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July 26, 2011 Faculty for for Palestine critique of the CPCCA report published in the National Post ! This month, a serious attack was made against free speech in Canada. A pseudo-parliamentary committee calling itself the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) issued a report calling on the federal government to adopt a definition of anti-Semitism that would criminalize criticism of the state of Israel. The report claims to support free speech and open debate around the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but its recommendations aim to silence pro-Palestinian voices, especially on campuses. The CPCCA's biased processes and dubious conclusions contradict its own argument for balanced debate, and make a mockery of the notion of disinterested parliamentary inquiry.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East Press release on the CPCCA report ....The CPCCA largely excluded from its hearings organizations likely to challenge the CPCCA’s dangerous blurring of the distinction between anti-Semitism and sharp criticism of Israel. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) and the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF), for example, were denied a hearing..... “The CPCCA has now announced the conclusions that it intended from the outset to reach, and made recommendations that, if implemented, will inhibit public discussion of Israel’s conduct,” says CJPME President Thomas Woodley. Jully 20, 2011 CPNO - Deltaport action protests ZIM, in solidarity with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla VANCOUVER -- Twenty activists from throughout the Lower Mainland gathered early today at Deltaport for an information picket targeting a major Israeli shipping company, ZIM. The action was in solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, which included a Canadian Boat and which has been prevented from sailing to the occupied and blockaded Palestinian territory. July 19, 2011 Sabawi - The Propaganda and the Facts about BDS Naomi Chazan, the President of the New Israel Fund (NIF) gave a talk in
Marrickville, New South Wales, during her recent Australian tour offering a
critique of the Palestinian Civil Society call for Boycotts Divestments and
Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. ... Chazan named six reasons why she believed BDS was harmful. BDS is not effective because Israel has a very strong economy: South Africa’s economy was also booming when the boycott movement against that regime began in the late 1950s. Decades later the movement succeeded in bringing down the South African apartheid regime. Many Israeli leaders, including Ehud Barak, Ben-Eliezer, Shimon Peres and others, have already stated that BDS is a "strategic threat;" what they mean of course is that it is a serious threat to Israel’s system of occupation, legalized racial discrimination (conforming to the UN definition of apartheid) and denial of refugee rights. July 17, 2011 CPNO - Gaza Rejects Greek Government Charity The following letter was delivered to the Greek Government on July 12, 2011 making it clear that the people of Gaza seek freedom and respect for their human rights, including their right to lead a dignified life, not charity. Seemingly deaf to their call, yesterday a spokesman for the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Delavekouras, repeated the Greek Government’s "generous offer" to deliver limited humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza - instead of helping them gain the freedom that Israel continues to deny them. Dear Prime Minister Papendreou, Dear Foreign Minister Lambrinidis We, members of Palestinian civil society in Gaza, have been watching the actions your government has taken to block Freedom Flotilla 2 from setting sail towards the biggest open air prison – the Gaza Strip – to challenge Israel’s criminal blockade. Israel’s closure of Gaza has deprived us of things that most people take for granted, first and foremost, our freedom of movement. We are not allowed to pursue adequate health care or educational opportunities because we cannot travel freely. We are cut off from our families in other parts of the occupied territory and abroad; and we are not allowed to invite people to visit us in Gaza. Now, you have imported this restriction on the people whose main mission is to stand in solidarity with us. CPNO - The blockade IS illegal no matter what Israel claims An expert legal opinion on International Maritime Law and the Gaza blockade Ambassador Craig Murray is a former Alternate Head of the UK Delegation to the United Nations Preparatory Commission on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He was deputy head of the teams which negotiated the UK's maritime boundaries with France, Germany, Denmark (Faeroe Islands) and Ireland. July 9, 2011 CPNO - Jewish group gives pseudo-parliamentary report a failing grade Ottawa--Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) has given the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) a failing grade on its long-overdue report. IJV is distributing a report card to MPs, urging them to reject any attempts to silence or criminalize legitimate criticism of Israel, and to defend free speech in Canada. The IJV report card gives the CPCCA a failing grade for lack of ethics, conflating criticism of Israeli policies with real anti-Semitism, using biased methodology, and employing self-serving, inaccurate reporting. Also read the Faculty for for Palestine critique of the CPCCA report published in the National Post ! Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East Press release on the CPCCA report BACKGROUND CPCCA Press Release on the Final Report CPCCA Final Report - Frightening if you are concerned about civil liberties G&M article - "Anti-Semitism on the rise at Canadian universities, committee says" (Note, there were over 1700 comments on this article within 12 hours of its publication. The comments overwhelmingly indicate that Canadian are not fooled by the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism, see through Israeli lobby propaganda and are fed up with MPs who have sold out human rights and international law to special interests of a foreign country.) CPNO - Report from activist aboard the Tahrir Greeting from aboard the Tahrir. We remain in the Marina under the watchful eye of the coast Guard whose boat is moored directly behind us almost nipping at our stern. THe Coast Guard were very careful not to injure or frighten us during the boarding a couple of days ago. One said``excuse me`as he rushed to the wheelhouse, another said ``don`t be afraid``. We greet them each morning, Miles has shared some photos, some of them have individually expressed to us that they admire what we are doing. July 7, 2011 MUST READ ARTICLE REBUTTING ISRAELI PROPAGANDA SURROUNDING THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA Gaza blockade and Freedom Flotilla 2: Rebuttal of Windsor Star’s factually-challenged letter to the editor Israeli Claim - Israel’s blockade is recognized as permissible under international law. Inconvenient fact – Israel’s blockade is illegal because it does not respect the laws of war. A blockade is a military tactic, one that applies during times of declared war and occupation. In such times, a blockade per se is not explicitly illegal. But Israel has not declared war on Gaza and claims not to occupy it. Moreover, as a military tactic, a blockade must adhere to the laws of war, as embodied, for example, in the Fourth Geneva Convention, which specifies that the belligerents cannot restrict foodstuffs, medicines and other aid; cannot obstruct medical evacuations; cannot prevent civilians from leaving the war zone; and cannot prevent civilians from pursuing their livelihoods. Because the Israeli blockade violates all of these precepts, it is illegal. In addition, neutral organizations including the International Committee of the Red Cross and Amnesty International have declared the blockade to be a form of “collective punishment” and a clear and flagrant violation of Israel’s obligations under the Geneva Convention. Click here for another article on the legalities. July 4, 2011 Israel the monster state gets cash strapped Greece to do its dirty work. Greece has no legal grounds for preventing a foreign flagged ship from leaving its ports. So far not a whisper of protest from any other nation. It seems that Israel controls the world but all empires fall at some time. CTV News - Greek disable Canadian ship bound for Gaza The Greek coast guard has damaged a Canadian ship bound for Gaza, forcing it back to shore after ramming it against a cement pier, activists said Monday.... Penner called on Ottawa to denounce what they view as an unlawful act by the Greek government. "This is a peaceful international mission to break Israel's illegal blockade of Gaza which, it is now crystal clear, has been extended to the ports of Greece," said Penner. "I wouldn't say it's a surprise but it's certainly shameful. We have every right to bring the aid we are attempting to bring to Gaza to break the siege," he added. "We have every right to uphold international law and in fact we have a responsibility to do so." Click here to meet the 30 Canadian heroes on board the Tahrir. July 2, 2011 The blockade of Gaza reaches the shores of Greece! Greek coast guard are now on board the Tahrir attempting to arrest Sandra Rush, Jewish Canadian member of the Canada boat to Gaza Steering Committee, who is refusing to surrender boat's registration papers.
June 19, 2011 Gideon Levy - Israel has no right to stop Gaza aid flotillas Israel cannot be hurt by any imaginary danger the ships pose. Here from Sweden comes a final appeal to those who would block the flotilla: Please, just once, act with prudence, and abide by international law and simple justice. NEW E-BOOK ON THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND Read the book here: Greenwashing Apartheid: The Jewish National Fund's Environmental Cover Up Read the book review: How Green Is the Jewish National Fund? The 63-year old State of Israel has had overwhelming success at hiding its true intentions and purposes, effectively whitewashing actions which, if properly understood, would be extremely disturbing to most people. Thus the passage of laws discriminating on the basis of ethnicity, if mentioned at all, is framed as preserving the Jewish character of the state. June 16, 2011 Canadian Freedom Flotilla II Activists leave on June 19th from Toronto, Montreal
June 1, 2011 Canadians and others demand safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla II Toronto, Thursday May 26th, 2011. Today prominent Canadians from diverse backgrounds united to demand safe passage for the boat sailing to Gaza (tahrir.ca) this spring as part of the Freedom Flotilla II (freedomflotilla.eu) to challenge the blockade which the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Human Rights Council have called “a crime against humanity.” Canadians to Baird: "Israel's Gaza Blockade Is Illegal. We Will Sail to Gaza" MONTREAL, QUEBEC- May 30, 2011 - The Canadian Boat to Gaza (CBG) is dismissing Foreign Affairs Minister Baird's misinformation about the upcoming flotilla, and is promising to sail with the Freedom Flotilla II next month. John Baird, newly appointed Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, has taken to discouraging Canadians from participating in the upcoming flotilla, which aims to break the siege of Gaza. May 30. 2011 Jewish group challenges Harper's knee-jerk support for Israeli government “Instead of taking steps to promote a resolution to the ongoing crisis in Israel and Palestine, the Harper government supports the government of Israel regardless of what it does,” declared Sid Shniad, spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices Canada. “Israel's hard right, intransigent government is delighted with Harper,” Shniad explained. “It was because of Canada that there was no mention of Israel's pre-1967 borders made in the leaders' final communiqué released by the gathering of G8 leaders in France. Even Barack Obama, who never ceases to declare his support for Israel, has come to the realization that no progress can be made in reaching a settlement without an Israeli agreement to withdraw from the territory it has occupied since 1967.” May 13, 2011 Morningstar UK - The lurid threats surrounding Mavi Marmara 2 Campaigners for an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza agreed last weekend to launch Freedom Flotilla 2 in the third week of June, with ships departing from various European ports. The first flotilla was assaulted last May by Israeli special forces who killed nine Turkish activists on the Mavi Marmara. However, the international solidarity movement remains determined to persist in its peaceful direct action to highlight Israel's illegal and inhuman collective punishment of the Palestinian people. A Canadian ship, The Tahrir will be part of the second flotilla. Details: http://www.tahrir.ca/ The Dominion - Jewish National Fund Challenged for Complicity in Ethnic Cleansing - Canadian, Israeli activists push to remove organization's charitable status JERUSALEM—Israeli, Palestinian and international protestors gathered in Tel Aviv and Ramallah in late February to denounce ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. But instead of levelling their criticisms at the Israeli state, the chants and banners were aimed at an unexpected target: Canada. Among other issues, protestors were targeting Canada for its role in building Canada Park, an Israeli park built over the ruins of three Palestinian villages with donations made to the Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF-Canada). JNF-Canada's role is being challenged both at home and in Israel, while a targeted campaign against the JNF overall is presently underway.
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