[tadamon-l] [McGill Daily] Lebanese Montrealer speaks out on family killed in Israeli air strike

[Tadamon!]

the McGill Daily:
Lebanese Montrealer speaks out on family killed in Israeli air strike
http://www.mcgilldaily.com/view.php?aid=5280

Twelve members of Hassan El-Akhras's family were killed on July 16, when 
an Israeli bomb landed on their home in Aytaroun in southern Lebanon. On 
Wednesday, El-Akhras, a Montreal resident, will speak as part of a forum 
entitled "Strategies for Solidarity with Lebanon in Montreal." The Daily 
sat down with El-Akhras to talk about his family, the bombing, and what to 
do next.

The McGill Daily: Where were you when you found out about the deaths of 
your family members?

Hassan El-Akhras: The Israeli war had started. I was at a demonstration 
[against the Israeli bombings] here in Montreal that Sunday. My cousin 
from Beirut called me and told me that our house had been bombed.

MD: What have you heard about the situation in Lebanon right now?

HE: Actually, it's better, but some Israeli soldiers have stayed along the 
border around my village. They are supposed to go back to their side, but 
they continue to violate UN Resolution 1701 [which called for a ceasefire 
in August].

MD: After you found out about the deaths of your family members, what was 
the Canadian government's response and what support did they provide you 
and your family?

HE: The Foreign Minister, [Peter] MacKay, called me two days after and 
expressed his sympathies. And that's it. After that, one month later, they 
helped us bring our aunt to Montreal because she's not Canadian. These are 
the only things they did.

I asked them to conduct an inquiry into the people who were killed by 
Israeli air-strikes, I asked to meet the Prime Minister, but I am still 
waiting to meet him. The only response I've gotten is a copy of the letter 
they sent to the [Israeli] Foreign Ministry asking for the inquiry. They 
told me that Israel was doing an investigation into what happened and they 
will give me any news. I'm still waiting.

MD: Do you plan to go to Lebanon?

HE: I am going in October for about four weeks, with my mom, to see our 
dad's tomb, and our family's tombs - we didn't see them and we want to go 
there. At the end of Ramadan during Aid, we have to go see the tombs of 
our family, so we want to go there and see and be there to commemorate and 
remember them.

MD: What is the main message you want to send the Montreal community on 
Wednesday?

HE: I'll ask people to help us to make justice, to introduce the criminals 
to court. I'm asking for justice, that's it. We want to have all criminals 
everywhere in the world pay for their crimes. I want people to help us... 
not only for my family, but for everyone around the world.

Compiled by Kaveh Namdaran

The forum is organized by Tadamon! Montreal and the Association des jeunes 
libanais musulmans, and will be held Wednesday in Adams Auditorium at 8 
p.m., following a dinner at 7 p.m.

Tadamon! Montreal:
http://tadamon.resist.ca
00 514 690 8499
tadamon[at]resist.ca

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