinator Humanitarian Efforts, who previously ran the UN Mine Action Service—responsible for setting international standards for mine clearance. The event will convene at 7:30PM at The Tower, 3 Daniel Frisch Street in Tel Aviv.

The day's activities will also offer tribute to the efforts of the late Princess Diana, whose birthday is July 1st. Princess Diana would have been 49 this year. Prince Harry, her son, visited the minefields of Mozambique earlier this month in honor of his mother's legacy to eradicate an estimated 70 million mines buried in over 70 countries. On her last humanitarian visit with Jerry White to Bosnia in August 1997, Princess Diana declared landmines “a scar on the earth and a weapon of mass destruction in slow motion.” Landmines have killed more than nuclear, chemical and biological weapons combined.

Minefields hold hostage the Baptismal Site of Jesus
on the bank of the Jordan River.
Photo: Simona Or-Munteanu

Heidi Kühn and Tzachi Hanegbi, Chairman of the Knesset Defense and Security Committee,
plant an olive tree at the recently demined baptismal site of Jesus on the bank of the Jordan River.
Photo: Simona Or-Munteanu