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| July 13, 2006 Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Dear Prime Minister Harper 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. These prisoners include women and children. The Palestinians have offered to exchange the Israeli soldier they captured if Israel releases women and children prisoners being held illegally by Israel. Israel has been shelling Gaza, has imposed a blockade on the population, denying medical supplies, causing food shortages and starvation. Israel is imposing collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza. This is a war crime which has been condemned by the Swiss Government, the custodian of the Geneva Conventions. Israel also has been expanding illegal Jewish settlements in the Occupied West Bank. Israel's actions in Gaza have been condemned by countries around the world. Many prominent individuals including London England's Mayor, Ken Livingstone, joined by 14 British Members of Parliament and a number of British Jewish academics, have also condemned these Israeli attacks against the Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Many Israelis are opposed to the violent acts of their government. These Israeli acts of an aggression amount to war crimes and come on the heel of the war crimes already being committed by Israel in Gaza, where the 1.4 million Palestinians are presently being starved, bombed and terrorized. Over the past two weeks at least 74 Palestinians, many of them children, have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces. UN Secretary General, Koi Anan, has strongly condemned Israel's actions. Canada should do the same. The crisis is escalating. Israel war planes violated Syrian airspace and buzzed its capital Damascus. This violation of another country's sovereignty is very provocative and can be seen as an act of war. Israel is also still illegally occupying territory belonging to Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon. Israel has been illegally holding Lebanese prisoners for many years. Israel has also been assassinating political leaders in Lebanon as shown in an Israeli spy ring which was recently uncovered in Lebanon. In response to these Israeli provocations Hizbollah launched an operation that killed two Israelis soldiers, which according to one Israeli source that I have seen may have been in Lebanon, and captured two Israeli soldiers. Now Israel is seeking to impose collective punishment on innocent Lebanese civilians in response to this independent Hizbollah operation. Israel is heavily shelling Lebanese towns from land, sea and air. In past two days the Israeli assault has already killed 40 civilians in Lebanon, 10 of who were children. The Israeli attacks have hit 10 bridges, a television station, and Beirut International Airport, the only international airport in the country. Israel has massed six thousand reservists on the Lebanese border and appears to be preparing for a major invasion of Lebanon. The Canadian government should issue a warning to Israel and demand that Israel halt its military assault against Lebanon and to stop any plans to invade the country. It is clear from recent events that as long as the illegal occupation of Arab lands in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine continues, the violence in the Middle East will persist. Israel must stop its continued aggression and Canada must speak loudly against it. The human rights of the Palestinians and Lebanese must be respected. 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. The Canadian government should demand the release of the democratically elected members of the Palestinian Parliament which are being held hostage by Israel. The blockade of the Palestinian population should be lifted at once and humanitarian aid sent to Gaza. The attacks against Lebanon should cease immediately. None of these Israeli actions advance the cause of peace. Let us work for justice in the Middle East and dialogue and not encourage or aid and abet Israel's acts of aggression. Yours truly, Edward C. Corrigan Barrister & Solicitor Certified as a Specialist by the Law Society of Upper Canada Citizenship and Immigration Law and Immigration/Refugee Protection Law 171 Queens Ave. Suite 420 London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5J7 Tel: (519) 439-4015 Fax: (519) 439-7657 Toll Free 1-800-883-6217 email: corriganlaw@linkd.net web site: edcorrigan.ca Your Comments canpalnet-ottawa.org |