From: Ismail Zayid

To: Globe & Mail

Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 8:40 AM

Subject: How about the oppressive illegal occupation?

Dec. 14, 2007

The Editor,

The Globe & Mail

Dear Editor:

Alan Baker, Israel's ambassador, letter ;{"Israel's Mideast Perspective" Dec. 14}, questions Mark Makinnon's article: {"Israeli incursion into Gaza Strip...." Dec. 12}. He asks : " How would Canadians react if they were subjected day in, dayout, to multiple rounds of rocket and mortar fire emanating from across the border?...." More accurately, the question that should be asked is :" How would Canadians, or any other people, react if they were subjected to an illegal oppressive foreign occupation that  has been allowed to stand for forty years, in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council resolutions, an occupation that subjects them to daily humiliation, denial of health care and basic needs of life? How would they react if this occupation subjects them to torture, extra-judicial assassination, detention of thousands without charge or trial, demolition of thousands of their homes, expropriation of their land for the creation of illegal colonies 'settlements'? All these acts are in violation of virtually every article of the Fourth Geneva Convention and are considered by international law as war crimes.

It is time that Israel and its apologists begin to look at the facts on the ground and comply with international law and UN resolutions.

Yours sincerely,

Ismail Zayid, MD.