CPA Statements – Page 26 – Canada Palestine Association

Canada’s Shameful Hypocrisy on Display!

Canada’s Shameful Hypocrisy on Display!
(For those who are not too… Read more

Canada’s Shameful Hypocrisy on Display!
(For those who are not too blind to see)

Six weeks after Israeli snipers started killing and maiming Palestinians, including children, journalists and medical workers, Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau finally released a carefully worded statement regarding the situation. The statement came only after the wounding of a Canadian doctor on the ground in Gaza, Tarek Loubani.
Activists familiar with the long history of complicity and duplicity of successive Canadian governments cautioned that the statement missed the mark on two main points. Firstly, it studiously avoided any mention of the culpability of the Israeli government by name, anywhere in the statement. Secondly, although there was a call for an independent investigation, it was worded this way: “Canada calls for an immediate independent investigation to thoroughly examine the facts on the ground – including any incitement, violence, and the excessive use of force…We will work closely with our international partners and through international institutions to address this serious situation.” Calling for investigations is usually diplomatic code for stalling and not taking action. But note also the wording and the ordering of possible facts on the ground, “including any incitement, violence and the excessive use of force”.

However, no-one had to wait long to have the hypocrisy of the Canadian government revealed. Two days after the statement, on May 18, Canada stated it would not support the resolution that was then passed by an overwhelming majority at the UN Human Rights Council. This is what Canada had to say:

“Canada was gravely concerned about the numerous deaths and countless injuries in the Gaza Strip over the past several weeks. However, it could not support the draft resolution because it prejudged the outcome of an international investigation. The resolution was one-sided and did not advance the prospects for a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution singled out Israel, without making reference to other actors.”
So, there we have it. Either the UNHRC is not an “international institution” that the Trudeau government wants to work closely with or the resolution made the serious error of actually naming who was firing the shots and dropping the tear gas on unarmed protestors.

Or the Trudeau government was just playing politics from the beginning, and after realizing that the issue of Israel slaughtering Palestinians was becoming very unpopular and the Liberal Party was losing support for its deafening silence, decided to issue a statement that said little and achieved less. This way, they (and their supporters) could claim they have indeed responded and stood up to the pro-Israel lobby. Actually, it is a sad tradition in Canada that most of the major political parties play “political football” with the lives and struggles of Palestinians. One eye always on the win/loss column to decide when and how to speak out. We say enough, over 100 Palestinians have not died in the last 6 weeks just so the Canadian government can shed crocodile tears while still defending Israel. We need to focus less of our resources and time on what politicians have to say and more on developing concrete and grassroots work, like BDS campaigns, that have a long-term benefit to the Palestinian people.

Canada Guilty in Continuing Palestinian Nakba

Vancouver Nakba Day 2018
Personal Testimony, Canadian Complicity
Full… Read more

Vancouver Nakba Day 2018
Personal Testimony, Canadian Complicity
Full coverage of all testimony and speeches given at the May 15 picket outside the office of Canada’s “Justice Minister”. The jury assembled for the Peoples’ Trial unanimously delivered a guilty verdict which was then delivered by a delegation to the minister’s office. Thanks to our videographer, Devin Gillan.

Stop Celebrating Palestinian Dispossession!!

Now is the time to stand up!! Stop celebrating Palestinian dispossession!
#Nakba70
Published in Palestine Chronicle

As we approach the 70th anniversary of the total dismemberment of the Palestinian people and nation, and as Israeli military snipers continue to pick off unarmed protestors in Gaza with the utmost arrogance and impunity, we call on our Jewish friends to say that now is the time to clearly disassociate from the Zionist narrative.

Now is the time to publicly say that Zionism as a political and racist ideology is the source of immense Palestinian suffering, almost beyond comprehension. Now is the time to show the next generation of Palestinian youth that there is hope for a future peace with justice, based on equality and the right of return. Now is the time to fully recognize that Zionism has developed one of the most repressive state mechanisms that exist today, and also recognize that the seeds for that were planted over 70 years ago. When top Israeli government officials and military generals can openly and brazenly state that “There are no innocents in Gaza” and justify the targeting of children, there is nothing left for anyone who embraces social justice and humanity to ponder.

In this context, Palestinian solidarity groups in Vancouver and their supporters recently sent a letter to the Peretz Centre regarding their past and current involvement in local celebrations of “Israel Independence Day”. The letter detailed how such actions not only amount to a betrayal of Palestinian hopes and aspirations but also give cover to the Zionist lie of representing all Jews. The Centre promotes itself as supporting “values of universal social justice” and regrettably this type of façade still holds sway in many progressive circles, an issue not unique to just Vancouver. As the signatories of the letter noted, universal social justice must apply to Palestinians as well. Otherwise, the concept is hollow. To date, over six weeks later, there has been no official reply from the Board of Directors; any future response from them will be posted here. But Palestinians call out one last time: Stand up now and stop denying the Nakba!
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March 20, 2018
Peretz Centre Board of Directors,

We have been invited to several events at the Peretz Centre in recent months, which we would have liked to attend, but could not due to the Centre’s continuing denial of the Palestinian Nakba.
In 2012, we questioned your involvement in local “Israel Independence Day” celebrations as a community partner. We know you are aware that for Palestinians this is akin to celebrating our genocide. We expressed our concerns to you at that time and were informed that “the Peretz Centre is essentially not a political nor a lobby group.” As we noted then, being a community partner in such celebrations is a political stand that denies the Palestinian people their rights and their existence, whether that is acknowledged or not, and we sincerely hope you will not insult us again with a similar answer.
We note that last year, 2017, you were also a community partner for the 69th celebration of “Israel’s founding” and are on the list for the upcoming 70th anniversary. We are not sure if you understand how distressing all of this activity is for Palestinians. You said previously in 2012 you did not want to be “marginalized in the Jewish community”. Please read the full response on our website from 2012 to which we want to add that you should recognize that Palestinian and Arab progressive activists also face such dilemmas on a daily basis. Do you think we have never been approached by groups and others with significant support and resources that hide their anti-Jewish agenda under the guise of being anti-Israel or anti-Zionist? Yes, of course we have, and we make every effort to refute such advances, often publicly. This is the least we can do in moving forward the anti-racist struggle. However, your insistence on allying with powerful Zionist forces, under the pretext of not alienating yourselves from “the Jewish Community”, only serves to reinforce the dangerous conflation of all Jews with Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians, thereby contributing to anti-Semitism.

Do you realize that the Jewish Federation of Vancouver (which organizes the “Israel founding” celebrations that you support) also promotes 3-week trips to an IDF base for volunteers? An “experience like no other” we are told on the Israel and Overseas Experience page for the Jewish Federation (this is even worse than the Fantasy Camps a la Jerry Seinfeld!).
Your website states that the Centre has “endeavoured to maintain its core identity and values of universal social justice, Jewish secularism and…”. Surely universal social justice applies to Palestinians as well. And surely your mandate of Jewish secularism is in conflict with celebrating the founding of a theocracy, an “exclusive Jewish State” that by definition makes Palestinians second and third-class citizens. We recognize that these are difficult issues, but if not dealt with in a bold manner, will eventually make a mockery of not only your Centre’s ideals but also the future of genuine peace and justice for Palestine.

Here are a few simple points that we ask you to answer to give us clarification and a better understanding of your position.
1. Do you recognize the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, as mandated by numerous UN resolutions?
2. Do you recognize the Palestinian right of return, according to UN resolution 194?
3. Do you recognize the right of Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality?

We await your reply and will post both our letter and your response on our website.
Sincerely,
Canada Palestine Association, Vancouver
BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish

And Endorsed by:
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights UBC
UBC Social Justice Centre
The UBC Talon Alternative Student Press
SAFE Vancouver – Solidarity Against Fascism Everywhere
International League of Peoples’ Struggle Canada

“Necessary Pragmatism” or Compromised Principles?

“Necessary Pragmatism” or Compromised Principles?
By Marion Kawas

The… Read more

“Necessary Pragmatism” or Compromised Principles?
By Marion Kawas

The struggle against the Kinder Morgan pipeline is something of great importance to progressives in Canada. However, recently one group of anti-Kinder Morgan activists that are defendants in a lawsuit were criticized for inclusion in their ranks of a Jewish Defense League JDL sympathizer, a person who publicly calls for the total expulsion of all Palestinians from their homeland. The contradiction was even more acute because one of those activists is also a visible member of Independent Jewish Voices IJV. In fact, IJV themselves have publicly denounced the JDL in several statements.
The people who initially brought forward the concerns were quickly dismissed by many as being divisive and not understanding “coalition-building”. So, for those who are not familiar with Canada’s Jewish Defense League, they are an openly racist and violent far-right organization. They associate with the Soldiers of Odin and even partner with them to offer “security” at anti-Muslim rallies.
One of their Ontario members has been indicted by a U.S. Grand Jury (hardly a pro-Palestinian institution) for assault and a hate crime following the beating of a Palestinian-American man in Washington DC. They represent the most extreme elements of the Zionist movement and constantly harass pro-Palestinian supporters across Canada, including in Vancouver. In fact, they are proud of such behaviour and brag about it incessantly on their multiple and constantly changing Facebook pages.
There is also a small subculture of people in the Zionist movement in Canada, led by professed “Metis Zionist” Ryan Bellerose, who claim that indigenous people here should ally foremost with the Jewish people, as they are the real indigenous people of Israel, and the Palestinians are simply squatters and invaders.
Mr. Bellerose, who as of July 2017 was a B’nai Brith employee, wilfully ignores the long history of solidarity between the real indigenous peoples of Palestine and Turtle Island. Roger Water’s recent and haunting video reciting Mahmoud Darwish’s poem about the struggle of Native Americans highlights just one example of that solidarity. AIM delegations were invited and received by Palestinian groups in Beirut back in the 1970s and more recently, a statement was issued in 2012 by Palestinian activists in solidarity with Idle No More.
The individual who the controversy developed around in the Kinder Morgan protests is both an active supporter of the Jewish Defense League (well known to those who attend #StoptheJNF functions in Vancouver) as well as subscribing to Mr. Bellerose’s ideas. However, this is not about the character or motives of that individual but rather the practices of those who worked with him. People who say they will work with anyone for the greater good of a cause are either misguided or not really being honest with themselves or others. Everyone has a red line they won’t cross, what ever that may be. I am positive that a pro-Palestinian or Palestinian group that included an overt Nazi or Nazi sympathizer would not be met with such understanding and pragmatism. Nor should they be.
And we’re not talking here about tactical disagreements or being “too picky”. Other marginalized struggles, such as Black Lives Matter, have been forced to deal with this issue as well, as evidenced by this 2017 Mondoweiss article entitled “No Space for Zionism”, that critiques such “conditional solidarity”.
It is frankly impossible to claim you don’t support hatred against other people and then justify partnering with someone who has publicly called for all Palestinians (he calls them “Fakestinians”) to be expelled (he is benevolent enough to say this doesn’t need to include murder!). He has stated on his Facebook page: “the only solution is to expel all the enemy ‘Palestinian’ Arab nationals…it must be the task of the 22 Arab countries to absorb them.” And is adamant that Palestinians are solely “Arab squatters on stolen Jewish land”.
The real shame in this is the harm to the indigenous struggle here and the even bigger stain on the progressive Jewish movement. The indigenous struggle will survive and live on, as will the Palestinian struggle. Both are tough, stubborn and refuse to be put down or disappear. However, the progressive movement needs to decide what their priorities really are. Will they be a real beacon of light as some of the new generation seem to indicate, or will they be compromised by a lack of emotional and moral courage?
This article was also published on Palestine Chronicle.

Why Israel Fears Ahed Tamimi!

Why Israel Fears Ahed Tamimi!
(LE FRANÇAIS SUIT)
Published on Palestine… Read more

Why Israel Fears Ahed Tamimi!
(LE FRANÇAIS SUIT)
Published on Palestine Chronicle, Jan. 2, 2018
By Marion Kawas

The narrative of Ahed Tamimi, who has recently become the face of Palestinian child prisoners, reached a new low on the first day of 2018; Israel insisted that they will be charging the teenager and given the record of “Israeli justice”, that means she will almost certainly serve jail time. Ahed’s fate is the same as that of all the young Palestinian detainees, born into occupation and tyranny, having lived through a “butchered childhood”.
The story of Ahed reminds me of the young girl, perhaps 12 or 13, who narrated a lot of the movie “Jenin, Jenin” and faces the camera at the end of the movie to tell us in the most chilling terms, that she plans to fight for her people and will never forget nor surrender. She also adds: “I saw dead bodies, I saw houses destroyed, I saw sights which cannot be described…and now, after they ruined all my dreams and hopes-I have no life left!” That sequence of the movie has stayed with me since I first saw it in 2003.
And this really is the most crucial point surrounding Ahed Tamimi’s case and what it represents. These kids, forced to be mature beyond their years, never had a choice in being under Israeli occupation or colonization. They have had their childhood stolen, their lives brutalized since day one by Israeli soldiers, their families decimated and harassed by the Israeli state. So, the question of how and why a young girl would stand up to her Israeli oppressors is redundant, we might only marvel that she still has hope that communicating with the world is worthwhile. That she still has hope that the world has a conscience.
Because up to this point, the international community has been worse than negligent in calling Israel to account for any of its abuses against political prisoners, but especially child prisoners. And in Ahed’s case there is ample evidence that her jailors wish her harm, from the Israeli Minister of “Education” who wants her to serve a life sentence to thinly veiled suggestions of sexual assault from an Israeli journalist. With very few exceptions, the countries that could exert influence on Israel have either been openly complicit (like Canada and the U.S.) or engage in the worst form of hypocrisy like the EU nations, with nice-sounding platitudes while carrying on business as usual.

I remember the infamous quote by former Israeli PM Golda Meir, where she stated: “We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”
What a profound level of arrogance, and racism! Its almost impossible to comprehend the implied level of supremacy in this sentiment. And now of course, with the full backing of the U.S. government, this arrogance is matched with impunity.
We could more correctly ask: When will Israeli parents stop sending their children to be cannon fodder for a militaristic state gone berserk, forcing them to commit war crimes against other children even younger? And when will Israel value their children more than they fear the supposed demographic and existential threat of the Palestinian people and nation?
The words of the young girl in the movie Jenin, Jenin were said to “damn the continued occupation and its inhumanity” more than the devastating physical damage to the Jenin refugee camp. And this is the real impact of Ahed Tamimi as well. Her words, her story, her harassment by the Israeli military are an indictment of everything that is wrong with what Israel represents. The world did not listen well in 2002 to the young girl from Jenin; will they pay attention this time to the teenager from Nabi Saleh?
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PAJU (Palestiniens et Juifs Unis) no.883 le 12 janvier 2018
Pourquoi Israël craint Ahed Tamimi!
Par Marion Kawas
Le récit d’Ahed Tamimi, qui est récemment devenu le visage des enfants prisonniers palestiniens, a atteint un nouveau creux le premier jour de 2018. Israël a insisté sur le fait qu’ils accuseraient l’adolescente et vu le record de la « justice israélienne », cela veut dire qu’Ahed va presque certainement purger une peine d’emprisonnement. Le destin d’Ahed est le même que celui de tous les jeunes détenus palestiniens, nés dans l’occupation et la tyrannie, ayant vécu une « enfance massacrée ».
L’histoire d’Ahed me rappelle la jeune fille, ayant peut-être 12 ou 13 ans, qui a animé une grande partie du film « Jénine, Jénine » et fait face à la caméra à la fin du film pour nous dire dans les termes les plus froids qu’elle planifie se battre pour son peuple et qu’elle n’oubliera jamais et n’abandonnera jamais. Elle ajoute aussi : « J’ai vu des cadavres, j’ai vu des maisons détruites, j’ai vu des scènes qui ne peuvent être décrites… et maintenant, après qu’ils ont ruiné tous mes rêves et mes espoirs, il ne me reste plus de vie! » Cette séquence du film est restée avec moi depuis que je l’ai vue pour la première fois en 2003.
Et c’est vraiment le point le plus crucial entourant le cas d’Ahed Tamimi et ce que le cas représente. Ces enfants, forcés d’être matures au-delà de leurs années, n’ont jamais eu autre choix que celui d’être sous occupation et colonisation israélienne. Ils ont eu leur enfance volée, leurs vies brutalisées depuis le premier jour par des soldats israéliens, leurs familles décimées et harcelées par l’État israélien. Donc, la question de comment et pourquoi une jeune fille résisterait à ses oppresseurs israéliens est redondante, nous pourrions seulement nous émerveiller qu’elle a toujours l’espoir que la communication avec le monde en vaut la peine. Qu’elle a encore l’espoir que le monde ait une conscience!
Parce que jusqu’à présent, la communauté internationale a été pire que négligente en appelant Israël à rendre compte de ses abus contre les prisonniers politiques, mais surtout contre les enfants prisonniers. Et dans le cas d’Ahed, il y a de nombreuses preuves que ses geôliers lui souhaitent du mal, de la part du ministre israélien de l’« Éducation » qui lui demande de purger une peine à perpétuité, par rapport à des suggestions voilées d’agressions sexuelles d’un journaliste israélien. À quelques exceptions près, les pays qui pourraient exercer une influence sur Israël ont été ouvertement complices (comme le Canada et les États-Unis) ou se sont livrés à la pire forme d’hypocrisie comme les nations européennes, avec des platitudes qui sonnent bien.
Je me souviens de la citation infâme de l’ancienne Première ministre israélienne, Golda Meir, qui a déclaré : « Nous pouvons pardonner aux Arabes d’avoir tué nos enfants. Nous ne pouvons pas leur pardonner de nous forcer à tuer leurs enfants. Nous n’aurons la paix avec les Arabes que quand ils aimeront leurs enfants plus qu’ils ne nous haïssent ».
Quel niveau profond d’arrogance, et de racisme! Il est presque impossible de comprendre le niveau implicite de suprématie dans ce sentiment. Et maintenant, bien sûr, avec le soutien total du gouvernement américain, cette arrogance est associée à l’impunité.
Nous pourrions demander plus correctement : Quand les parents israéliens cesseront-ils d’envoyer leurs enfants à la chair à canon pour un état militariste devenu fou furieux, les forçant à commettre des crimes de guerre contre d’autres enfants encore plus jeunes? Et quand Israël accordera-t-il plus d’importance à ses enfants qu’à la menace démographique et existentielle supposée du peuple et de la nation palestiniens?
Les paroles de la jeune fille dans le film Jénine, Jénine voulaient « damner la poursuite de l’occupation et son inhumanité » plus que les dégâts physiques dévastateurs au camp de réfugiés de Jénine. Et c’est aussi l’impact réel d’Ahed Tamimi. Ses mots, son histoire, son harcèlement par l’armée israélienne sont une mise en accusation de tout ce qui ne va pas avec ce qu’Israël représente. Le monde n’a pas bien écouté en 2002 la jeune fille de Jénine; vont-ils faire attention cette fois à l’adolescente de Nabi Saleh?
— Marion Kawas est membre de l’Association Canada Palestine et co-animatrice de Voice of Palestine. Elle a publié cet article àPalestineChronicle.com. Visitez : www.cpavancouver.org.
Première publication de cet article a paru dans Palestine Chronicle.
Adapté de :http://www.palestinechronicle.com/israel-fears-ahed-tamimi/
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