the needlepoint design on a shoulder bag made by a Palestinian widow that I bought a few years ago
Yesterday I wrote a letter to the editor of our local paper about the crisis in Gaza. Today, I became incensed upon reading the Toronto Star newspaper and finding Canada's recent comment blaming the deaths of the Gazan women and children sheltering in the UN school on HAMAS! So, I just sent off a letter to the Minister of Parliament for my region, MP Bruce Hyer, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent, and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the recent statement by Canada blaming Hamas for the deaths of women and children in the UN school in Gaza. If you are a Canadian, please take the time to write your MP, the PM and Peter Kent about the crisis in Gaza and Canada's outrageous position.
email addresses
Kent.P@parl.gc.ca
Harper.S@parl.gc.ca
find the email of your member of parliament here
My letter:
To Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent, Minister of Parliament Bruce Hyer, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper,
As a Canadian I am outraged by Canada's position on the humanitarian crisis worsening every minute in Gaza. The refugee population suffers under the criminal military aggression of the state of Israel; Hamas is the result of 60 years of the dispossession, oppression and aggression against Palestinian people. I am appalled by the callous disregard of Israel's culpability in the deaths of innocent refugee civilians in Gaza that was suggested by Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent in his recent statement to Reuters which I read on the online Toronto Star today.
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent stated: "Hamas bears a terrible responsibility for this and for the wider deepening humanitarian tragedy," Peter Kent, the new minister of state for foreign affairs, told Reuters in response to the attack."The burden of responsibility is on Hamas to stop its terrorist rocketing of Israel."
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent bears a terrible responsibility for dragging Canada's name into the bowels of world condemnation for his ridiculous comment that exonerates the state of Israel, supplied with $3 billion of US military aid each year, in its continuing colonization, expansion, and willful disregard for the lives of civilians, 80% of who are refugees and their descendants. Who have been refugees for 60 long years, having subordinate status and living in depressed conditions.
I demand that Canada take a humanitarian stance to this crisis and recognize the rights of the beleaguered Palestinians. I demand that Canada speak out to help bring peace to a troubled region, not bring more despair and hopelessness through such one-sided support of a bully armed with high tech military might, against a people suffering months of sanctions. Hamas' home-made rockets, which I strongly condemn, are, however, no match for the Israeli military which is wreaking havoc on civilians.
Canada used to be known for its peace-making initiatives. I am shocked at our callous disregard for the human suffering of the Gazan refugees--including its Hamas members.
3 comments:
¡Perfect letter! Please add my signature, if you can. I fully agree with everything you say. My gmail: merchepallares@gmail.com but, as you can see, dear Taina, we're under the Zionist/Anglo-American (i.e. powerful Jewish lobby)/Israeli stronghold. They're the masters of the world that's why Israel can do whatever it wants and all the blame put over the suffering Palestinian's shoulders. Very unjust and cruel. Hugs, M.
Peter Kent has sold his soul to the Mephistopheles. Deep in his heart he knows the truth but his vision is blinded by the greed for power. He is elected with the support of the Zionists in Canada who wants to justify all the criminal acts and genocides committed by the State of Israel. Peter Kent is working as a spokesperson for the Zionists and not the Canadians. His allegiance lies to a group which supports and justify Israel's murderous action shamelessly.
We must save Canada from being hijacked by this powerful Zionist lobby. Otherwise Canada will become the U.S. Please read the famous book "The Israel Lobby" to understand the Zionist plan.
We want the Jews and the Muslims, the Palestinians and the Israelis to live in peace and prosperity. The Zionists wants total annihilation of the Palestinians. That is why Israel never give back the occupied territories to the Palestinians. That is why Israel is following Hitler's policy of carrying out mass extinction of Palestinians. A day will come when the Zionists will rather make Hitler look rather moderate in comparison to the crime against humanity that Israel is committing.
Peter Kent is one of those who never minds who helps him to get elected by pouring money into his campaign fund. Well, the world is not blind. We all have laughed to see his failed attempt to save his masters who hold his leash.
Thank you Tania, you are a great and courageous soul. I salute and support you for your letter.
I am only doing my share, small as it is; it is nothing special and no salutes or congratulations need to be given. As we know, these issues are not about personalities at all. No individual do-goodism will make much change, but only committed collective action about these social, political and historical serious long-term issues that have deep roots and complex networks of power.
I will look up the book. I have read some online writings on the Israeli lobby, but I think that these power hungry groups are not exclusive. And that's why I am concerned about how much Canada gets involved in furthering unjust causes for the sake of financial transactions that make some people money. FOr example, is there any link with the fact that Israel's imports to Canada increased by 45% in the 1st 8 months of 2008 and Canada's rising neo-liberal stance and Conservative government?
I would guess yes.
Peter Kent sounds like an opportunist, which is infuriating. Now more than ever we need principled people in positions of power, not lapdogs, parrots, or followers.
My concern lies with political Zionism, and with how the states of the world are tied up together in neoliberal capitalism, which abets this unequal situation of the state of Israel and Palestinian people. Some people get nervous when the word Zionist comes into the discussion because they do not know how to distinguish between political Zionism, Judaism, Israelis, and the state of Israel. So, it is not anti-Semitic to criticize the Zionist and neo-liberal ideologies of the state of Israel.
Rezaur, I agree completely with you when you state
"We want the Jews and the Muslims, the Palestinians and the Israelis to live in peace and prosperity."
This must be the goal of the land occupied by Israel. To rid it of its exclusionary racism, to have all people live side by side, no Apartheid wall, no metal caged-in walls like that around Gaza, no highways only for Jews and tourists. I hope to read Ali Abunimah's book THe One state Solution as soon as I get a chance!
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