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The Cause of the Palestinian People Is Just.
March 10, 2009
Cathy Fischer, Regina
The recent election in Israel indicates that the campaign by Israel to destroy the Palestinians inGaza will continue. And the fightback by the Palestinians will also continue. It appears that the most likely outcome of the election will be a government that is just as intent as ever on clearing all Palestinians from the territory that was to have formed the Palestinian nation in accordance with the 1947 decision of the United Nations.
After more than 60 years, perhaps the Israelis count on the world forgetting that the General Assembly of the newly-formed United Nations had decided that the former Palestine was to be divided up into two nations, Israel and Palestine, and that Jerusalem was to be an international city, under the aegis of the U.N.. Following the partition of Palestine by the U.N. with its Resolution 181, Israel declared its half of the former Palestine a nation and was admitted to the United Nations. The Palestinians did not agree with the dividing up of their country by Resolution 181, and have never been recognized as a nation. Since then, Israel has gradually forced the Palestinians out of their half of their former homeland, either into refugee camps in neighboring countries, or into the West Bank and Gaza Strip, all that is left of pre-1947 Palestine. Israel welcomed Resolution 181, giving them Palestinian land, but since then has defied 35 resolutions from the world body censuring Israel’s actions.
In the 2006 elections in the West Bank and Gaza, Hamas soundly trounced Fatah, the main opposition party, which for several years had been ‘negotiating a peace treaty’ with Israel. Mahmoud Abbas, the head of Fatah, remained as president and was in charge of continuing the peace negotiations. Fatah began a campaign with the backing of the Israelis, to unseat Hamas. Hamas struck back militarily in Gaza, driving Fatah out of the Gaza Strip into the West Bank. Now the Israelis are concentrating on trying to destroy Hamas militarily, and in the process are destroying Gaza.
Even before the most recent attack, Gaza was being blockaded and was under siege. All economic activity was controlled by Israel, which has one of the largest armed forces in the world. In one of the most densely populated areas in the world, half the population was 15 or under, and half the population was forced to rely on food aid from the U.N. or other humanitarian agencies. Malnutrition rates in Gaza rivalled those of sub-Saharan Africa, sewage ran raw in the streets, homes were being bulldozed, orchards were destroyed, there was a serious water shortage, men women and children were being sniped at and killed; children were deafened by continuing sonic booms. Richard Falk, UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories, had called for an International Criminal Court investigation to "determine whether the Israeli civilian leaders and military commanders responsible for the Gaza siege should be indicted and prosecuted for violations of international criminal law."
Reports indicate that in the attack which started December 27 and was code-named Operation Cast Lead, over 1,200 Palestinians were killed and thousands more wounded. Over 4,000 more buildings were destroyed and a further 20,000 severely damaged; nearly 60,000 Gazans have been made homeless. Their parliament buildings, a prison, and the university were destroyed or damaged. Some 16 health facilities and 16 ambulances were totally or partially destroyed in the 22-day end-of-the-year attack. John Ging, director of the UN relief work operations in the Gaza Strip has demanded an international and independent investigation into the killing of innocent civilians by the Israeli occupation forces, and the World Health Organization issued a statement deploring the Israeli attacks on Palestinian hospitals. The economic damage is put at $1.9 billion. The Israelis have done their best to leave the Gaza Strip in ruins.
The Israeli leadership say they want peace. If they really did, they could have it tomorrow by honouring past UN resolutions and restoring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian Arabs. They don’t even have to give up their half of the original Palestine. Among the 35 U.N. resolutions defied by Israel more than 15 Security Council resolutions have been issued since 1948 to solve all aspects of the Palestinian cause, including the status of Jerusalem, borders, land, refugees, water and natural resources and a state for the Palestinians. None of these have been implemented, and Israel has never been punished for not doing so. Just this month the Israeli government continued to thumb its nose at the U.N., and announced plans for building 3500 new illegal settlement units in the city of Jerusalem.
What is the position of the Canadian government with respect to Israel’s war-based policy? The Harper government considers Hamas a terrorist organization. On January 12, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to condemn the "massive violations of human rights" by Israel in Gaza. Thirty three countries voted in favour of the resolution; Canada was the only country to vote against. Following announcement of a cease-fire in the most recent Israeli attack on Gaza, Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s minister for Foreign Affairs, issued a statement approving of Israel’s ceasefire, but putting all the blame for the attack by Israel on Hamas, and saying nothing about the Hamas ceasefire. Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition, also condemned Hamas but says nothing about the Israeli use of white phosphorous, the bombing of hospitals and schools.
Nothing is said about Israel’s constant and determined whittling away at what was to have been Palestine, an entity that has never been officially established because of the campaign by Israel to absorb that territory. Nothing about the many U.N. resolutions designed to bring peace to the territory but ignored by Israel. The Canadian government recognizes Fatah, but not the party that soundly defeated Fatah in democratic elections. Ignatieff , who currently is propping up the minority Harper government, can hypocritically pronounce: "We firmly believe that the basis of this peace will be the mutual recognition by both Israelis and Palestinians of two states, living side by side in peace and security, with a full resolution of the issue of refugees and settlements, as well as secure and internationally recognized borders and boundaries,"

It’s about time for Canadians to let their government know it must end its hypocritical stand with respect to Israel’s destruction of the Palestinians. It’s about time to sanction and boycott the state of Israel to force this state to abide by UN resolutions. It is time Israel is called to account for its war crimes.