Category: gaza

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 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?

TWEET [avatar] Lisa MacLeod [blue check] @MacLeodLisa · Mar 2 Targeting a Synagogue for your “protest” / hate speech & intimidation fest is sick and antisemitic. Time for bubble legislation to protect worshippers, similar to that we have to protect women at abortion clinics.
[avatar] Ghada Sasa | غادة سعسع PhD(c) 🇵🇸 @sasa_ghada 🚨 LOCATION CHANGE 🚨 The city shut down the real estate show at Dani Centre! Zionists relocated to Aish Hatorah. It's disgusting they're trying to sell stolen 🇵🇸 land, including in illegal Israeli settlements, in a place of worship! 1/ 📍949 Clark Ave W, Thornhill, Ontario Graphic poster on a Burnt Sienna field: PALESTINE IS NOT FOR SALE! [arabic translation] * UPDATED LOCATION* Sunday March 3 @ 9AM 949 Clark Ave W Thornhill, ON PROTESTS AGAINST the ILLEGAL SELLING of PALESTINIAN LAND
MY TWEET [avatar] Laurel L Russwurm @laurelrusswurm I'm a little confused: since when is buying and selling real estate "worship"...? Especially Palestinian real estate in illegal Israeli settlements— something that's long been contrary to Canadian government policy. Someone needs to have a word with the Scribes and Pharisees.

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.

[Canada wordmark] Occupied Territories and Settlements Canada does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967 (the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem & the Gaza Strip). The Fourth Geneva Convention applies in the occupied territories & establishes Israel's obligations as an occupying power, in particular with respect to the humane treatment of the inhabitants of the occupied territories. As referred to in UN Security Council Resolutions 446 and 465, Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The settlements also constitute a serious obstacle to achieving a comprehensive, just & lasting peace. Canada believes that both Israel & the Palestinian Authority must fully respect international human rights & humanitarian law which is key to ensuring the protection of civilians, & can contribute to the creation of a climate conducive to achieving a just, lasting & comprehensive peace settlement.

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.

[Canada wordmark] The Barrier Canada recognizes Israel's right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, including through the restriction of access to its territory, and by building a barrier on its own territory for security purposes. However, Canada opposes Israel's construction of the barrier inside the West Bank and East Jerusalem which are occupied territories. This construction is contrary to international law under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Canada not only opposes Israel's construction of a barrier extending into the occupied territories, but also expropriations and the demolition of houses and economic infrastructure carried out for this purpose. https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales /mena-moan/israeli-palestinian_policy-politique_israelo-palestinien.aspx?lang=eng
Ghada Sasa | غادة سعسع PhD(c) 🇵🇸 @sasa_ghada · Mar 2 We reject the faithwashing of Zionism! Zionism is both a settler colonial AND antisemitic ideology, and we will be protesting genocidal Israeli land grab no matter where it takes place! Show up to the protest and share, share, share. 📍949 Clark Ave W, Thornhill, Ontario Gmail attachment: Toronto Eveny change of location Friday Mar 1, 2024 at 5:02pm Due to the local municipality who are the owners of the Dani Centre who look at thus event as a potential politicl issue which they won't allow, they have instructed the Dani Centre to cancel the event. The location has been changed at the last minute with the help of the Dani Centre to the Aish Hatorah in Thornhill, located on 949 Clark Avenue. A representative of the Dani Centre will be standing outside the Dani Centre and will direct anybody that does not receive this message in time. Please confirm with an email by reply/ Shabbat Shalom Darren Rich [logo] Home inIsrael Real Estate Group [logo] kwnetanya Keller Williams Office: +972-9-8866270 Fax: +972-9-8866271 Mobile: +972-52-7771716 UK +44-20-80891446

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:

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.

Sunflower with a vinyl record centre logo and CKMS 102.7 FM Radio Waterloo wordmark on a light blue field

CKMS: Community Radio Waterloo
LOCAL PETITIONER CHALLENGES CANADA’S UNWRA FUNDING CUTS WITH MP’S SUPPORT

With a little more than a week to go, as I write, we’re up to 7,300 signatures!

PARLIAMENT OF CANADA [logo] House of Commons Chambre des Communes Canada Petition e-4802 (Foreign affairs) #UNRWA History Open for signature February 12, 2024, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT) Closed for signature March 13, 2024, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT) Member of Parliament Mike Morrice Kitchener Centre Green Party Caucus Ontario 7,300 signatures Province/ Territory Signatures Alberta 455 British Columbia 1,242 Manitoba 73 New Brunswick 40 Newfoundland and Labrador 46 Northwest Territories 6 Nova Scotia 185 Nunavut 3 Ontario 4,062 Prince Edward Island 26 Québec 982 Saskatchewan 88 Yukon Territory 6

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

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

The more signatures this petition receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing! 

Thank you for your support!

Listen to the CKMS interview of Mike Morrice and me!

CKMS News – 2024-02-29 – Local petitioner challenges Canada’s UNWRA funding cuts with MP’s support | CKMS 102.7 FM – Radio Waterloo

Listen to the CKMS interview of Mike Morrice and me!

Canadians and Canadian residents: please sign and share this important petition to #RestoreUNWRA funding

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4802

visual laurel 2024-03-01 07:45:15


Thank-you, Mike Morrice! It is great to have an Member of Parliament in Ontario that actually represents me, even if not actually in my riding! I was quite upset this morning when I started seeing those reports, so I was very happy to see your post.

Mike is the MP sponsor for my Petition to the House of Commons, asking the Government of Canada to restore UNWRA funding during this humanitarian catastrophe.

Canadian citizens and residents can sign my Petition e-4802

Laurel L Russwurm 2024-02-26 17:47:15

/Doctors Without Borders addressed the UN Security Council.

Outside the meeting, Remy Carriere, Emergency MSF co-ordinator just back from said he didn't think many humanitarian organizations could function in without the services provided by .

He also said,

"A lot of the services everybody is receiving is because UNWRA is functional today."

Canadians: Please sign and share my e-4802 petition to
restore UNWRA funding

ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Pet

This is simply not right.

This is simply not right.

The first thing that must happen is a ceasefire.

The second thing is the restoration of humanitarian aid.

If you’re a Canadian and/or live in Canada, please sign my petition to restore UNWRA funding https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4802

If you are an American, please contact your elected representatives and tell them *not* to veto tomorrow’s (Tuesday Feb 20, 2024) Gaza Ceasefire resolution in the UN.

Canada needs to show leadership here to prevent genocide in Gaza.

Canada needs to show leadership here to prevent genocide in Gaza.

This is is not optional: countries like Canada that have signed the Genocide Convention have assumed the obligation of preventing the perpetration of genocide by other states.

Most of the news from Gaza is traumatic, as ambulances are attacked and hospitals, schools, homes,…

This miracle baby was pulled from a bombed house in #Gaza

Most of the news from Gaza is traumatic, as ambulances are attacked and hospitals, schools, homes, and places of worship are bombed, people are killed and wounded, whole families are wiped out in an instant. There isn’t much good news.

But this little miracle baby is good news.

If we leave it up to Israel to decide the fate of Palestinians, this innocent orphan’s future won’t be very bright.

Palestinians have lost enough. Its time they were free. They need the opportunity for self determination and the right of return that is their due.

Hey, I’ve got an idea: since Israel has destroyed so much of Gaza’s housing stock and real estate has been turned to rubble, its time the illegal walls and checkpoints came down, and the illegal occupiers were turned out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Its too bad Canada traded in peacekeeping for warmaking. This could have been an opportunity for real leadership. Sadly, we won’t likely get that before we have #ProportionalRepresentation.