PLEASE CALL MAYOR TREMBLAY

On Thursday, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay participated in a public event named the “Blue and White Rally for Peace”, called by the pro-Israeli organisation B’nai Brith. It was a pro-Israel rally which portrayed Israel as acting in self-defence and its attacks on people in Lebanon as legitimate. La Presse reported that Mayor Tremblay defended his participation in the rally by saying that it was a gathering for peace. At the same time, he refused to call for a cease-fire and or to acknowledge the disproportionality of Israel’s actions.

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Report prepared by Tadamon! Montreal

As the Israeli military campaign on Lebanon entered the sixteenth day with upwards of 400 Lebanese dead, two busloads of Montrealers took their demand for an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression to Ottawa on Thursday.

After two weeks of letter-writing and actions without results, three Montreal organizations – Al Hidaya Association, Association des jeunes libanais musulmans, and Tadamon! – called on people to travel to Ottawa and bring a message directly to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter MacKay, who has publicly taken a radically pro-Israel position, defending and justifying the Israeli attacks on civilians.

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To mourn the dead of Qana and everywhere in Lebanon

McGill College and Ste. Catherine
Monday, 31 July from 8pm til midnight

Sunday saw the worst attack on Lebanon in this latest string of Israeli aggression. Qana is now witness to yet another massacre.

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Stop Israeli War Crimes! – Rally at Israeli Consulate
Over 50 Civilians Massacred in Shelter in the Lebanese Town of Qana!

SUNDAY, JULY 30th, 1:30pm
Israeli Consulate
Corner of Peel & Rene Levesque
Metro Peel

Today the Israeli military carried out another major attack on Lebanese civilians in the town of Qana, in Southern Lebanon. Over 50 civilians lost their lives when the Israeli military bombed a small crowded civilian shelter in a deliberate massacre, which has been condemned throughout the world.

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UPDATES FROM A LEBANON UNDER UNJUSTIFIED ISRAELI WAR RAGE

These updates were prepared in the last few days by the Arab NGO Network for Development (AAND), who is currently assisting with relief efforts in Lebanon. Here are the 12 first updates, in PDF format. We will be posting future updates as they come in.

» Update 12 – Friday, July 28th

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Original report from Beirut Independent Media Center

At least 10,000 tons of heavy fuel oil have been spilled into the Lebanese sea, causing an environmental catastrophe with severe effects on health, biodiversity and tourism, environmentalists and the Environment Ministry said Wednesday. 15,000 tons are expected to leak into the Mediterranean from another tank that is still burning. Two weeks ago, Israeli bombs targeted the Jiyye power station, located on the coast 30 kilometers south of Beirut. Part of the oil in storage tanks has been burning ever since and the other part is leaking into the Mediterranean.

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The following letter was hand-delivered to a representative of Minister MacKay at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa

Honourable Peter MacKay,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, Ontario CANADA

27 July 2006

Dear Minister MacKay,

We, Montreal-area residents and organisations, are writing to express our outrage at the Canadian government’s uncritical stance and unconditional support for Israeli aggression in Lebanon, as well as in the occupied Gaza Strip.

The Israeli attacks on Lebanon are not just “disproportionate” – the term being used by those who want to level a minimal rebuke at Israel – they are unjustified, unjust and criminal. (more…)

‘HUMAN CHAIN’ MARKS OPPOSITION TO HARPER’S WAR SUPPORT
 
Buses leave Montreal: 3300 Cremazie east, Thursday, 27 July at 9:00am
Rally in Ottawa: Department of Foreign Affairs, 125 Sussex Drive at 12:30pm

A human chain encircling the Department of Foreign Affairs will convey opposition to Israeli war crimes in Lebanon, with buses arriving from Montreal to be joined by Ottawa supporters.

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EXPRESS YOUR OUTRAGE AT CANADA’S SUPPORT FOR ISRAELI WAR CRIMES

In Lebanon as in Gaza, hundreds of people have been killed; bridges, roads, buildings, power plants, petrol stations, ports, airports, vehicles have been destroyed. Israel is maintaining a land, sea and air blockade of the country, with devastating consequences. People are abandoning their homes and fleeing in the hundreds of thousands. Yet the Prime Minister of Canada, continues to frame the military assault as a matter of Israel’s legitimate right to self-defence and to characterize it as “measured”. Peter MacKay, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in a 12 July statement, condemned Hizballah for its actions against Israeli military targets but remained absolutely silent about Israel’s crimes against civilian populations.

Please CALL, FAX and EMAIL Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay TODAY, as buses from Montreal travel to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa to bring the message that WE WILL NOT TOLERATE his support for war crimes.

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Source: The Guardian, 21 July 2006
(www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1825670,00.html)

350 dead, almost entirely civilian population. At least 1/3 children.

Energy

• Jiye power station, 20 miles south of Beirut, repeatedly hit; electricity generator hit in Sibline.
• Electricity in Beirut said to be “feeble and flickering”, with large areas cut off.
• In south, electrical supply almost completely cut. Estimated total of 750,000 people without electricity.
• Four gas stores hit; 17 fuel stores destroyed; 12 petrol stations bombed. Prices have rocketed sixfold in some cities, such as Tyre.

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