Canada Palestine Association

By Hanna Kawas

Almost a month has passed since the BC provincial New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Carole James labelled anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism; by so doing, she accused the anti-war movement, the Palestinian support movement and all those human rights organizations that oppose the political ideology of Zionism of being “racist”.

We were hoping that some sane NDP leaders, MP’s, MLA’s or candidates would pressure Carole James into reversing her outrageous conclusions, after all the public criticism and outrage that followed her ill-advised libelling of people who oppose Zionism (1).… Read more

By Hanna Kawas

An Open Letter to Canadian Immigrant Magazine

Thank you for writing the article “Airwaves of hope” (The updated title and link is: Veteran radio journalist Hanna Kawas hosts show about his homeland Palestine) that featured my volunteer work on Voice of Palestine.

Your reporting was generally positive and accurate except where you state: “But Kawas, who says he acknowledges the right of Israel to exist as a state, …”.… Read more

By Hanna Kawas

On March 18, 2009 the Canadian Minister of Multiculturalism and Immigration, Mr. Jason Kenney made good on his threats to cut funding for Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) programs that help settle newcomers to Canada. The Toronto Star reported that neither of the two LINC contracts with CAF “will be renewed, Alykhan Velshi, director of communications and parliamentary affairs, said in an email.”… Read more

The following message was sent on Jan 25, 2009 to the BBC’s “Doha Debates” ([email protected]), the Qatar Foundation that finances them ([email protected]) , and to the BBC, as of the posting date of this letter March 1, 2009, none of the above ever sent even an acknowledgment of our message.

After the devastation in Gaza that lasted over three weeks, you decided on January 18 2009 to put to your scripted House who had no qualms in attending your debate while the BBC refuses to broadcast a humanitarian appeal to Gaza, the following resolution: “This House believes that political Islam is a threat to the West
This choice of wording is extremely suspect and contributes nothing to informed debate; in fact, it looks like a page from the Israeli propaganda machine (Hasbara).… Read more

The following message was sent to Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party in Canada, on Jan. 3, 2009, under the title “Justice Will Reach All Those Who Are Complicit in War Crimes”. As of March 1/09, we did not receive even an acknowledgment from Mr. Ignatieff.

Mr. Ignatieff:

In the first part of your media release on “the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip” dated December 29, 2008 you state: “I am greatly concerned by the deepening violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip and the fear and suffering on all sides that this mounting instability has caused.… Read more

Press Release

Supreme Court clears police obstruction of Tel Aviv anti-war procession

Thousands of Jews and Arabs to take part in Tel Aviv march
Protest against the Gaza War “Stop the killing! Stop the siege”!
Saturday night,January 3, 2009 at 6.30 pm
The march will set out form Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square (at the corner of Frishman St. and Chen
.Boulevard)… Read more

To the U.S. Government: Where is the Promised Palestinian State?

The Palestinian people were promised an independent state 3 times in the last 15 years by successive U.S. government – first in 1998, then 2005, and most recently by the end of 2008. In all three cases, the promises went unfulfilled, and were intended to be unfulfilled when declared. In fact, all that resulted from these promises was more oppression, more killings, more prisoners, more theft of land, more separation walls, more check points, more apartheid segregation, more illegal settlements and more prejudicial facts on the ground.… Read more

CPA sent the following message to Gilles Duceppe questioning him about Canada Israel Committee’s claim of investment in the Bloc. As of March 1, 2009, we did not receive even an acknowledgment from Mr. Duceppe

Dear Mr. Duceppe:

Here in BC, on Dec. 19, 2008, the “Jewish Independent” quoted Moshe Ronen, the chair of the Canada Israel Committee (CIC) and the vice-president of the World Jewish Congress as saying that: “the Bloc Quebecois’ Gil Duceppe ‘is a strong friend of Israel, who identifies more with Israel than with the Palestinians.’… Read more

CPA sent the following message to Jack Layton questioning him about Canada Israel Committee’s claim of investment in the NDP. Again, as of the posting date of this letter March 1, 2009, we did not receive even an acknowledgment from Mr. Layton.

Dear Mr. Layton:

Here in B.C., the “Jewish Independent” quoted Moshe Ronen, the chair of the Canada Israel Committee (CIC) and the vice-president of the World Jewish Congress as saying that New Democratic party leader Jack Layton has, along with Gil Duceppe, “agreed not to make Israel a wedge issue in Canadian politics”.… Read more