From: Ismail Zayid
To: Globe & Mail

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 11:43 PM

Subject: Canadian YMCA and Human Rights

The Editor:
The Globe & Mail

24 Feb. 2001

Dear Editor:

John Gray reports {"YMCA lands in hot water.." Feb. 23} that the Canadian YMCA finds fault in the International YMCA delegation’s report that states " there are systematic and widespread human rights violations being perpetrated [by Israel] on the entire Palestinian population". We find this objection amazing. The findings of this international YMCA delegation have been corroborated by every human rights group throughout the world, including Amnesty International, UN Human Rights Commission, the Israeli B’Tselem Human Rights group, Israeli Commission for Civil and Human Rights, and many other human rights groups. Israel’s violation of Palestinians’ human rights and the Fourth Geneva Convention has gone on for more than 33 years and are not related to the recent Intifadah, as the Canadian YMCA appears to imply. Where has the Canadian YMCA been all this time, or are the Palestinians less than human in their books? It is time to practice some honesty in making such statements.

Yours sincerely

Ismail Zayid, MD.