Archived Articles for July 2006
July 30, 2006
Sabawi - Speech at July 29 protest of Israel's war on civilians in Lebanon and Gaza
How quickly the media here forgets that it wasn't the capture of the Israeli soldier that "triggered the crisis". The crisis didn't start because Hamas won the elections, nor did it start with the Palestinian intifadas both first and second or with the suicide bombings. The crisis has been on going as a result of Israel's long decades of tyranny, oppression and injustice against the Palestinians.
Press Release - CAF calls for an emergency meeting of Parliament to
demand an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East
Stephen Harper has emboldened Israel to commit this heinous crime against civilians by describing Israel's actions as a "measured response"; by stating it is"too early" to call for a ceasefire; and by refusing to condemn Israel when it killed eight Canadian civilians and a Canadian UN peacekeeper in Lebanon.
HRW - Israel Responsible for Qana Attack: Indiscriminate Bombing in Lebanon a War Crime
Human Rights Watch has also documented Hezbollah's deliberate and indiscriminate firing of Katyusha rockets into civilian areas in Israel, resulting in 18 civilian deaths to date. These serious violations of international humanitarian law are also war crimes.
“War crimes by one party to a conflict never justify war crimes by another,” Roth said.
July 29, 2006
SHAME - Canada again stands with Israel at the UN
The resolution, which passed by a vote of 45-3, also demanded Israel transfer withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority immediately. Canada and Australia joined the US in opposing the measure.
July 28, 2006
Article of the week - This article explains how it all started.
Jonathan Cook - Five Myths that Sanction Israel's War Crimes
The first myth is that Israel was forced to pound Lebanon with its military hardware because Hezbollah began “raining down” rockets on the Galilee. Anyone with a short memory can probably recall that was not the first justification we were offered: that had to do with the two soldiers captured by Hezbollah on a border post on July 12.
July 26, 2006
It is time to talk about the unthinkable: Israel is using chemical weapons
For some time now, people have sent me articles with headlines saying that Israel is using chemical weapons. I have not opened them. In part, because I receive and overwhelming amount of e-mail but also simply because I could not face it. I did not want to hear it. They are probably from unreliable sources anyways" I would tell myself. But now it is time to talk about the unthinkable. The number of reports have multipled. Some are from well known and reliable sources.
IWPS - Letter from the West Bank
Today I learned that the Israeli army has destroyed at least six Palestinian homes in Gaza recently, hours after phoning residents to warn them to vacate. International direct-action groups don¹t operate in the Gaza Strip anymore, and Israeli human-rights organizations such as the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), which tries to prevent demolitions and rebuilds homes in the West Bank, are not allowed into Gaza.
July 25, 2006
David Orchard - Standing up for Canada? The Harper government's refusal to demand an end to the bombings of Lebanon
The Harper government's abject response to the murder of Canadians and its refusal to demand an end to the bombing constitutes an abandonment of its duty to protect Canadians and to defend the rule of law on behalf of all humanity.
Am Johal - What Are the Root Causes, Mr. Bush and Ms. Rice?
Why is that the narrative is defined by the combatants rather than by the civilians who are bearing the brunt of all this bullshit? Who left the idiots in Hezbollah and the IDF leadership in charge of international affairs? Why do the rest of us have to put up with this authoritarian nightmare driven by the lies and distortions of power?
The Canadian - Open Letter to Stephen Harper on Israel's attacks against Gaza and Lebanon
The Canadian government's silence on these acts of aggression is encouraging Israel to continue committing war crimes against innocent Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. As such, Canada is morally responsible for the bombing and invasion of Gaza and Lebanon, and for its complicity in Israel's plan to isolate and starve the Palestinians and to destroy the democratically-elected Palestinian government.
Times Online UK - UN observers begged Israelis to stop shelling their position
PEACEKEEPERS spent six hours begging Israeli commanders to halt multiple air bombings near a United Nations observation post before a missile killed four unarmed observers there, it emerged last night.
LEBANON - Photos of a country that had just recently recovered from the destruction of the Israeli assault of the 1980s when 20,000 lives were lost to Israeli aggression.
Comment: And all of this is a nice cover for Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Click on the "Today in Palestine" link in the upper-left corner of the sidebar for daily updates on what is going on in the West Bank and Gaza.
July 24, 2006
Freeman-Malloy - Israel, Racism and the Canadian media
The Palestinian operation, according to most Canadian media, was unprovoked – it could not have been provoked by the Israeli attacks leading up to the operation, though in June alone these had already killed 49 Palestinians. Nor could it have been provoked by the imprisonment of 359 Palestinian children, 105 Palestinian female adults and another 9000+ Arab males (mostly Palestinians) in Israeli jails, or by the mass starvation of Gaza.
July 23, 2006
Photo Report of Rally on Parliament Hill to protest Israeli assaults on Palestine and Lebanon
July 22, 2006
M.Ps Alghabra and Wrzesnewskyj denounce remarks that imply second class citizenship.
Members of Parliament Omar Alghabra (LIB - Mississauga Erindale) and Borys Wrzesnewskyj (LIB - Etobicoke Centre) issued two separate statements denouncing comments made by Conservative M.P Grath Tuner, related to the evacuation efforts of Canadians trapped in
Lebanon.
Greg Felton - As you behold the destruction of Lebanon, you may think it looks disturbingly familiar
As our craven, incurious media does its predicable best to manufacture sympathy for Israel and censor images of the massacre of Lebanon, the Internet is showing itself to be the premier source of real news.
Whatreallyhappened.com - The two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanon
The Australian - War crimes suspected, says UN rights chief
GENEVA: The scale of killing and maiming of civilians in Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territory pointed to possible war crimes, the UN human rights chief said yesterday.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said international humanitarian law was clear on the need to protect non-combatants in any conflict. "This obligation is also expressed in international criminal law, which defines war crimes and crimes against humanity," she said.
CUPE National President Paul Moist urges Stephen Harper to call for Middle East ceasefire
As president of Canada's largest trade union, I write to express my growing concern about the escalation of violence in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel and to ask you to change your current position on the conflict.
You have supported what you call a "measured response" by the Israeli military. However, what is required urgently is a balanced response that will lead immediately to a negotiated cease-fire.
July 21, 2006
Ottawa Citizen -MPP calls Israel 'rogue' state
Mr. McNeely waded into the volatile Middle East conflict with stinging criticism of everyone from former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to U.S. President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whom he called a puppet of the U.S. leader. He said it may be dangerous to speak out, but he feels so strongly about what is going on in the Middle East that he couldn't remain silent.
July 20, 2006
Dr. Laura Marks (Simon Fraser University) - Letter from Beirut
As of this morning, July 19, 300,000 Lebanese have fled their homes. Israel warned people of the south to flee but bombed all roads in the south; families are fleeing on foot. Many refugees are housed in schools; Israel bombed a school yesterday.
Statement from Libby Davies, MP (NDP) Vancouver Eastt
Many constituents have contacted my office expressing their outrage and concerns about Canada's response. By calling Israel's military response to the kidnapping of three of its soldiers as “measured”, Prime Minister Harper has failed to show leadership on such a critical issue.
July 19, 2006
TorStar - PM's comment shocking
...Prime Minister Stephen Harper, described Israeli destruction of Lebanon as a "measured" response to the Hezbollah attack on a military convoy. Harper did not "urge" restraint nor did he offer support for the United Nations' mission attempting to broker a ceasefire.
LETTERS TO STEPHEN HARPER REGARDING HIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT OF ISRAELI ACTIONS IN LEBANON (Click here)
Corrigan - Letter to Harper on Gaza
In response to the capture of an Israeli soldier, who was part of a
military force launching attacks against Palestinian civilians and
imposing collective punishment of the population of Gaza, Israel has
stepped up its illegal siege of more than 1.4 million people. Israel has
also been illegally holding over 10,000 Palestinians' prisoners many who have been imprisoned without charge.
July 18, 2006
PCHR - IOF Occupy & Isolate Beit Hanoun, and Destroy the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Fawwaz Abu Sitta, Economics Professor at Al-Azhar University, who lives near the Palestinian Ministry for Foreign Affairs: "The recurrence of this terrible deed without any effort from anyone to stop it makes one feel bitter and hopeless. In addition, one feels the inability to act and avoid the bombardment, despite fully expecting it before hand.
July 17, 2006
Locals worry about loved ones in Lebanon
The deaths of seven Lebanese Canadians killed by an Israeli air strike yesterday sent a chill through Ottawa's Lebanese community.
(8 Canadians killed by Israeli air strikes in Lebanon and the headline reads "Locals worry about loved one in Lebanon". No media bias here.)
Ynet - Look who's been kidnapped!
Hundreds of Palestinian 'suspects' have been kidnapped from their homes and will never stand trial. To this very day, there are hundreds of prisoners rotting in Shin Bet prisons and dungeons, people who have never been –and never will be – tried. And Israelis are silently resolved to this phenomenon.
(The author of this article is an IDF reservist and the head of the Courage to Refuse organization.)
July 16, 2006
Sabawi - Canada's new obsession: Moving away from peace to war
Once again our Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke of Israel's right to defend itself and put Israel's need for security above all others' in the region. Harper's latest statement in London which called Israel's response "measured" - was the strongest pro-Israel statement issued by a world leader. This was the second time Canada's support of Israel outshone even that of the US.
(Note: This excellent article was submitted to the Canwest owned Ottawa Citizen to counterbalance pro-Israli views. Not surprisingly it was not accepted for publication.)
July 15, 2006
Am Johal - Beautiful madness (MUST READ ARTICLE)
The Palestinians without an effective peace movement that can act non-violently in a collective way, will always suffer more casualties when put against the military might of Israel.... Kidnapped soldiers, rocket attacks, naval blockades, airport attacks... The flags are out everywhere and jingoism is in the air. ... Soldiers are walking the streets with guns. The root causes of the conflict such as the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem is left off the public agenda.
Guardian UK - End this punishment of the Palestinians
LONDON MAYOR, BRITISH MPS AND DISTINGUISHED PERSONALITIES CONDEMN ISRAEL'S CRIMES AGAINST PALESTINIANS
Israel has now kidnapped a quarter of the parliament elected by the Palestinians, and half of its democratically elected government. They join thousands of other Palestinians illegally kidnapped or imprisoned, including over 300 children.
July 14, 2006
CPNO - MP Dr. Keith Martin calls for Urgent International Action to address the Middle East Crisis Victoria, BC
The humanitarian and political situation in the Middle East has become critical. These events will have profound international effects.
Civilians in the Middle East are dying from attacks, and from preventable diseases due to a lack of access to basic medications, clean water, and food. This upsurge in violence will result in the ongoing deaths of innocent civilians on all sides which will polarize communities away from each other, killing the peace process. While these events have been unfolding, the >Canadian government has been silent. Why hasn't the Canadian government:
CPNO - Open letter from Alexa McDonough to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay regarding Canada's unbalanced Middle East position
I write to express outrage at your government's response to the destruction levelled by Israel on the innocent civilians in Gaza and Lebanon. The world has rightly condemned the killings and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, however Israel's response has been illegal, brutal and disproportionate.
(Please send a letter of support to Alexa McDonough.)
Global Research.ca - It's Time to End the "Last Taboo" and Hold Israel Accountable for Its Actions
What's now unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank has been in the works for months. ...IDF Southern Command General Yoav Galant whose unit is responsible for Gaza... stated the IDF would employ "more aggressive military activity.......including (re)occupying the Gaza Strip......as a result of increased (Palestinian) attacks." The general may have forgotten to explain those "attacks" with crude weapons were Palestinian responses to daily Israeli attacks on them with the most sophisticated weapons the IDF has short of nuclear ones. He also forgot to explain how Gazans have suffered as a result of these attacks and near daily killings as well as from the effects of a near forty-year brutal occupation of their territory.
Photo Reports - Rallies in support of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation and military siege.
July 8 - Montreal *** July 8 - Toronto **** July 12 - Ottawa
July 13, 2006
Tikkun - Israel has Crossed a Moral Boundary
Rabbi Michael Lerner - Just as we need to make clear to our own government that its human rights violations in Guantanamo and Iraq are unacceptable, so we need to communicate to the Israeli people that the mass punishment of a million people for the acts of a few is as unacceptable when it comes from a democratic society as when it comes from the willful oppression of entrenched authoritarian dictators.
Lowi - "Saving Private Shalit" - NOT
That is why all the B.S. -- about “Saving Private Shalit” and stopping Kassam attacks -- is B.S. Corporal Shalit's family has recognized that their son is being treated as a dispensable pawn. So are the people of Sderot and Ashkelon and Kiryat Shmoneh.
Haniyeh* - Aggression Under False Pretenses
GAZA, Palestine -- As Americans commemorated their annual celebration of independence from colonial occupation, rejoicing in their democratic institutions, we Palestinians were yet again besieged by our occupiers, who destroy our roads and buildings, our power stations and water plants, and who attack our very means of civil administration. Our homes and government offices are shelled, our parliamentarians taken prisoner and threatened with prosecution.
(*The writer is prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority.)
July 12, 2006
Alexa McDonough Press Release - HARPER MUST CALL ON BUSH TO URGE ISRAELI END TO ESCALATING GAZA OFFENSIVE: NDP
HALIFAX – NDP Foreign Affairs and International Development Critic Alexa McDonough (Halifax) today urged Prime Minister Harper to call on the United States to urge Israel to halt its escalating Gaza offensive.
PLEASE WRITE TO THANK ALEXA FOR THIS STATEMENT. She is the only Canadian politician who has made a statement on the situation in Gaza - e-mail address - Mcdonough.a@parl.gc.ca
Palestinian Arab organisations cancel dinner to "honour" Stockwell Day
The original organizers acknowledged the error in using the words “to honour” on the invitation and told those who were present last night—at a meeting facilitated by CAPCA—that they would request from the National Press Club of Canada to remove the original advertisement from its website. Some of the original participating groups withdrew from the event all together, and others argued for the benefit from going ahead with a revised event. Along that line, it seems that in lieu of the original event, an invitation is being extended to go and “meet” Minister Day at a dinner on August 4 th . Meeting with Minister Day was never an issue with the community; the error of “honouring” him was the problem.
Syrian Arab Association of Canada letter regarding dinner to Honour Stockwell Day
My understanding was that the event on August 4 was a "meet and greet" type event that would have allowed me to give Minister Day a "piece of my mind", so to speak. At least that was my intention when I accepted your kind invitation .
Letter of explanation from the main organizer of this event and commentary.
July 11, 2006
Association of Palestinian Arab Canadian (APAC) disassociates itself from Press Club dinner to honour Stockwell Day.
The following ad appears on the National Press Club of Canada website.
Friday, August 4
Dinner to honour The Hon. Stockwell Day, M.P., P.C.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Hosted by The Arab Canadian Cultural & Media Center, The Canadian Palestinian Centre, The General Union of Egyptians Abroad, The Syrian Arab Association of Canada, The Jordanian Canadian Association and the Arab Palestinian Canadian Association (APAC).
In the Main Dining Room: $50. -Reception at 6:30; Dinner at 7.
Information and reservations: Eed Murad 613-737-4425 |
Letter from Association of Palestinian Arab Canadian (APAC) disassociating their organization from the dinner to honour Stockwell Day. Letters from Canadian Arabs and Palestinians in reaction to the announcement of dinner honouring Stockwell Day. More on this at YaYa Canada under July 11th.
Letter of explanation from the main organizer of this event and commentary.
The Wall two years after the ICJ decision - update to the UN by Palestinian Civil Society Groups.
Dear Member States of the United Nations: .....Immediately after the ICJ Advisory Opinion was issued, the Israeli government rejected it outright, and declared that the construction of the Wall would continue. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) has estimated that when the ICJ Advisory Opinion was issued, approximately 185 kilometres of the Wall had been constructed. By May 2006, it estimated that 362 kilometres of the Wall had been constructed and a further 88 kilometres were under construction.
Yaya Canada - Montrealers Rally in Support of the Palestinian People
(July 8, 2006) Hundreds of Montrealers of all nationalities and walks of
life came out today in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people and to support the Palestinian struggle against Israeli Apartheid and crimes against humanity.
G&M - CUPE: Slurs will not silence us
When our union recently passed a resolution critical of policies of the
government of Israel, it was savagely attacked in several quarters and
labelled by many as anti-Semitic.
July 10, 2006
UN - UN agency appeals for emergency funding for hard-pressed Gaza residents
7 July 2006 - With 70 per cent of Gazans relying on food aid, the main
United Nations humanitarian agency for Palestinian refugees is calling on donors to fund its emergency appeal, which it has already almost doubled to over $170 million to feed 900,000 people in light of the current humanitarian crisis.
Rabble.ca - 'It is never anti-Semitic to oppose injustice
As usual, the Israeli government has moved against a clearly defenseless population without any regard to international norms or human decency. Acting with little interest in diplomacy and wielding its overwhelmingly huge stick, Operation Summer Rains is simply the latest attempt to destroy any hope for a resolution of Middle East hostilities.
July 8, 2006
CBC - Canada rejects UN council's censure of Israel
Canada voted against a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution Thursday that condemns Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip and dispatches a fact-finding team to the region.
The resolution, which passed by a 29-11 vote, condemns Israel's military attacks against Palestinian ministries, power plants and bridges.
Relief Web - Israel shelves West Bank withdrawal as Gaza flares As Israel braces for a long-term operation in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's election promise to withdraw from large chunks of the occupied West Bank by 2010 seems dimmer than ever.
Guardian (UK) - Europe's response to the siege of Gaza is shameful
Thank goodness for the Swiss. Alone in Europe, their government has dared to condemn what the Israelis are doing to Gaza. It is collective punishment, they say. It violates the principle of proportionality. Israel has not taken the precautions required by international law to protect civilians.
July 7, 2006
TorStar - Israel singled itself out
The following is a letter to the editor sent to the Toronto Star in response to their editorial of July 5th, titled Singling out Israel.
It is not the international community, CUPE Ontario or the United Church that have singled out Israel. Israel has singled itself out, putting itself above international law and refusing to respect treaties that were formulated in the aftermath of World War II.
ABOUT THE TORONTO STAR.
July 6, 2006
PCHR - Israeli Occupation Forces Destroy the Ministry of Interior
PCHR strongly condemns the targeting of the Palestinian Interior Ministry building by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) for the second time this week. In addition, the Centre condemns the military escalation against civilian property and installations, including educational and governmental institutions that are essential to the daily lives of the civilian population.
July 3, 2006
Gaza and the treason of the international community
What's going on in Gaza is much more than a display of another unapologetic and murderous Israeli temper tantrum. It's about a world infected with an acute case of collective indifference. Watching Israel and America gang up on a small eastern Mediterranean people proves that we continue to live in a jungle where the biggest and meanest animals are free to feast on the weak. One can only hope that there is a special place in hell to reward the cruelty of the
'international community.'
July 2, 2006
Freeman-Maloy - AIPAC North
(Part 1) For decades, elements of corporate Canada represented by a fundraising federation structure closely tied with the United States and Israel have been increasing their control over mainstream Canadian Jewish organization. Newly organized as the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (CIJA), they have now entrenched their position.
Groups call for action but the Canadian government is silent on Israel's assault on the civilian population of Gaza.
Counterpunch - Israel's appalling bombing in Gaza: Starving in the Dark
On the excuse of rescuing one kidnapped soldier, Israeli is now bombing the Gaza Strip and is poised to re-invade. It has also arrested a third of the Palestinian parliament... Nevertheless, politics should not be the greatest international concern. For over in Gaza, one appalling act must now eclipse all thoughts of "road maps" or "mutual gestures": on Wednesday, Israeli war planes repeatedly bombed and utterly demolished Gaza's only power plant. About 700,000 of Gaza's 1.3 million people now have no electricity, and word is that power cannot be restored for six months.
ACT NOW - TELL STEPHEN HARPER AND PETER MACKAY TO JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN OF BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL. E-mails and letters do not have to be long. Two or three sentences will do. Postage is free. Please copy your member of parliament. (Contact information)
