Until now, it has been difficult (and expensive) for Canadians to access the many conferences and panels in Washington with knowledgeable speakers on the Israel/Palestine issue. But the Covid pandemic has pushed the Foundation for Middle East Peace, a progressive thinktank, to replace those conferences with a series of outstanding free webinars, now accessible to people outside Washington (including Canadians). Above, a recent FMEP webinar with BTselem’s executive director Hagai el-ad. CTIP interviewed Ms. Friedman about FMEP’s objectives and work. Watch CTIP’s video interview with Ms. Friedman.…
On January 15th, Prime Minister Trudeau named Marc Garneau to be our new minister of Foreign Affairs. What can we expect his policy to be on Israel/Palestine? Two things provide guidance: (1) the Prime Minister’s “Mandate letter’ to Garneau telling him what his priorities should be and (2) what Garneau has said in the past. Read more..
When former US president Jimmy Carter published “Peace not Apartheid” in 2006, he was ONLY talking about the discriminatory regime that Israel had imposed on Palestinians IN THE WEST BANK. He did not challenge Israel’s claim to be a democracy. Now a respected (and courageous) Jewish Israeli human rights organization has taken a step further. In an important policy document, B’tselem argues that “apartheid” is an appropriate label to describe Israel’s regime for all of the land it controls “from the river to the sea”. Read more..
Phil Weiss, as Senior Editor of Mondoweiss, is a keen observer of the US political scene and has been watching the contradictory developments in the US on the Israel/Palestine file over the last 4 years. In an OFIP webinar on January 19th, he will make an assessment of where things are and where they are heading. Register now….
Palestinian human rights activist Issa Amro has been arrested more than 20 times by Israeli forces over the last 8 years for opposing new Israeli settlements in the West Bank, says CTIP guest columnist Bessa Whitmore. He is in court again this week on charges that Amnesty International claims are “political”. She writes an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau saying that Canada, which officially says it opposes the settlements and supports human rights, should intervene. Read more…..
CTIP is reprinting here a letter sent to Prime Minister Trudeau by Professor Bessa Whitmore. It is shared with her permission.
Guest Columnist, Bessa Whitmore, Professor Emerita, Carleton University
Ottawa, January 7, 2020
Right Honourable Justin Trudeau,
Prime Minister of Canada
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,
I am writing to urge your government to intervene on behalf of Issa Amro, a well known and respected Palestinian community leader and human rights defender. If you really value human rights, as you say you do, tell Israel to stop persecuting Issa Amro.
On January 6, after a lengthy trial in an Israeli military court, he was convicted on 6 counts, three counts of protesting without a permit, two counts of “obstructing” an Israeli soldier, and one count of assaulting an Israeli settler in Hebron. In fact, he is leading Palestinian non violent resistance to continuing harassment and persecution by illegal Israeli settlers in Hebron, a town in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
As Amnesty International has reported, the charges against him are “baseless” and “politically motivated.” Because the Israeli military court has a conviction rate of almost 100%, it’s clear that he has not received a fair trial.
This is a gross travesty of justice. Mr. Prime Minister, if Canada is true to its values as a champion of human rights and justice, we are obligated to speak out. Silence is not an option.
A small number of illegal Israeli settlers have established a foothold in Hebron, the second largest Palestinian city in the west bank. With the aid of the Israeli Army, they are gradually expanding their control destroying Palestinian businesses and pushing Palestinians out.
Mr. Amro has been called the Mandela of the Palestinians for his non-violent approach to advocating for the rights of his people. I had the privilege of meeting him myself, as part of a trip to Israel/Palestine in 2017 (organized by Interfaith Peacebuilders now renamed Eyewitness Palestine) that included Hebron. We witnessed first hand the harassment of Mr. Amro by both Israeli settlers and by IDF soldiers, as we walked peacefully through the old city.
The activities Mr. Amro is accused of are either considered legitimate free speech in most other countries (such as “participating in a march without a permit”) or unfounded (because Mr. Amro was already in Israeli custody at the time and video evidence of the incident shows another man was responsible).
Mr. Amro’s Israeli lawyer stated that “the fact that in this case he was released dozens of times over the years without any indictment, and suddenly an indictment is served that collects all the conduct for which he was released, absolutely seems to be a matter of political persecution.”
I believe the universal right to peaceful protest and nonviolent political engagement should also extend to Palestinians. The Israeli government wants Mr. Amro silenced. It is up to those of us in Canada to live up to our moral obligation to speak up in the face of injustice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter
Bessa Whitmore
Professor Emerita, Carleton University
cc. Hon, Francois Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Catherine McKenna, MP Ottawa Centre, Jagmeet Singh, Leader of NDP, Erin O’Toole, Leader of the opposition, Paul Manley, leader of Green Party in the House of Commons, Yves-Francois Blanchet, Leader of Bloc Québécois
CTIP subscribers who agree with Professor Whitmore can forward a copy of her letter (or write their own) to the Prime Minister (justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca), Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and their own Member of Parliament. (NOTE: all MP’s have a common email “formula” – first name.second name @ parl.gc.ca). Even more important is to send a copy to your friends and suggest they too, write their MP.
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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 Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. We accept guest columnists from time to time.Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
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