[IJV-SC] Urgent Appeal - call on Government to vote against motion condemning BDS

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Published on Friday, 19 February 2016 09:45

Written by editor

This is an upsetting motion! Please act on it.


Calling for equal rights for all who live in Palestine/Israelr33

Tories to ask government to 'condemn' backers of Israel boycott movement

"The Conservatives are calling on the government to take a very public stand against supporters of the controversial Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign to impose trade and commercial embargoes against Israel." ottawacitizen.com

The debate is scheduled to take place today.

The letter below has been drafted by Steve Berube.

Please write similar letters to your MP's.

Your may copy and edit the letter below and add your name.

Download the letter in Rich Text FormatFebruary 18, 2016

Dear Prime Minister;

As a former human rights observer with the World Council of Churches in Bethlehem, I am gravely concerned by the motion coming before the House sponsored by Tony Clement and Michelle Rempel:

That, given Canada and Israel share a long history of friendship as well as economic and diplomatic relations, the House reject the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel, and call upon the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad.

This motion is a direct attack on the fundamental freedom of speech for Canadians as laid out in Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadians who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement typically do so because of the state of Israel’s violations of the 4th Geneva Convention as determined by the International Court of Justice and its daily breeches of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The first hand experience of the 25 plus Canadians, including myself, who have served the World Council of Churches in Palestine and Israel, along with reports from such other trusted international human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as pro-peace Israeli human rights groups such as Rabbis for Human Rights, B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence have all provided direct evidence of Israeli breeches of international treaties and laws. Additionally, these groups have documented the intimidation and provocation of Palestinians on a daily basis by the Israeli military and paramilitary forces as well as by illegal Israeli settlers.

If this bill passes it will mean that Canadians will have less-rights to exercise free speech and engage in public debate than Jewish Israelis who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Further, this motion is rooted in Israeli sponsored hazbara that attempts to portray those who criticize Israel as anti-Semitic and anti-Israel.

Meanwhile, I believe that the state of Israel has a right to exist and I call upon it to respect the rulings of the International Court of Justice and to live up to its treaty obligations and international human rights and humanitarian laws.

I urge you to vote against this motion. I would be pleased to discuss this matter with you.

Rev. Steve Berube

Co-chair: United Network for a Just Peace in Palestine and Israel

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