Reverend Steve Berube of St-Paul’s United Church in Riverview, NB. has been in Palestine several times. In 2018, he frequently visited Ofer Prison where Palestinian children are tried in Israeli courts. He also visited hospitals where other children are being treated as a result of injuries inflicted by Israeli police or military forces. In a painful personal letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Champagne, he explains why boycotting Israel has nothing to do with anti-Semitism and everything to do with human rights. Read his letter (reproduced with permission) here. ….
2020-02-17
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Champagne,
I wish to join you in condemning anti-Semitism and all forms of religious and ethnic hatred around the world. I have worked hard on these issues for over 25 years as a United Church of Canada minister.
It was a privilege for me to live in Bethlehem and visit Jerusalem frequently in 2013. Many suspect my strongest memories are of the Church of the Nativity, the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall or other scared sites. They are wrong.
My strongest memory from Bethlehem is of sitting in a hospital next to 14 year old Mohamed Kurdi who had been shot by an Israeli sniper in the abdomen. One of his doctors told me he had never seen as many internal organs damaged by a single shot caused by a “dum-dum” bullet.
15 year old Fathi Saleh in hospital in Bethlehem after being shot in head by Israeli soldiers.
My strongest memory from Jerusalem is of a hospital room with 15 year old Odai Nael Fathi Saleh who was in a vegetative state as a result of being shot in the head by an Israeli sniper in Bethlehem. Doctors said they would never be able to remove all the bullet fragments. I remember his family’s outrage when authorities presented them with a bill for 25,000NIS for his treatment due to an Israeli soldier shooting him.
Both of these children were innocent bystanders posing no threat to any Israeli. But their images will forever haunt me.
Gideon Levy’s recent column in Haaretz focused on an Israeli military spokesperson who said it is appropriate to shoot children. Apparently, what was condoned by Israelis in my time continues today.
Reverend Berube participated in a World Council of Churches observer mission called Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI).
In 2018, I visited the Israeli military courts in Ofer Prison. Each year, 500-700 Palestinian children face these courts that have a conviction rate of over 99%. Over 75% of Palestinian children report being abused or tortured while in Israeli custody awaiting trial. Please try to imagine, the fear a child you know would experience after spending two or three nights alone in prison, most likely enduring torture or physical/psychological abuse and having no access to their family or legal counsel before entering a military court where the court officials speak a language the child does not understood. Would you wish this on the child you thought of or any child? Should these practices not be condemned?
I cannot unsee what I have seen. Day after day, I witnessed the abuse of Palestinian human rights and violations of the 4th Geneva Convention by Israeli officials including innocent children being shot and their lives being ruined. Therefore, my perspective is radically different from the dominant narrative about Israel and Palestine that recent statements by your government portray.
As a human rights advocate and peace activist, can you help me understand why on Feb. 6, Minister Champagne rose in the House to condemn the peaceful, nonviolent BDS movement and linked it to antisemitism?
BDS is a form of free speech that calls attention to the egregious actions of the Israeli government and its daily violations of International Human Rights laws, the 4th Geneva Convention, along with ignoring motions adopted by the UN Security Council and the judgments of the International Court of Justice. Linking BDS to anti-Semitism is an attempt to delegitimize the valid criticism of Israel over its documented human rights violations against Palestinians. Further, linking BDS and antisemitism deepens prejudice against Palestinians and those who support the rule of law and international treaties.
Your government prides itself on supporting international human rights. Yet, you often seem to fail to criticize Israel for its ongoing violations of its responsibilities as an occupying power and as a high contracting party to the Geneva Conventions. Can you help me understand why your government seems to be progressive on most human rights issues except for joining the vast majority of countries who speak out on behalf of Palestinians who have lived under the longest occupation since WW II?
Please join with me and other human rights supporters in working to eliminate anti-Semitism as well as the prejudice stoked by those who unjustly criticize Palestinians.
I look forward to your reply.
Rev. Steve Berube St. Paul’s United Church, Riverview, NB
cc’s to:
- Leona Allesle, Conservative Party of Canada
- Hélène Laverdière, New Democratic Party
- Stephane Bergeron, Bloc Québécois
- Elizabeth May, Green Party of Canada
- Marwan Tabbara, Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group
- Senator Nancy Hartling
- Hon. Ginette Petitpas-Taylor, Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe
- Hon. Rob Moore, Fundy-Royal
- Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Beauséjour
- Sadi Elhusseini, Palestinian Delegation to Canada
- Fr. Robert Assaly, Chair: Canadian Friends of Sabeel
- George Bartlett, Chair, United Network for Justice and Peace in Pelestine and Israel
- Thomas Woodley, President: Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
- Dr. Peter Larson, Chair: Ottawa Forum on Israel Palestine (OFIP)
- Rt. Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator: United Church of Canada
- Nora Sanders, General Secretary: United Church of Canada
- Christie Neufeldt, Program Coordinator, Public Witness & Advocacy: United Church of Canada
- Wendy Gichuru, Program Coordinator/Africa/Middle East Partnership Program
- Rifat Kassis, Kairos Palestine
- Nora Carmi, Kairos Palestine
- Robert Massoud, Zatoun
- Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, Founder, Sabeel
- Deborah Lyons, Global Affairs Canada
- Robin Wettlaufer, Global Affairs Canada
- Anthony Hinton, Global Affairs Canada
- Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Defence for Children International – Palestine
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Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue.
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Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 
Peter I assume you’ve seen the pickle Bernie Sanders is in with his having spoken up for Palestinian rights ….
Sent from my iPhone
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Hey Kywald,
Yes, I have noticed that, of course.
Sanders knows that anyone who speaks up for Palestinian human rights, or who criticizes Israel runs the risk of being accused of being “anti-Semitic”. There is no way to avoid the risk. But it can be minimized by using careful language (as Reverend Berube does).
Those who throw such accusations against Israel’s critics are not likely to be deterred, nor are they likely to listen to argument. But in the end, what is important is whether those accusations SEEM CREDIBLE TO OTHERS. I think most people would agree that to call Reverend Berube “anti-Semitic” is ridiculous. Ditto for Bernie Sanders.
This powerful letter should be sent as an open letter to the leaders of all Canadian parties and all candidates for the Conservative leadership with the request that they respond publicly. Any moral person would support it. Let’s see who does.
Rev. Berube did send it to a long list of people. Others could cut and paste and also send it along to their MP. That would be a good idea.
Sending a “cc” to a long list is not as likely to be effective of sending it as a published open letter with a challenge calling for a response.
Thank you Peter. Wonderful letter. I was outraged by Champagne’s comments, and will more so if there is legislation on that subject. Paul
For the record, can “scared” be corrected to “sacred” in the (awesomely excellent!) letter?
Viva Palestine! Palestine Is Still THE Issue! (as it was in 2003 when John Pilger produced the great same-named video-documentary)
Very good indeed
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Yes, and we have our own Palestinians and we’re still trying to sweep them under the carpet. Fortunately, we can no longer get away with what Israel still is. Anti-Canadianism just wouldn’t wash. Nevertheless, the situation of Canada’s aboriginals suggests that Palestinians have more centuries to wait with no redress.
I’m sorry to say that it looks like it will take a long time before Indigenous Canadians get their rights. However, some tiny steps have been made with the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission”. We acknowledge, (at least in theory) that we have stolen indigenous land. Unfortunately, the Israeli government (and most Israelis) are still a very long way from acknowledging that they have done the same.
Oh, that all minister spoke up in such a manner! Thank you.
Many thanks for such a powerful and important discourse. My hope is that it gets much traction and creates productive dialogue.
I met Rev. Berube soon after his visit to Israel as an Ecumenical Accompanier, sponsored by the World Council of Churches. I was a United Church delegate to an annual meeting of the United Network for Justice and Peace for Palestinians and Israelis. His talk (along with a few others who were on the same mission) brought tears to most of those present. I remember Rev. Berube saying he came back with PTSD after witnessing a Palestinian, who he was accompanying, being shot in the leg for no apparent reason.
Lavina Shaw
Thank you Lavina for sharing this personal observation. I am sure anyone would find that a traumatic experience.
This very powerful letter communicates facts and feelings of the sort that gave impetus to drafting the constitutions and evolving the justice systems of modern liberal democracies. It deserves wide circulation.