From: Ismail Zayid
To: min.dfaitmaeci@international.gc.ca
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: A10581-2005 IN REPLY TO YOUR E-MAIL OF MARCH 24, 2005

Canada Palestine Association,
P.O.Box 1085,
Halifax, NS, B3J 2X1.
 
August 7, 2005
 
The Hon. Mr. Pierre Pettigrew,
Minister of External Affairs,
Ottawa.
 
Dear Mr. Pettigrew:
 
Thank you for your letter responding to my earlier message.
 
I applaud your stand, on behalf of our government and our people, stating clearly that Canada considers the Israeli occupation, of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights, is subject to international law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN resolutions. This brutal illegal occupation has been allowed to stand for 38 years in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council resolutions.All the Jewish settlements in these occupied territories are illegal, as clearly stated in the Fourth Geneva Convention and Security Council resolution and must be dismantled. Surely, Canada and the international community should be calling for immediate unconditional Israeli withdrawal from these illegally occupied territories.
 
We recall the illegal Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990. There was no requirement that the Kuwaiti people were required to negotiate with Iraq about any conditions of withdrawal. When this withdrawal was not effected within weeks, nearly a million troops were dispatched to terminate this occupation. Similarly this Israeli occupation must be completely terminated unconditionally. We are not calling for military action but mere diplomatic pressure to inforce international law. Sharon's Disengagement Plan from Gaza and few outposts in the West Bank should be a step towards complete termination of this occupation. However, all observers in the area observe that Sharon is expanding the illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and shows no inclination to bring an end to this illegal occupation..
 
I fully agree with you that the killing of civilians, be they Palestinians or Israelis, is abhorent and must be condemned.
 
Thank you again for your response and your stand against this occupation and in support for justice and peace for all the people in the Middle East.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
 
Ismail Zayid, MD.
President, Canada Palestine Association.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: <min.dfaitmaeci@international.gc.ca>
To: <izayid@eastlink.ca>
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 3:23 PM
Subject: A10581-2005 IN REPLY TO YOUR E-MAIL OF MARCH 24, 2005

Dr. Ismail Zayid
President
Canada Palestine Association
izayid@eastlink.ca


Dear Dr. Zayid:

Thank you for your e-mail of March 24, 2005, and for your words in
support of my statement of March 23, 2005, concerning the Government of
Israel's plan to build several thousand additional housing units in the
West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim.  I regret the delay in replying
to you.

Successive Canadian governments have very clearly stated, on numerous
occasions, that international human rights and humanitarian law,
including the Fourth Geneva Convention, do apply to the territories
occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, the
Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.  We recognize these
territories as being subject to occupation, as that term is used under
international law, and we have joined other nations in calling on Israel
to withdraw.  Attacks against Israeli civilians, including terrorist
attacks, are also a violation of international humanitarian law.

All United Nations members are bound to respect resolutions and
decisions adopted by the organization.  United Nations resolutions
relating to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in particular United Nations
Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397 and 1515, provide the basis
for a comprehensive agreement as envisioned in the Quartet's Road Map
for peace.

Canada is encouraged by the leadership demonstrated by Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
and the courageous political steps they have taken together.  A new
constructive era in the relationships between the parties, which have
renewed political dialogue, marks a turning point in the political
process.  We welcome the renewed security cooperation between the
parties, which has led to a decreased level of violence.  We also
welcome the declaration made on February 8, 2005, by both leaders at the
Sharm el-Sheikh Summit, on bringing an end to four years of hostilities
that have claimed the lives of many innocent victims.
 
During my visit to the region from February 6 to 12, 2005, I expressed
to both Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas Canada's support for a
coordinated withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern
West Bank.  I also called for a resumption of Road Map implementation,
leading back to negotiations and to realizing the vision of two states:
Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and
security. 

Furthermore, the visit to Canada of President Abbas on May 27, 2005,
presented another opportunity to demonstrate Canada's support for the
Middle East Peace Process and for Palestinian Authority capacity
building.  The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister, commended
President Abbas for his efforts to curb terrorism.  He also announced an
additional $12 million in assistance, which will be devoted to housing,
judicial training and reform, scholarships for refugee women and
election monitoring during the legislative elections.  In addition,
Prime Minister Martin underscored the incompatibility between terrorism
and democracy.  He reiterated to President Abbas Canada's support for
the Road Map and the importance for both parties to implement their Road
Map obligations as well as to accelerate efforts towards peace.

Maintaining momentum will require a concerted and sustained effort by
all parties.  I believe there are many areas open to Canadian expertise
and assistance in the fields of governance, security and economic
development.  We are working closely, along with the international
community, to support the parties' efforts as best we can.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,





Pierre S. Pettigrew