Thursday, January 15, 2009

Canadian Arab Federation action for Gaza

This news release from the Canadian Arab Federation is a helpful guide when you voice your concerns to Canadian government representatives to ask them to end the humanitarian crisis immediately. The CAF also has a complete action page on their site with resources, ideas, etc.

NEWS RELEASE



Established in 1967, the Canadian Arab Federation is a national, non-partisan, non profit and membership-based organization. CAF represents Canadian Arabs on issues relating to public policy.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



January 12, 2009



Canadian Legislators need to act now and help bring a ceasefire to Gaza



Toronto – Toronto – Leaders from the Arab and Muslim communities, along with human rights advocates and supporters from the Jewish and Christian communities, met on Thursday Jnauary 8 with four Liberal MP’s from the GTA: Jim Karygiannis, Rob Oliphant, Bonnie Crombie and Borys Wrzesnewskyj.

The group forcefully relayed their concerns about the atrocities occurring in Gaza to the MP’s and asked them to urgently relay the following courses of action to the Harper government:



1. Call for an immediate ceasefire. Israel should be ordered to abide by the decision of the UN Security Council and immediately halt its attacks on Gaza.
2. Israel should immediately withdraw all its troops from Gaza.
3. Reinstating the six-month truce which was broken by Israel when it killed 4 Gazans on November 2nd and 6 Gazans on November 4th
4. Immediate lifting of the siege of Gaza by opening all border crossings into Gaza . UN monitors should ensure free access into and out of Gaza along with enabling Gazans full access to all the occupied Palestinian territories.
5. Demand that Israel grant international humanitarian organizations, media personnel and diplomats full and immediate access to assist the Palestinians in Gaza and report on what is happening.
6. Demand that Israel abide by international humanitarian law which prohibits collective punishment, the targeting of civilians and disproportionate military response. In addition Israel must abide by international law which affirms the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force. Canada should sanction, boycott and divest from Israel if it does not comply with such laws.



Peace in the Middle East and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike will only come with justice based on the rapid implementation of all United Nations resolutions pertaining to the conflict. Siding with the aggressor and condemning the victims only lengthens the time that it will take to finally achieve a genuine and durable peace.



For more information, please contact:

Khaled Mouammar

CAF National President

416-879-6766 benwalid@rogers.com



Mohamed Boudjenane

CAF Executive Director

416-493-8635 x 23 ed@caf.ca

No comments: