Category: Featured

The Bankruptcy of the US Empire Displayed in a Keynote Address by US Secretary of State John Kerry to the Saban Forum.
In the speech Dec. 7, 2013, Kerry described the US as “the honest broker”. However, in explaining his own record as just such an “honest broker”, he stated: “I have spent almost 30 years in the United States Senate, and I’m proud of my 100 percent voting record for Israel”.
He talked about Mandela’s legacy: “The world is mourning the loss of a great leader right now, Nelson Mandela. Mandela was a stranger to hate” but then went on to say that, “The only way to secure Israel’s long-term future and security will be achieved through direct negotiations that separate Palestinians and Israelis” (this is APARTHEID, Mr. Kerry). He also described Palestinian Israelis as a “demographic time bomb” and an “existential threat to Israel”.
And the Palestinian collaborators in Ramallah continue their futile journey to the abyss! In fact, their leader Mahmoud Abbas chose to declare in South Africa this week his opposition to the general boycott of Israel, even though it is similar to the boycott that brought down S. African Apartheid.
Hanna Kawas
Chair, Canada Palestine Association

No to US-led intervention in Syria
April 21, 2013 – Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver is alarmed by the escalating violence in Syria and the huge toll on the Syrian civilian population and we feel compelled to speak out. The increasing threat of foreign military intervention will only exacerbate this suffering and could well begin a wider war. We believe that the Syrian people are the only party to decide who should lead them, and outside intervention should be condemned.
The objective of Western governments has always been to control Arab natural resources, especially the oil, and to impose Arab dictatorships that serve their interests. The West has never cared for the well being or dignity of the Arab people; we need only to look at their history for the past sixty-five years, including their role in the dismemberment of Palestine and its people. Recently, there are clear signs that the US government and its allies, including Canada and various Arab puppet regimes, are increasing their intervention in Syria – from the rapprochement between Turkey and Israel under the auspices of US president Obama, the sharp increase of military aid from Arab governments and Turkey (with the help of the C.I.A.) to the Syrian opposition (including more than 160 military cargo flights by Jordanian, Saudi and Qatari military-style cargo planes, as reported by the NY Times Mar.25/13), to the unwarranted Arab League recognition of the Syrian opposition and the statement by Adm. James Stavridis, NATO’s top military commander, “We are looking at a wide range of operations and we are prepared if called upon to be engaged as we were in Libya.”
We call for a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiations and the implementation of long-overdue reforms in Syria. There are many sincere elements that care about the future of Syria and are pushing for urgently-needed change, but any alliance with Israeli and U.S. hegemonic designs is and will be disastrous for the Syrian and Arab peoples. The UNITY of Syria is at stake, the future of the region is at stake. History will judge all those who collaborated with Israel and the U.S. empire (and this includes the Palestinian Authority).
Accordingly, Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver strongly denounces any Western and US-led intervention in Syria, and we call on our supporters to oppose any such intervention, especially from the Canadian Government. We will not allow John Baird and Stephen Harper to practice their hypocritical policies – supporting Israeli annexation over all of Jerusalem while pretending to care about the suffering of any of the Arab peoples.

Canada Palestine Association is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Mohawk warrior and indigenous activist Splitting the Sky (John Boncore). The Palestinian people are indebted to Splitting the Sky for his enduring resistance and uncompromising anti-colonial positions, as well as his long time support of the Palestinian struggle. He was an early member of the American Indian Movement and also attempted a citizen’s arrest of U.S. President George W. Bush in 2009 in Calgary for war crimes and crimes against humanity .
We were honored to have him deliver a solidarity message on the occasion of the Int’l Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians in 2003 in Vancouver, an event that also featured the parents of Rachel Corrie.
Our condolences to his family, friends and nation; rest assured his legacy will carry on!

In Solidarity
Hanna Kawas
Chair, Canada Palestine Association
Cohost, Voice of Palestine

Canada Palestine Association and Voice of Palestine Statement On the Passing of Hugo Chávez

To Merli Vanegas:
Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Vancouver

Dear Merli Vanegas,

We were deeply saddened by the news of the passing of the great revolutionary leader Hugo Chávez.
In the name of Canada Palestine Association and Voice of Palestine, Canada, we send our sincere condolences to you, to the Bolivarian revolutionaries and to the Venezuelan people.
We are certain that the achievements and successes of the revolution will be maintained and advanced. We are also certain that the US designs to economically and militarily control the world and its resources will be stopped and defeated.
Long live international solidarity between the Venezuelan people and the Palestinian and Arab peoples.

The Struggle Continues.

Hanna Kawas
Chairperson, Canada Palestine Association
Co-Host, Voice of Palestine