Montreal, 8 August 2006 – City councillors yesterday refused to hold one minute of silence in memory of the Al Akhrass family. The family was killed on 16 July by an Israeli missile while on holiday in Lebanon. Mr. Ali Al Akhrass was much beloved and respected in his Montreal neighbourhood of Côte des Neiges (CDN), where he worked at a pharmacy which served the local population.
Nine members of the Al-Akhrass family who were killed on 16 July; in total, the family lost eleven of its members that day.
However, when community members attended the monthly borough council meeting to ask for a minute of silence in Mr. Al Akhrass’ memory, they were given short-shrift.
A CDN community member put the request first, at the same time proposing that the Mayor of Montreal be asked to take no side in the current conflict in the Middle East. Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay participated in a pro-Israel rally on 27 July, but not in any of the Montreal rallies, vigils or marches calling for an immediate end to the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon.
The Mayor of the Borough of Côte des Neiges and Nôtre Dame de Grace, Mr. Michael Applebaum, promptly dismissed the proposal to commemorate the Al Akhrass family.
When a spokesperson of the Association of Lebanese Muslim Youth rose in turn to second the request for a minute of silence, Mr. Applebaum interrupted to say that the issue was outside the competence of the borough council.
Mr. Wissam Moussa, who was prevented from continuing his remarks, concluded quietly, “By refusing just one minute of silence, your disgusting behaviour confirms my idea that the opposite of love is not hate, but the apathy of people like you.” About ten people walked out of the public meeting in protest. The human suffering in Lebanon has reached an extreme pitch, with 1000 estimated deaths, well over 2000 wounded, and upwards of 900,000 people displaced. Human Rights Watch has already concurred that there is solid evidence that Israel has committed war crimes in its attack on Lebanon.
The incident took place one day after tens of thousands of people marched in Montreal in solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Gaza, calling on the Canadian government to take a stand for an immediate ceasefire.
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Source: Association des jeunes libanais musulmans and Tadamon! Montreal
I believe that this Mr Mr. Michael Applebaum would have been ready to stand outside the hall in December for hours if late Mr. Ali Al Akhrass was an Israeli killed by the Lebanese freedom fighters.
تعليق mehdi — 8 août 2006 @ 17:01Ils sont loin des élections et ils croient que tout leur est permis. Vous devez publier et maintenir une liste des individus et organismes qui ont montré un tel comportement répréhensible, pour le souvenir !
تعليق Sophia — 8 août 2006 @ 18:23Salam,
Qu’à t’on a faire d’une minute ou de deux mille minutes de silence? Que vont changer nos silences pour les petites filles égorgées comme des rats?
Marocaine de Montréal, mon coeur saigne comme il ne l’a jamais été préalablement à cette grande nakssa. Je suis impuissante devant l’énormité de la violation…
Le fait est là : nous sommes en train de regarder mourir nos frères et soeurs, nos enfants et nos parents les bras croisés..
تعليق Fatiha — 9 août 2006 @ 10:13Human Rights Watch has also concurred that there is solid evidence that Hezbollah are committing war crimes by it’s bombinb of only civilian targets in Israel. Report the facts completely or not at all. More disservice for Lebanon.
تعليق Does it matter — 9 août 2006 @ 10:15Does it matter : really? where did you see that, exactly? It’s funny, but after launching over 3,000 rockets, Hezbollah has killed just about 25 civilians, and twice as many IDF soldiers. Add to the fact that many Israeli military bases are near cities and villages in northern Israel, especially arab cities and villages, then it seems that Hezbollah has mostly targetted military installations and personnel, which are supporting or participating in the destruction of Lebanon. (But the media of course only showing the civilian targets…) When you look at the picture of casualties by Israeli bombs : over 1000 civilians for not even a hundred Hezbollah militants killed. Who’s the real terrorists?
If you want to make a service to the Lebanese and Israelis, cut out the Zionist propaganda.
تعليق Jerome — 9 août 2006 @ 11:33Ainsi, Côte-des-Neiges se polarise. D’abord, le trium verrat du conseil d’arrondissement refuse une simple minute de silence, et maintenant c’est au tour d’irwin Cotler, ce grand défenseur des droits de la personne (en autant que la personne soit juive) qui y va d’une déclaration d’appui au Pm qui danse sur la musique à Bush. Où était-il, ce grand défenseur des droits de l’homme, quand Israël torturait systématiquement des civils kidnappés au Liban-Sud? Il se fermait la gueule pour ne pas déplaire à ses commettants, bien sûr! S’il fallait que Mount-Royal passe aux conservateurs, ce serait la nouvelle la plus “shocking” qui soit!
تعليق Ray — 9 août 2006 @ 13:15I heard Michael Applebaum interviewed on CBC radio this morning. During this interview he stated that this website, Tadamon, was supporting Hezbollah. I have phoned the council office at (514) 872-4863 to request a clarification of this and am awaiting his response. There are too many people trying to paint this as a black and white situation, condemnation of killing of children does not equate to support of the fighters who are killing less children.
تعليق Jon — 9 août 2006 @ 14:31SHALOM SALAAM,SALUT,HELLO, HOLA,,
UN is is C O M P L E T E L Y U S E L E S S . When lives are taken away, pourquoi faut-il faire des milliers de rencontres qui servent a rien avec des épais. Quand des gens meurent ???????????? UN ARRET DES MASSACRES EST CLAIR ET PRIMORDIAL. MAIS LES CHANCEUX DE DIPLOMATES FONT DE BEAUX BEAUX VOYAGES ET ILS MANGENT BIEN, Surtout dans les hotels libanais.On paye des taxes pourquoi?
Anyway, ils ont TUÉ 1000 LIBANAIS.Les Libanais ne sont pas un peuple de guerre. C’est le début d’une troisieme guerre mondiale. Ils ont décidé de continuer l’incursion terrestre au sud du liban durant 30 jours. et bien l’on rajoute du pétrole sur le feu, beacoup de pétrole. Avez -vous vu le ‘smart’ qui fait le tour des amériqueS pour dire que sont frere est kidnappé par Hezbollah? Un autre touriste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Imagine toi,si toutes lesfamilles qui ont perdu des enfants au Liban feraient las meme chose? Pis le F888888 cowboys de l’alberta. I still wonder if I should apply for my citizenship. I F quebec would be a country JE SERAIS 100% FIERE D’ETRE QUEBECOISE. I am scared that becuase of the “position accessoire du looser de gouvernement Canadien” I look like a pro-israeli quebecer everywhere I go.Canada has always been a country of tolerance and justice. Know it smells the rotten flesh of a bull captured by a cowboy. He is so useless. In order not be mingled in the propaganda: Put mute on tv and look at images. Did you see the destruction in Lebanon!!! affreux affreux affreux 1million de deplacés!
And they are SO MEAN THAT THEY BOMBARDED THE OIL RSERVES
EVEN THE WILDLIFE IS DYING.
Now avez-vous vu le camp de L U X E qu’ils ont plage, jeux, nourriture, surf, latkes, soleil, fresh michmichim, wow super, je vais réserver ave cAIR Canada demain.
Now , ils ont mis un curfew, et ils tirent aveuglement sur des enfants. What morals and religion are those?
People look for NATUREI KARTA ON YAHOO OR GOOGLE.
If I could save alL the loubnaniin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would do it.
kol chaverim Lehitrahot,
تعليق sarah s — 9 août 2006 @ 15:59Jerome: How exaclty is Hezbollah, a terrorist organization, targetting only military posts if the rockets they launch have no guidance? Here is the Human Rights Watch article specifically saying they are targeting civilians: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/18/lebano13760.htm
تعليق Does it matter — 10 août 2006 @ 2:40The only reasons less Israeli civilians are dying is because of the civilian alerts to the incoming rockets. Short of those the number of dead with the over 3500 rockets launched at Israel would be far worse.
You also fail to recognize that the UN and Human Rights Watch as well as the Red Cross all say that Hezbollah fire their rockets from the top of civilian buildings as well as next to them. They are using civilians as shields. But this isn’t a diservice to the lebanese people right? They aren’t jeopardising innocent lives? Common, try being impartial for a change. It would help the lebanese cause much more that way.
Does it matter : The evidence is in the casualty rate : 2 soldiers for 1 civilian. The press in Israel is also witholding information about strikes that hit military installations, the Israeli Press Office has stated that such strikes would not be reported as a matter of security. For all we know there could very well be 5 attacks landing in military areas for every one that lands in populated areas (and that is heavily reported by the media). That is not to say that Hezbollah does not intentionally hit civilian areas, which I believe is a tactical and moral mistake, and which I do not support. But in my view the resistance to the IDF armed agressors is entirely legitimate, and this has been the main objective of their military activity.
Human Rights Watch has not stated that Hezbollah was using civilians as human shields. That’s what they did say though : “The Israeli government has blamed Hezbollah for the high civilian casualty toll in Lebanon, insisting that Hezbollah fighters have hidden themselves and their weapons among the civilian population. However, in none of the cases of civilian deaths documented in the report is there evidence to suggest that Hezbollah was operating in or around the area during or prior to the attack.”
Oh and they also stated this about the IDF : “Israeli forces have systematically failed to distinguish between combatants and civilians in their military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Human Rights Watch said in report released today. The pattern of attacks in more than 20 cases investigated by Human Rights Watch researchers in Lebanon indicates that the failures cannot be dismissed as mere accidents and cannot be blamed on wrongful Hezbollah practices. In some cases, these attacks constitute war crimes.” So much for the morality of the “most moral military in the world”…
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/08/02/lebano13902.htm
تعليق Jerome — 10 août 2006 @ 12:11Many people in the West know the truth about this coflict but a few only have the courage to tell it.
تعليق mehdi — 10 août 2006 @ 12:28One of these unbiased honorable men who are unfotunately very rare nowadays is Mr Galloway.It is easy to accuse him of being a Hezbullh supporter! I may remind you that he is neither Arab nor Muslim, so you may take your time to explain his attitude if you do not wish that he is a brave gentleman who knows the truth and does not mind sayin it.For his interview with Sky News you maygo to this :
http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/videoplayer/0,,31200-galloway_060806,00.html