From: Ismail Zayid

To: lettertoed@thestar.ca

Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 9:39 PM

Subject: How long must Israel be allowed to remain above international law?

531 Young Avenue,

Halifax, NS. B3H 2V4

Tel: 902.429.9100

Feb. 19, 2006

The Editor,

The Toronto Star.

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your publishing the excellent article,titled :{" If Hamas must renounce violence, so should Israel." by Linda McQuaig, Feb. 19}

Ms. McQuaig article correctly points out the hypocrisy and double standards practiced by our politicians and media who call on Hamas to recognise Israel and renounce violence.

The question that must be asked, which Israel is Hamas required to recognise? Israel, since its inception, has refused to define its borders and its leaders spoke of and effected an expansionist program, built on a series of aggressive wars against its neighbours. Israel was not content with the disproportionist deal it was offered in the UNGA resolution # 181, of Nov. 29, 1947, effected under US pressure, apportioning to the Jewish state 56% of Palestine, when the Jews in Palestine constituted 31% of the population and owned exactly 5.6% of the land. Yet Israel proceeded to take over about half of the portion apportioned to the Arab state, ending up, in 1949, with the control of 78% of Palestine, under an Armistice agreement.

Yet this , clearly was not enough. Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister stated : " To maintain the status quo will not do. we have to set up a dynamic state bent upon expansion" ["Rebirth and Destiny of Israel", The Philosophical Press, New York., 1954, p.419.]

And wars of aggresion and expansionism proceeded in 1956, 1967, 1978 and 1982.

As she rightly says, why no call is being made for Israel to terminate its illegal occupation of Palestinian land that has been allowed to stand for over 38 years, in defiance of international law and repeated Security council resolutions? Why is there no call on Israel to put an end to its practices, under this illegal occupation, including extra-judicial assasination, torture, humiliation, collective punishments, demolition of thousands of homes and expropriation of property for the creation of illegal Jewsh settlements? All these actions are in violation of virtually every article of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and thus defined, by international law, as war crimes.

How long must Israel be allowed to remain above international law?

Yours Sincerely,

Ismail Zayid, MD.

http://izayid.tripod.com