[antiwar-van] International Day of Action for Justice in Palestine

[hanna kawas]

http://www.ism-vancouver.org/action.html

JUNE 5, 2003
International Day of Action for Justice in Palestine
36 Years of Occupation is Enough
National Day of Action for Canadians
Call / Fax / Email your MP and our PM to oppose the occupation.

June 5, 2003 is the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Israeli military
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It has been a year marred by a
sharp escalation in violence directed against Palestinians civilians and
international human rights workers in Occupied Palestine. Many Canadians are
appalled at the gross violations of human rights taking place but few of us
are taking concrete action. On this anniversary, it is time for a show of
force, a time for concerned Canadians to make our feelings known to
political representatives.

The Canadian government recognizes Palestinians right to self-determination.
Importantly, according to its own policies, it "does not recognize permanent
Israeli control over the territories occupied in 1967." The government of
Canada "opposes all unilateral actions intended to predetermine the outcome
of negotiations, including the establishment of settlements in the
territories and unilateral moves to annex East Jerusalem and the Golan
Heights." However, the Canadian government is conspicuously silent as the
Israeli government and military actively undermine our government's stated
position through repeated violations of international law and UN
Resolutions. These actions diminish hopes for peace and justice for all
sides.

To all of you, especially those who are aware of the situation but don't
take action, this is the time to support the fundamental human rights of
Palestinians. The situation is increasingly desperate in Occupied Palestine
and we need you to mobilize for June 5th. Mark your calendar, draft a letter
(see below for a sample letter), and set up a meeting with your MP for this
day. We want to flood our representatives with letters, phone calls, and
faxes voicing Canadian opposition to the occupation.

Please urge your government representative to call for (sample letter
below):

  1.. An immediate end to the Israeli occupation of the 1967 territories in
accord with relevant UN Resolutions. An end to the Israeli government
policies of control and de facto imprisonment of the Palestinian population.
An end to the closures and curfews, checkpoints and roadblocks that are
strangling the Palestinian economy and civil society, and are obstructing
the provision of education, health care and emergency services.
  2.. A moratorium on the construction of the Apartheid Wall. An end to the
land theft, home demolitions, destruction and isolation of olive groves,
agricultural areas and whole villages that are part and parcel of the
construction of the Apartheid Wall. This so-called "security barrier" is a
unilateral action annexing by force a significant portion of Occupied
Palestine to Israel. It prejudices any proposals for peace, including the
Road Map, and contravenes our government's stated position concerning the
application of international laws to occupying powers. We urge our
government to publicly condemn its construction and chosen path. It must not
be allowed to become a bargaining chip in negotiations, as that would reward
Israel's ongoing illegal activities.
  3.. A call for immediate deployment by the UN of International Monitors in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip in light of the appalling human rights
situation to afford effective monitoring and the dissemination of accurate
information about the human rights situation in Occupied Palestine.
  4.. An end to the attacks on civilians and human rights workers. The
policy of state sponsored extra-judicial killings of perceived foes is
reaping untold suffering amongst the civilian population and must stop.
Furthermore, an expression of concern regarding the widespread
dehumanization of Palestinians and those who support their fundamental human
rights is needed. Racist attitudes manifest on the ground through the
illegal practice of collective punishment. Such punishment is a barrier to
peace and reconciliation. Our government must condemn appalling acts
committed by Israel against Palestinians, like the murder and ill treatment
of civilians, medical workers, journalists, and human rights workers.
  5.. An end to the construction, expansion and maintenance of illegal
settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Now controlling roughly half of
Occupied Palestine including a majority of the resource rich areas, these
illegal colonial settlers are given economic incentives to colonize and
steal Palestinian land by the government of Israel and are supported and
guarded by the Israeli Occupation Forces. This theft of land and resources
must cease and the land must be returned to Palestinians. The government of
Canada must unequivocally call for the removal of these colonial
settlements. Their dismantling should not be cynically deemed a "concession"
in any peace settlement, as their existence is illegal and by making them a
bargaining chip they become an incentive for further ethnic cleansing and
genocide of Palestinians should talks break down.
  6.. Formal recognition of the unconditional right of return for all
Palestinian refugees, including full political, legal and economic equality
for refugees from within the 1948 territories.
  7.. In the event that the Government of Israel continues to demonstrate a
lack of commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli/Palestinian
conflict, South Africa style sanctions must be imposed.
Sample Letter:

Dear Honourable Member,

Today, June 5th, marks the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Israeli military
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. For Palestinians it has been a
year of profound suffering due to checkpoints, curfews, roadblocks and,
Israel's latest unilateral assault on civilians being carried out deep
inside Occupied Palestine, the construction of the Apartheid Wall. It has
been a year of fear and frustration due to escalating attacks by Israeli
Occupation forces on Palestinian civilians in a climate of impunity.
Measures taken by the Israeli government are strangling the Palestinian
economy and civil society, and obstructing the provision of education,
health care and emergency services in direct contravention of international
law and the stated position of the Government of Canada.

It is essential that you, as an elected representative, support the
fundamental human rights of Palestinians and oppose the ongoing Israeli
Occupation. The Israeli occupation forces must be pressured to withdraw from
lands occupied in 1967 and illegal Israeli settlements must be dismantled
immediately. A moratorium must be declared on the construction of the
Apartheid Wall - a structure that will dwarf the Berlin Wall whose
construction the UN recently referred to as "creeping annexation". The
ongoing attacks committed by Israeli soldiers and settlers against
Palestinian non-combatants and the widespread ill treatment and killings of
medical workers, journalists, and human rights workers must be condemned and
those guilty of crimes brought to justice. Steps must be taken to deploy
International Monitors in Occupied Palestine in order to produce and
disseminate accurate information on the human rights situation.

At a policy level, sincere efforts to bring about a just resolution to the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict must be supported, but callous ploys to further
surrender the fundamental rights of Palestinians will surely fail and must
be roundly condemned. By making the dismantling of illegal settlements and
other blatantly illegal measures "bargaining chips" in negotiations,
negotiating players are rewarding illegal actions and allowing the
government of Israel to reframe the debate through the use of overwhelming
military force. The government of Canada should not sanction the fourth
largest military in the world, a nation with a powerful array of weapons of
mass destruction, to overpower a people without an army through naked
military aggression in contravention of international law and basic
morality. In the event that the government of Israel continues to reject
relevant UN resolutions and international law, Canada must impose South
Africa-style sanctions in effort to show its sincere commitment to a just
peace.

Your efforts in word and in deed in defense of fundamental human rights and
the right to self-determination for Palestinians on this anniversary and
everyday are appreciated. Vigilance and courage are needed for global peace,
security and justice. Thanks for your attention and commitment to this
important issue.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

Contacts:

Government of Canada Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Bill Graham
House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-996-3443
Phone: (613) 995-1851
Email: Grahab at parl.gc.ca

Prime Minister, The Right Hon. Jean Chretien
Fax: (613) 941-6900
Phone:(613) 992-4211
Email: pm at pm.gc.ca

House of Commons, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6, phone, fax and
email MPs by following the links at www.parl.gc.ca

United Nations:
Kofi Annan
Secretary General
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 USA
Fax: 212-963-4879
Phone: 212-963-5012
Email: ecu at un.org

Israeli Representative in Canada:
Ambassador Haim Divon, Embassy of Israel, 50 O'Connor Street Suite 1005,
Ottawa ON K1P 6L2,
Phone: 613-567-6450
Fax: 613-237-8865

Other ideas of actions you can take on June 5:

  a.. Write an email or fax or mail a letter to the UN
  b.. Write a letter to your local paper
  c.. Call on your local city council to pass a resolution opposing the
occupation and supporting economic sanctions against Israel (like those
imposed on the South African apartheid regime)
  d.. join or organize demonstrations, vigils, and actions opposing the
occupation on or around that date
  e.. set up teach-ins and educate yourself and your community about the
occupation

Who is organizing this action:

The Middle East Committee of United for Peace and Justice has called on
Palestinian-based, Israeli and international peace groups to support a day
of action on June 5th in recognition of the anniversary of the occupation.
Supporters include the Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA), the
International Women's Peace Service (IWPS), and the International Solidarity
Movement (ISM).

We seek and welcome endorsements by all groups and individuals that support
our points of unity. We also welcome further support in our efforts for
peace and justice in Palestine. If you are interested in joining your local
ISM chapter or Palestinian solidarity group, please contact them directly
(see information below).

For more information contact:

In Canada:

Website:
ISM-Vancouver
www.ism-vancouver.org
email: info at ism-vancouver.org

Website:
ISM-Canada
www.ismcanada.org
email: montreal at ismcanada.org

International:

Websites:
www.endtheoccupation.org/
www.peacejusticestudies.org/palestine.php

ISM press office (Beit Sahour, Palestine):
Website: www.palsolidarity.org
info at palsolidarity.org
972-2-277-4602

For a map of the wall, see www.gush-shalom.org/thewall/index.html

More Information

For more details about these and other events, subscribe to our email list
(enter your email to the right and click submit).

Please contact us for more information about our upcoming events:

Post: International Solidarity Movement (ISM-Vancouver)
16 West Hastings Street – Box 38; Vancouver, BC V6B 1G4

Voice mail: (604) 682-3269 Ext. 6197

Email: info at ism-vancouver.org

For more information about ISM head office campaigns in Palestine, please
visit their website at www.palsolidarity.org.
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