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July 12, 2002
Friends choosing sides
Editorial
A full-page advertisement in a recent issue of independent Vancouver
weekly, the Georgia Straight (page 21 of the June 27-July
4 edition), demanded that Canada change its foreign policy to call
for an immediate withdrawal of Israel to that country's pre-1967
borders. Sponsored by the Canada-Palestine Support Network, the
ad was endorsed by a number of signatories, including several Canadian
Jews and a long list of perpetual do-gooders. The ad was clear in
blaming Israel for the violence in the region.
"While proclaiming that all peoples in the region have a right
to security," one paragraph safely began, before adding: "successive
Canadian governments have condoned Israel's systematic violation
of the Palestinian population's basic human right to live free of
military coercion and violence."
The earlier statement "proclaiming that all peoples in the
region have a right to security" apparently obviated the need
to explicitly express the Israeli people's right to live free of
terrorist "coercion and violence."
The ad went on.
"Collective punishment, land expropriation, home demolitions,
extra-judicial killings and the daily humiliation of an entire population
provide fertile soil for the growth of brutality and the perpetration
of atrocities." In other words: Israel brings violence on itself.
In bold print, the ad demands: "End the occupation NOW!"
Among those supporting the message were members of Parliament Libby
Davies and Svend Robinson, numerous labor leaders, cultural workers
like Anton Kuerti and David Diamond, Vancouver politician/activists
David Cadman and Anne Roberts, and left-wing personalities Naomi
Klein, Judy Rebick and Murray Dobbin. As individuals, anyone has
a right to sign their name to anything one wishes. However, as a
matter of citizenship, influential people like those who signed
the ad have an obligation to inform themselves of the facts. Some
of those on the list certainly have considered the matter deeply
and come to a conclusion that we might disagree with. Others probably
have very little foundation in the issue and signed on merely because
the Palestinians happen to be the haute cause right now.
In many cases, the names associated with organizations (for example,
Bill Saunders, president of the Vancouver and District Labor Council)
had an asterisk next to their names indicating that the affiliation
was mentioned "for identification purposes only."
There were, however, groups like CUPE Toronto District Council and
Rape Relief, which were listed as supporting organizations.
This is a different matter entirely. An organization like Rape Relief
is founded on the assumption that women can approach the agency
for assistance without fear of judgment. Knowing that the organization
has given its name in a publicly declared stand against Israel,
could a Jewish or Israeli-Canadian victim approach Rape Relief confident
that they will be aided without judgment?
What about a labor union? Could a Jewish or Israeli-Canadian worker
depend on fair and equitable treatment, knowing their union's official,
publicly stated views on Israel?
We hope so, but even if these organizations successfully isolate
their political stands from their advocacy work, a public statement
like this ad cannot help but make clients, members or potential
allies uncertain about the reception they might receive from these
groups.
There is another element of the ad that would be comical were it
not so tragic. The people who have signed in support of the Palestinian
cause and against Israel are a who's who of Canadian activism and
the arts.
We have previously pointed out the irony of Canadian unions speaking
out against the only country in the region that respects free collective
bargaining.
Now we are confronted with Canadian artists attacking the only country
in the region where they would be free to express themselves the
way they are free to do in Canada.
We have environmentalists siding against Israel, the world leader
in researching alternatives to fossil fuels and halting desertification.
We see groups that are supposed to defend the rights of women siding
with a culture that views women as (at best) second-class citizens.
We see at least one gay man criticizing the only country in the
region that legally protects people of his orientation.
We see the head of Langara College's journalism program siding with
the Palestinians, whose leadership has never demonstrated even the
faintest association with western-style freedom of the press.
Of course, all of these people are free to state their views. If
only they gave a little more thought to the views they are endorsing.
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