NCCAR Calls for Immediate End to st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel's Invasion of Gaza

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Ottawa, June 29, 2006 – The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) calls on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Minister Peter Mackay to demand that the Israeli government immediately end its ongoing invasion of Gaza that risks worsening drastically the humanitarian crisis that is already faced by the Palestinians.

 

This ongoing large-scale Israeli military invasion and bombardment of Gaza involving tanks, war planes and infantry has left most Palestinians in Gaza without clean water or electricity and has immobilized an entire population. This offensive has imposed lengthy closures in Gaza that has frustrated commercial activity and resulted in shortages of essential supplies in the area.

 

The use of a military force and the detention of Palestinian Authority cabinet ministers and members of parliament is part of Israel's strategy of collective punishment on the Palestinian people. These actions not only go against Israel's obligation as a signatory to the Geneva Convention as an occupying power and various UN Resolutions, but also undermine the democratically elected Palestinian government.

 

“Canada needs to take a decisive position in resolving this crisis by equally calling on Israel to honour its obligation under international law, as it has done many times in the past with the Palestinians,” emphasized Hasan Al-Shawa, president of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

 

“Silence by the international community on this Israeli invasion risks the potential of a much greater cycle of violence,” he added. Failure to seize this opportunity will send Israel yet another message that its oppressive and illegal treatment and military actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is tolerated by Canada.