Canada Palestine Association,
P.O.Box, 1085
Halifax, NS. B3J 2X1
July 16, 2006
The Right Hon. Mr. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister.
Dear Mr. Harper:
We are shocked to hear of your ourageous statement,
condoning and justifying israeli war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israeli bombing of the Beirut International
Airport, the destruction of roads and bridges, the demolition of power stations,
denying electricity and water to millions of people and hospitals, the imposed
siege by sea, air and land on lebanon and the murder, to this date, of more
than a 100 innocent civilians, men, women and children, are war crimes that
cannot be condoned by any member of the international community. Your
description of these actions, as "a measured response", is a
challenge and an insult to the English language. Israeli crimes in Gaza and
the West Bank have been ongoing long before the Israeli soldier was captured in
a military action on June 25. There are over 10,000 Palestinians and Lebanese
held in Israeli prisons, without charge or trial. Israel is in illegal
occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and lebanese territory for over 39 years, in
defiance of international law and repeated Security Council resolutions.
international law and the UN Charter entitles people under foreign occupation to
resist such occupation, with all means in their power. Israeli practices
throught this lengthy occupation have included extrajudicial assassination,
holding of thousands without charge or trial, torture, daily humiliation at
check points, denial of health care, demolition of thousands of homes and
expropriation of territory for the creation of illegal colonies['settlements'].
These practices are in violation virtually every article of the Fourth
Geneva Convention, and have been condemned by all international
human rights bodies, including Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and israeli human rights action
group, B'Tselem. Such violations are
defined as war crimes by international law. Article One of
the Convention calls on all High
Contracting Parties, including Canada, to take action against any state
that violates any article in the Convention.
We have always held with pride the claim that
Canada upholds international law and the UN Charter. Thus, we find your
statements on this critical crisis, that threaens peace in Middle East and world
peace, are in violation of this spirit. Thus, we are calling on you and all
our political leaders to uphold Canada's reputation and condemn Israeli actions
and bring to an end its illegal occupation of all Palestinian, Syrian and
Lebanese land, in compliance with international law.
Sincerely,
Ismail Zayid, MD.
President, Canada Palestine
Association.