Comments on Arafat's passing

The following are excerpts from the reactions of several North American organizations to Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat's death last week.

With the passing of the Palestinian Authority's leader, Canadian Jewish Congress shares with Palestinian Canadians their hopes for a future of peace, security and independence for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

Reflecting on Yasser Arafat's legacy, we note that while he put the cause of the Palestinian people on the map of political causes, he was incapable of putting a Palestinian state on the map of states. We hope and pray, at this time of transition, that the new Palestinian leadership that emerges will reject violence and be imbued with the necessary courage to pursue the "peace of the brave."

– Ed Morgan, national president, Canadian Jewish Congress

The Canada Israel Committee expresses the hope that a new leadership will quickly emerge from within Palestinian society, committed to democratic reform and genuinely partnering with Israel to advance peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

– Canada Israel Committee

As we consider the death of Yasser Arafat and his leadership of the Palestinian people, we cannot help but contrast him with such figures as the late Anwar Sadat of Egypt and the late King Hussein of Jordan, both of whom were so farsighted and statesmanlike as to ultimately choose a course of peace with their neighbor, Israel, rather than seeking the destruction of the Jewish state.

United Jewish Communities and the Jewish federations of North America urge the Palestinian people to demand and embrace a new leadership that unequivocally and unconditionally abandons terrorist acts, destroys the dark and destructive entities that employ them, and creates and maintains a social structure that honors life, freedom, democracy, accountability and a true and lasting commitment to peaceful coexistence with the people and state of Israel.

– United Jewish Communities

The death of PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat opens the opportunity for the emergence of a new leadership in the Palestinian Authority that could put an end to terrorism and renew the prospect of peaceful coexistence with the state of Israel.

Steps must be taken to prevent Arafat's death from resulting in a political vacuum that will give rise to chaos and competition by terrorist organizations seeking to enhance their influence. Preventing this outcome will take courageous leadership from among the Palestinians, the leaders of neighboring Arab countries and from the international community.

– James S. Tisch, chair, and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-chair, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

On the occasion of Yasser Arafat's death, we are reminded of the tragedy that was his life. While keeping the Palestinian issue at the centre of the world's attention for nearly 50 years, Arafat chose terror and jihad over compromise and peace.

We hope and pray that his passing will be the occasion for the emergence of a new Palestinian leadership committed to the establishment of a state that will live in peace alongside the state of Israel.

– Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, president, Union for Reform Judaism

Today, Prime Minister Paul Martin said that Yasser Arafat "personified the Palestinian people's struggle" and that "I offer on behalf of Canada, my condolences and sympathy to the family of Chairman Arafat, as well as all Palestinians."

Perhaps, rather than offering condolences to the Palestinians for the death of Chairman Arafat, Prime Minister Martin should offer condolences to the Palestinians for the life of Chairman Arafat. Without Arafat's leadership, the Palestinians could today have a democratic homeland and enjoy prosperity, dignity and rule of law on par with Israel.

Where are the Canadian values in our government's decision to honor Arafat and to dishonor thousands of innocent victims and millions of Palestinians whose future was squandered by this man's culture of hate, violence and theft?

– Alastair Gordon, director of communications, Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD)

Yasser Arafat was today given the opportunity to die of old age and disease, a privilege he denied to thousands of innocents whose lives were ended or shattered by his endless promotion of hate and terrorism.

Arafat's death is an opportunity for Canada to reconsider its relationship with the Palestinians and ask if our foreign policy was part of the problem. Canada has given a quarter-billion taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian Authority, while knowing that many of those dollars ended up in Arafat's personal bank accounts, while others paid for textbooks that taught hatred and denied Israel's right to exist.

Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew does not speak for millions of Canadians when he honors Arafat by attending his funeral. CCD asks whose interests are being served by honoring such a man. The dishonor will be even greater if Minister Pettigrew fails to take a few hours to visit Palestinian and Israeli families mourning their loved ones killed as a direct result of 25,000 terrorist attacks in the last four years of Arafat's rule.

Minister Pettigrew may also wish to intervene on behalf of the 200 Palestinian political prisoners arrested by Arafat and awaiting execution.

– Naresh Raghubeer, executive director, CCD

^TOP