MacKay focuses on humanitarian aid, refuses to condemn Israeli aggression

Cornwall, 4 August 2006 — A delegation of community members from Ottawa, Gatineau, the Cornwall area and Montreal calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East was refused the opportunity to speak to the Conservative caucus for 15 minutes this afternoon.

The group – members of organisations and individuals outraged by the Conservatives’ uncompromising support for Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Gaza – had made the emergency request to the Conservative party earlier in the week. Upon arrival in Cornwall, however, they were not permitted entrance to the grounds of the conference centre.

Under pressure of television cameras and a very determined crowd, the Conservative party eventually agreed to allow two women to enter, but refused entry to a third, the francophone Quebec delegate. Dahd Al Saady of the Cornwall area, who has family living under the bombardment in Lebanon, and Rana Abdallah, representing the Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians of Ottawa and Gatineau, met with Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and International Cooperation Minister Josée Vermer to present the group’s four demands: immediate ceasefire and halt to the assault on Lebanon and an end to the seige of Gaza; bring to justice those responsible for the war crimes taking place; delivery of humanitarian aid proportional to need in devastated Lebanon and Gaza; and work towards addressing the root causes of the conflict, such as the occupation of Palestine. (Full prepared statement is below.)

Although the Ministers were willing to speak about Canada’s contributions to humanitarian aid under the continuing destruction of Lebanon, MacKay refused to condemn the aggression of Israel. He simply reiterated the Canadian government’s position that Hamas and Hezbollah are “terrorist organisations”. When pressed, however, he was unwilling to define the word “terrorist”. The delegation had already pointed out that Israel is systematically targetting civilian infrastructure, has killed 900 civilians, wounded 2400 and forced the displacement of 900,000 in Lebanon in the past two weeks alone.

Minister MacKay stated that he has been strongly advocating the cessation of violence and that he decries the loss of life. However, he did not commit to calling for a ceasefire.

The delegation was also unable to enter into a serious discussion of the root causes of the conflict. MacKay responded, “Forget about the past and let us live together”, asking whether he should go back to Scotland to fight for his ancestral land. The flabbergasted delegates tried to point out that Palestinians are currently stateless, and currently living under the continuing violent occupation of Israel, but got nowhere. Their pragmatic argument that until basic oppression is addressed, violence will continue fell on deaf ears.

The meeting happened hours after another major series of air strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, another round of targetted destruction of civilian infrastructure throughout Lebanon, and another devastating attack on Tyre (see minute-by-minute newsfeed: www.lebanonupdates.blogspot.com). Many of the delegation members have friends and relatives currently living under Israeli bombs.

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Source: Tadamon!, tadamon@resist.ca, tel 514 690 8499