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Alexa McDonough FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INTENSIFYING HARDSHIP OF GAZA FAMILIES WILL NOT RESOLVE LATEST CRISIS: NDP HALIFAX –NDP Foreign Affairs and International Development Critic Alexa McDonough (Halifax) issued the following statement today: The NDP regrets the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit and urges his kidnappers to return him immediately to his family, if any progress towards lasting peace is to be made. Restraint is crucial at this critical time. Tragically, Friday's Israeli air strikes on Gaza have only intensified civilian hardships in Gaza. With only ten days of wheat flour remaining and water supplies in serious jeopardy, t he global community must act on the UN World Food Programme's predictions of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, by launching a concerted diplomatic effort to bring a negotiated end to this crisis. The NDP urges Israel to halt further offensive measures targeting Palestinian civilians. Thursday's capture of Palestinian Parliamentarians further limits the Palestinian Authority's already constrained capacity to function as a responsible, duly elected government, particularly during this time when Israel has cut all food and fuel supplies to Gaza's 1.4 million people and withheld Palestinians' tax revenues. The NDP welcomes Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's diplomatic efforts and urges the Canadian government to end its disgraceful silence and step forward and engage diplomatically to help bring an end to the kidnapping, and help bring relief to Palestinian civilians. V. Anthony Salloum Alexa McDonough, MP/ Députée Halifax Canadian Arab Federation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2006 CAF Urges the Canadian Government to act Against Israel These app al ling acts by Israel makes it imperative that Canadians join the internation al boycott, divestment and sa nctions campaign which was recently endorsed by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario , the largest union in Canada , and the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada , the largest Protestant church in Canada . Israel 's actions in the Occupied P al estinian Territories have repeatedly been condemned by Amnesty Internation al as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Urgent action must be undertaken to end the suffering of the P al estinian people and to remedy the injustice that was committed against them 58 years ago. The Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) c al ls upon the government to join Canadian churches and unions by boycotting Israeli goods, divesting from Israeli companies, and imposing sa nctions until Israel withdraws from al l the occupied Arab territories, dismantles al l settlements and tears down the Apartheid W al l. Furthermore, CAF believes that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved when Israel al lows the 5 million P al estinian refugees to return to their homes and property, and accords equ al rights to its P al estinian Arab citizens. CONTACT: ********************************************* National Council on Canada Arab Relations For Immediate Release June 29, 2006 NCCAR Calls for Immediate End to Israel 's Invasion of Gaza Ottawa, June 29, 2006 – The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) calls on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Minister Peter Mackay to demand that the Israeli government immediately end its ongoing invasion of Gaza that risks worsening drastically the humanitarian crisis that is already faced by the Palestinians. This ongoing large-scale Israeli military invasion and bombardment of Gaza involving tanks, war planes and infantry has left most Palestinians in Gaza without clean water or electricity and has immobilized an entire population. This offensive has imposed lengthy closures in Gaza that has frustrated commercial activity and resulted in shortages of essential supplies in the area. The use of a military force and the detention of Palestinian Authority cabinet ministers and members of parliament is part of Israel 's strategy of collective punishment on the Palestinian people. These actions not only go against Israel 's obligation as a signatory to the Geneva Convention as an occupying power and various UN Resolutions, but also undermine the democratically elected Palestinian government. “Canada needs to take a decisive position in resolving this crisis by equally calling on Israel to honour its obligation under international law, as it has done many times in the past with the Palestinians,” emphasized Hasan Al-Shawa, president of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations. “Silence by the international community on this Israeli invasion risks the potential of a much greater cycle of violence,” he added. Failure to seize this opportunity will send Israel yet another message that its oppressive and illegal treatment and military actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is tolerated by Canada . Contact: NCCAR, (613) 238-3795 or nccar@nccar.ca |