Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 8:52 AM
Subject: compliance with international law.
Aug. 19 , 2006
The Editor,
The Globe & Mail
Dear Editor:
Alan Baker, the Israeli ambassador, in his letter,
Aug. 19, is critical of Paul Heinbecker's call for Israeli compliance with
international law in relation to its illegal settlements, East Jerusalem and
Palestinian refugee rights.Mr. Baker blames the conflict on Hezbollah and Hamas.
Perhaps it is relevant to remind Mr. Baker that the Arab/Israeli conflict arose
from Israeli ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people from their homeland
58 years ago and the subsequent Israeli policies including the illegal
occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese land, 39 years ago, that still
stands in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council
resolutions. All this took place long before Hezbollah and Hamas were created.
Hezbollah came into being after the brutal Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982,
that brought about the killing of 20,000 Lebanese and Palestinian innocent
civilians. Hamas came about after 1987, with encouragement by Israeli
intelligence, to create dissention amongst Palestinians.
Surely, it is time for Israel to recognise historic
facts and comply with international law, so that Arabs and Jews can live in
peace in the Middle East.
Yours sincerely,
Ismail Zayid