From: Ismail Zayid

To: Bernier.M@parl.gc.ca

Cc: min.dfaitmaeci@international.gc.ca ; Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca ; McDonough.A@parl.gc.ca ; Layton.J@parl.gc.ca ; Dion.S@parl.gc.ca

Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 4:35 PM

Subject: Illegal Settlements.

Canada Palestine Association,

P.O.Box, 1085

Halifax, NS.

B3J 2X1

Jan. 14, 2008

The Hon. Mr. Maxime Bernier, MP.

Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ottawa.

Dear MR. Bernier:

We are shocked and amazed to to read today reports of your response, or lack of it, in relations to the questions you were asked asked yesterday, at a press conference in Ramallah, about the Israeli government's continuing expansion of building in the illegal settlement in Har Homa, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

We are certain that you are aware that Har Homa, like all the other settlements that Israel built in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, are all illegal, as defined by Security Council resolutions, International Court of Justice, the Fourth Geneva Convention and international law. In 1997, the Canadian government was amomg 134 U.N. member states who condemned the construction of this illegal settlement. This unprincipled stand now casts a very negative shadow on our government's stand, as a country that calims to uphold international law, the UN Charter and the standards of humanity towards the oppressed Plaestinian people who have been subjected to an oppressive illegal Israeli occupation for forty years.

It is time that Canada's government should stand by the standards it claims to uphold and act accordingly.

Yours sincerely,

Ismail Zayid, MD.

President, Canada Palestine Association.