Canada Palestine Association,
P.O.Box 1085,
Halifax, NS. B3J 2X1
Jan. 27, 2006
The Hon. Mr Stephen Harper, MP.
Ottawa.
Dear Mr. Harper.
We read with interest and surprise your statement,
quoted in The Globe & Mail, Jan. 27. You state that "The new
Conservative government wants clear evidence before recognizing the
Palestinian group's democratic credentials". We understood that Canada, the US
and other governments have been calling for the introduction of democracy in the
Middle East. The Palestinian people, under occupation, have freely
expressed their wishes in a free election, confirmed by international observers.
Is that not what we call democracy? Surely, this must be accepted by all,
regardless of whether one may approve of the views of this elected
authority.
You state: " for a nation to be truly
democratic it must renounce any use of terrorism." Is Israel subject to this
rule, and have you called on Israel to renounce all its acts of violence and
state terrorism? Surely, you are aware that Israel was created through a
campaign of terrorism, against the Palestinians, the British, and others,
including Jews. To this day Israeli illegal occupation of Palestinian territory
has been sustained by continuing acts of state terrorism. These include
extra-judicial assassination, bombing and murdering thousands of civilians
by F16's and Apaches, torture, demolition of thousands of homes, expropriation
of territory for the creation of illegal colonies[settlements] and other
practices that stand in violation of virtually every article of the
Fourth Geneva Convention, and thus defined by international law
as war crimes. These practices have been condemned, as
acts of state terrorism, by all international human rights bodies, including
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israeli human rights groups,
including B'Tselem.
Article One of the Fourth Geneva Convention
calls on all High Contracting Parties, of which Canada is one, to take action
against any state that violates any article of the Fourth Geneva
Convention.
As to the statements that Hamas does not recognise
the existence of Israel, the answer is simple. Israeli leaders continue to
refuse to recognise a Palestinian state, let alone the existence of the
Palestinian people. Golda Meier, the then Israeli prime
minister, stated: " There is no such thing as
Palestinians. They did not exist." [Sunday Times,
June 15, 1969]. This policy continues.
Our government must stop this practice of double
standards, and must call on Israel to comply with international law and
terminate completely and unconditionally its illegal occupation of
Palestinian and Syrian territory, that has been allowed to stand for over 38
years, in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council
resolutions. Only, then can peace be secure and assured for all Israelis and
Palestinians.
Ismail Zayid, MD
President, Canada Palestine
Association