[van-announce] [ISM-Vancouver] June 5th, National Day of Action Against the Occupation
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Sun Jun 1 01:24:52 PDT 2003
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: 36 YEARS OF OCCUPATION IS ENOUGH
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June 5th, National Day of Action for Canadians - Call/Fax/Email your MP
and PM
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 has been 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:
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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
Phone: 212-963-5012
Email: Grahab at parl.gc.ca
Prime Minister, The Right Hon. Jean Chretien
Fax: (613) 941-6900
Phone:(613) 992-4211
Phone: 212-963-5012
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 http://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:
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-Write an email or fax or mail a letter to the UN
-Write a letter to your local paper
-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)
-join or organize demonstrations, vigils, and actions opposing the
occupation on or around that date
-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:
ISM-Vancouver
Website: www.ism-vancouver.org
Email: info at ism-vancouver.org
ISM-Canada
Website: www.ismcanada.org
Email: montreal at ismcanada.org
International:
Websites:
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/
http://www.peacejusticestudies.org/palestine.php
ISM press office (Beit Sahour, Palestine):
Website: http://www.palsolidarity.org
Email: info at palsolidarity.org
Phone: 972-2-277-4602
For a map of the wall, see
http://www.gush-shalom.org/thewall/index.html
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