gaza – Page 3 – Planet Laurel

Petition e-4802 goes to Parliament #RestoreUNWRA

My petition closed after its 30 day run with nearly 10k signatures. Here’s our sponsor, Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre MP) presenting it in the House of Commons. https://youtu.be/U2sN4MS96gY

The government has something like 45 days in which to reply.

Thoughts:

In a day or two, the countries that have been pledging financial support for UNWRA pulled their funding because Israel made unfounded…

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Petition e-4802 goes to Parliament #RestoreUNWRA

My petition closed after its 30 day run with nearly 10k signatures. Here’s our sponsor, Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre MP) presenting it in the House of Commons.
https://youtu.be/U2sN4MS96gY

The government has something like 45 days in which to reply.

Thoughts:

In a day or two, the countries that have been pledging financial support for UNWRA pulled their funding because Israel made unfounded accusations about a tiny percentage of UNWRA workers. Months later, many have still not restored funding, even though no evidence to support the allegations has come from Israel.

Why does everybody believe Israel?

If you’re friends with a pathological liar, you need to learn to get the evidence before you believe.

Hey Canadians…

Today’s your last chance to sign Petition e-4802 (at 2:03pm)

asking the Govt of #Canada to:

1. Reinstate Canada’s UNRWA funding; and

2. Advocate other countries do the same, preventing the collapse of UNRWA when needed most.

Our government has waffled on #1 already, and

#2 is still very much needed.

Please sign and share… the clock is ticking!

Keep Signing Petition e-4802

On Friday, the Government of Canada finally made an announcement about restoring its pledged UNWRA funding:

News release

March 8, 2024 – Mississauga, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Canada is deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza that is worsening by the hour. Help must reach civilians as quickly as possible. Canada is working to overcome challenges related to humanitarian access and the delivery of life-saving relief so that more assistance can reach those in need.

Canada was the first G7 country to provide support to Gaza after October 7, 2023, and is one of the world’s largest donors of assistance to address the current crisis. Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced that Canada will be lifting its temporary pause on funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA plays a vital role in Gaza, providing over 2 million people with humanitarian relief, in addition to its crucial operations supporting 4 million people elsewhere in the region. Other organizations also rely on UNRWA’s experience and infrastructure to deliver humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas’s heinous terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, the UN has put in place several significant processes to address the allegations and reinforce its zero tolerance for terror within the UN, including UNRWA. Canada has reviewed the interim report of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on this matter and looks forward to the final report. Canada commends the independent review of UNRWA currently underway, led by Catherine Colonna, and anticipates reviewing the report assessing UNRWA’s neutrality mechanisms. While these investigative processes continue, UNRWA has taken immediate measures to strengthen oversight, accountability and transparency.

Canada is committed to ensuring full accountability, decisive action and the implementation of necessary reforms within UNRWA. Canada will work with fellow donors, the UN and UNRWA to ensure that the recommendations stemming from both the OIOS investigation and the independent review are fully implemented. Canada expects UNRWA to meet its obligations and uphold the UN’s value of neutrality: this is an essential component of UNRWA’s mandate.

Women and children are bearing the heaviest toll as a result of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Over 1.7 million Gazans are displaced, with the majority living in crowded and unsanitary conditions in Rafah. Most of the population is severely food insecure and there is a growing risk of widespread famine. Access to life-saving medical services is heavily limited.

Every amount of assistance is critical, which is why Canada is pursuing all avenues to deliver assistance into Gaza. One way Canada is doing this is by supporting Jordan and the World Food Programme (WFP) to conduct airdrops in Gaza delivering essential items that Palestinian civilians desperately need.

Jordan has been playing a key role in delivering desperately needed supplies by both land and air to Gaza. To bolster these efforts, Canada is providing $100,000 in funding to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation for the purchase of supplies such as food, blankets and winter clothing, which will be delivered to Gazans in need, including through Jordanian airdrops. Additionally, Canada has allocated substantial funding to the WFP, part of which will be used for airdrops.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will be providing approximately 300 cargo parachutes from the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre in Trenton to the Royal Jordanian Air Force to assist them in conducting the airdrops of critical supplies into Gaza.

Airdrops are absolutely not a substitute for deliveries via land and sea routes. Canada continues to call for more entry points, expanded access, protection of humanitarian workers, and a humanitarian ceasefire.

Canada continues to call on all parties to respect their international humanitarian law obligations. This includes immediately releasing all hostages, ceasing to employ human shields, respecting and protecting medical and humanitarian personnel, and taking all feasible precautions to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities. Furthermore, the parties must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.

Canada is committed to a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security, with dignity and without fear.

Quotes

“Since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, Canada has centred its decisions on the protection of civilians. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the fundamental human right to live in peace, dignity and security, without fear. As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure that Canadians have confidence in the organizations we support, which is why we have taken prudent measures to allow for a necessary investigation to take place. In recognition of the robust investigative processes underway, UNRWA’s efforts to address serious allegations made against some of its staff, including the implementation of internal measures to improve oversight and accountability, as well as the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, Canada is resuming its funding to UNRWA so more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians. Canada will continue to take the allegations against some of UNRWA’s staff extremely seriously and we will remain closely engaged with UNRWA and the UN to pursue accountability and reforms.”

– Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development

“This donation of parachutes from the Canadian Armed Forces will help to replenish the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s supplies for humanitarian airdrops, supporting the delivery of life-saving assistance to the Palestinian people. Through this donation and our significant financial contributions to trusted partners, Canada will continue to provide the Palestinian people with access to critical humanitarian relief.”

– Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

“Canada is resuming its funding to UNRWA, so more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians. We shall continue to be closely engaged with UNRWA on investigations, reviews and audits currently underway. All of these will require the full cooperation of the Government of Israel, as well as the determination of UNRWA itself to improve its own security systems. The United Nations Secretary-General has given member states and donors his personal assurance that these issues have his full attention.”

– Bob Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York

Quick facts

No regularly scheduled payment that was intended to go to UNRWA was missed during the temporary pause. By providing certainty that Canada’s planned contribution will proceed, this will help prevent the imminent collapse of this essential organization.

The CAF is making available approximately 300 cargo parachutes for the purpose of dropping cargo.

https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2024/03/canada-announces-continued-assistance-for-people-in-gaza.html

While this is good news, it is not enough.

I’ve heard many people say Canada has no International political influence, but that just isn’t so. We still have the reputation of being nice, deserved or not. When Canada went along with Israel’s push to defund UNWRA in hopes of distracting the world from the compelling Genocide case before the International Court of Justice, other countries did too.

That’s why the second part of the “ask” in Petition e-4802 was:

2. Advocating other countries do the same to prevent the collapse of UNRWA when Gaza’s lifeline is needed most.
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4802

Despite the fact Canada is restoring UNWRA funding (for today, anyway) Petition E-482 will remain Open for Signature until 2:02 p.m. on March 13, 2024. (EDT)

Because of this, I ask petition supporters to continue signing and sharing for the few days that remain.

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!

Thank you for your support!

Many thanks to everyone who helps keep this terrible issue in the public eye.

“Like Taking Candy From A Baby” Israeli soldiers flaunt the “spoils of war” like this “Mickey Mouse”…

“Like Taking Candy From A Baby”
Israeli soldiers flaunt the “spoils of war” like this “Mickey Mouse” doll pressed into service as a hood ornament decorating a military vehicle. The doll is was captured from the remains of the homes of the children Israel’s “War” has killed, wounded or displaced.

The Israeli War on Gaza is not a war. War is something that happens between countries, and Gaza is not a country. The Gaza Strip is part of one of the pieces of Palestinian Territory that was meant to become the state of Palestine after the “Great Powers” divided the Land of Palestine roughly in half, granting the larger piece to the new State of Israel, and the smaller to the majority Indigenous population.

To effect this change, in 1920, the League of Nations granted the British Empire control of Mandatory Palestine, part of the territories the Ottoman Empire ceded after its World War I Defeat. The Zionists seeking to retake a Jewish Homeland abandoned in the diaspora two thousand years previously, were involved in the decision making. The Palestinian people were not consulted at all.

Naturally the British were disappointed when the existing majority Arab population took issue with the appropriation of slightly more than half of the land to create the new Jewish Homeland promised by the Balfour Declaration. The British felt Palestinian Arabs should have been grateful for the liberty of half their ancestral lands as a reward for fighting the Ottoman Empire alongside the Brits, instead of angry their people would be displaced from the rest of their territory to make room for a new state for immigrant European Jews.

Instead of fulfilling the terms of the Mandate, by overseeing the Partition of Palestine, the British washed their hands of the mess they had created to the Zionists, who had no compunction about going to war to “liberate” the land to which they believed themselves entitled in 1948.

The result has been ongoing unrest in the Middle East, the brunt of which has been felt by the Palestinian population, whose territories have been shrinking for 76 years, as they’ve been denied the self determination to decide their own future by the Israeli occupation.

Now you see it, now you don’t

Restore UNWRA! Sign! Sign! !Sign!

Yesterday CBC reported on remarks made by Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of International Development at a Toronto fundraiser, indicating a resumption of UNWRA funding.

Today Minister Hussen’s press conference to provide an update on Canada’s humanitarian assistance (or lack thereof) in Gaza has been cancelled without explanation.

What are they playing at?

People are starving and dying in…

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Now you see it, now you don’t

Yesterday CBC reported on remarks made by Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of International Development at a Toronto fundraiser, indicating a resumption of UNWRA funding.

Today Minister Hussen’s press conference to provide an update on Canada’s humanitarian assistance (or lack thereof) in Gaza has been cancelled without explanation.

What are they playing at?

People are starving and dying in Gaza.

Even if they weren’t UNWRA’s mandate stretches far beyond Gaza.

I hope anyone who hasn’t will sign & share Petition e-4802 as widely as possible.

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

As I write this, at 8,563 signatures it needs only 438 signatures to reach 9,000!!! This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!

Thank you for your support!

Many thanks to everyone who signs and shares, helping to keep this terrible thing in the public eye.

(Special thanks to Lulu for the heads up on this story!)

Key Canadian Policy on Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Lisa MacLeod is a Progressive Conservative Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ms MacLeod’s tweet begins with an #AdHominem attacks accusing the “Jews Say No To Genocide” protest of “hate speech,” then characterizes their protest as a “sick” “antisemitic” “intimidation fest.

In the following @cbcnews clip, the “Jews Say No To Genocide” explain that they’re protesting an Israeli sale…

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Key Canadian Policy on Israeli-Palestinian conflict

In the following @cbcnews clip, the “Jews Say No To Genocide” explain that they’re protesting an Israeli sale of illegally occupied Palestinian land being held in a synagogue.

I guess I was naive in thinking government lawmakers ought to follow the law. Particularly awesome in its awfulness is Ms MacLeod’s call for “legislation” to protect this inappropriate use of a place of worship used by unscrupulous realtors to hide behind while facilitating land deals illegal under International Law.

Does the PC Party embrace MPPs who promote illegality?

Canadian policy (conforming to International Law )on the Israeli Occupied Palestinian Territories and illegal settlements has been clearly laid out on the Government of Canada website.

Not only do Israeli Settlements on Palestinian Territory breach the Fourth Geneva Convention in International Law, Canada specifically states its opposition to Israeli Barriers and expropriation of Palestinian lands and resources.

Ironically, the municipal owner of the venue originally intended to hold the stolen land real estate sale withdrew its consent from the dubious event, prompting the venue change to the Aish Hatorah Synagogue.

This land sale nonsense is not only happening here in Canada. Stolen West Bank settlement homes are being flogged in the USA, as Rich Siegal explains in the following video:

Stolen West Bank settlement homes are being sold in America to Jews. An real estate event at a synagogue was set up, and this fine gentleman (a Jewish man) was having none of it. pic.twitter.com/aA5BGJ79N5
— Nader (@BonsaiSky) February 29, 2024

Thanks to @Sasa_Ghada and Mr Siegal for taking a stand and sharing this information.

While I am not a lawyer, my reading of the relevant International law suggests countries that allow or enable International laws to be broken run the significant risk of being charged with complicity.

For decades Israeli governments have flouted International laws, and the countries with which they’ve been friendly (like Canada) have looked away, effectively giving Israel a free pass to do as it likes without accountability or repercussion. At this point the situation has gotten so far out of hand, and the bad behavior from government, IDF and settlers alike has become so flagrant, it is no longer confined to the dark, but happening in the bright light of day.

With South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice, and subsequent ICJ Provisional Orders ruling Israel’s actions can be “plausibly” considered genocide, the possibility of charges of conspiracy to commit or complicity in genocide grows ever greater.

It’s past time Canada understands:
friends don’t let friends commit genocide.

I very much hope anyone who hasn’t yet will sign Petition e-4802 and share it as widely as possible.

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

As I write this, at 7,932 signatures it needs only 68 signatures to reach 8,000!!! This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!

Thank you for your support!

Many thanks to everyone who has signed, and to the brave souls like @Sasa_Ghada, @BonsaiSky, Chelsey Lichtman at @JewsSayNo, Rich Siegal, @IndJewishVoices, and all the people online and off who are putting themselves on the line to protest, and share information & awareness of the terrible things happening to Palestinians in the Palestinian Territories occupied by Israel that our governments and MSM have ignored, decade after decade.

Interview on Petition e-4802

I was nervous when CKMS journalist Dan Kellar asked to interview me about my petition to restore UNWRA funding. I’ve never done anything like this before, and am much more comfortable writing than talking. But I ventured outside my comfort zone because this is such an important issue.

Frankly I was afraid to listen to it. I only got up the nerve after my sister-in-law told me how much she enjoyed the interview and appreciated all the information in it. And fortunately it’s not just me! You’ll also get to hear from Mike Morrice and government Minister Melanie Jolie.