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| Canada's Vote at the U.N. November 15, 2004 Right Hon. Paul Martin Prime Minister 111 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario k1A 0A6 cc. Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Mauril Bélanger, MP for Ottawa-Vanier Dear Prime Minister: Recent polls conducted for Canadian Jewish groups found that an "overwhelming majority of Canadians want the federal government to remain neutral in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians." This shows that the lobbyists for Israel, whether within or outside of cabinet, do not represent the will of the Canadian people. This does not stop "[i]nfluential Liberal members of Parliament, including potentially seven cabinet ministers" from promising to "redouble their efforts to change Canada’s voting pattern on Israel at the United Nations" (Liberal MPs work to change UN voting pattern on Israel, CJNews) or subjecting the government to "the Jewish community’s more vigorous lobbying," as Jonathan Schneiderman, senior adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, told the Canadian Jewish News. (Schneiderman advising Pettigrew on Mideast). It seems that the two-pronged pressure tactic from within and without may have been successful, since the National Post reported that "the Canadian government is reviewing the way it votes at the United Nations General Assembly on resolutions that involve Israel, a move that is being interpreted as Canada aligning itself more closely with US foreign policy." (Ottawa tilts toward Israel at UN, Arab group finds review 'worrisome' - John Ivison, National Post, 12 November 2004) John Ivison also lists the following renewable resolutions that Canada had supported, and which are now presumably the pro-Israel lobby's targets for change: "the illegality of Israel's decision to effectively annex the Syrian Arab Golan"; "that demand Israel cease practices affecting human rights in the "Occupied Territories"; "that state Israeli settlements in Palestinian lands, including Jerusalem, are illegal"; "that claim Israel has failed to acknowledge applicability of the Geneva Convention"; "that call for reaffirmation of the right of return of persons displaced by the June, 1967, hostilities"; and "that ask for reaffirmation of the right of Palestinians to self-determination". The claim by the lobbyists that Israel is "singled out" is ludicrous. All of the UN resolutions, as does the conflict itself, stem from the same root cause: the illegal occupation of land and the various ways used to appropriate it and subjugate the Palestinian people. When other states fail to abide by international law, they become pariahs and are subjected to consequences that range from sanctions to intervention, as seen recently. Up to now, Israel has been consistently and unfairly shielded from any consequences of its illegal activities by the most powerful member of the UN Security Council. Had the rule of law been applied to Israel as it has been to other states, the conflict would probably have been resolved already, and many lives would have been spared. Instead, the bloodshed and the injustice perdure. UNGA resolutions are the only resort that the international community - minus the nay-sayers - has with which to reiterate that Israel continues to operate outside the law. It is ironic that Israel has failed even to fulfill the requirements entailed in UN resolution 273 (III) of 11 May 1949 granting it membership in the world body. Canada's recent abstention on the vote demanding that Israel heed the call of the International Court of Justice ruling to dismantle the West Bank Wall was very disappointing. I do hope that it is not an indication that Canada has really aligned itself with the US as demanded by the Liberal Parliamentarians for Israel. It would be disturbing to consider that our Canadian foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world could be unduly influenced by lobbyists for a foreign state. Our foreign policy must be consistent with Canadian values and therefore respectful of international and humanitarian law. Canada must fulfill the responsibilities it took on by signing international treaties. It must not waste its vote in the United Nations to shield states that are in violation of these treaties. What was translated in the article as "basic lack of sympathy for the Israeli cause among Canadians," is the knowledge by Canadians that Palestinians have been wronged and that Israel is using its strength and the unconditional support of a powerful ally to do as it pleases with them. No persons of sound mind anywhere would accept having their house taken away from them and then having to "negotiate" for the return of 22% of it. However one spins the "Israeli cause," it is basically unjust. The Liberal government has promised good governance, transparency, and policies based on principles and respect for the law. Canadians expect this to translate into public condemnation in international fora when any law is transgressed by any state. Abstention when an injustice is being committed is a vote for the transgressor. Bahija Réghaï Ottawa Your Comments canpalnet-ottawa.org |