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“Rather than showing thoughtless and unproductive loyalty to one side while demonizing and ignoring the human rights of the other side, Canada must speak out much more forcefully in defense of life, human rights and the needs of all innocent people. »
For the editor:
The death and destruction perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli citizens is tragic and deserves condemnation.
It is equally tragic and despicable to witness today the destruction and death that Israel is inflicting on the people of Gaza.
We should be outraged at the weakness and hypocrisy of Canadian and Western politicians who refuse to condemn Israel as it engages in industrial levels of destruction against the lives and hopes of the people of Gaza. What is happening goes well beyond Israel’s right to defend itself and now appears to be aimed at driving the population from its territory.
If our leaders do not condemn the indiscriminate and massive destruction underway in Gaza, which is leading to the death and mutilation of countless innocent women and children, will they ever be trusted to provide leadership? moral on any issue related to human rights? or respect for international law?
Are we to assume that our leaders believe it is appropriate to deliberately destroy the lives and homes of an entire population in retaliation for violence perpetrated by those in power? Canada and other Western countries regularly denounce the violation of human rights by other countries while remaining silent while the human rights of Palestinians in Gaza are regularly violated and all aspects of their daily life are controlled.
While it seems right to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization, we should also be able to understand that in desperate, apartheid-like circumstances, people can be expected to take desperate measures to to liberate oneself.
For decades, Canada has enjoyed a good reputation as a guardian of peace around the world. But when I think about our status as one of the world’s leading arms dealers, it seems that we are now less committed to human rights and peace than before.
Consider our $15 billion sale of armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia, a country with one of the worst human rights records in the world. And when I think about Canada’s participation in NATO campaigns in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Libya, Ukraine and elsewhere, it seems that our country is increasingly at risk of functioning as a vassal state, subject to American foreign policy and military campaigns led by the United States. .
Consistent with this political temperament, Canada once again echoes the American position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Rather than showing thoughtless and unproductive loyalty to one side while demonizing and ignoring the human rights of the other side, Canada must speak out much more forcefully in defense of life, human rights of the person and the needs of all innocent people.
Canada could and should work to restore its reputation as an honest peacekeeper and demonstrate much stronger leadership by advocating for a negotiated settlement that recognizes that Jews and Palestinians have historical ties deep with the land and which ultimately ensures the security of Israel and freedom and justice for the Palestinians.
Sincerely
Pierre Ferris
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