If you are concerned about Human Rights for Palestinians who
do you vote for in the Canadian federal election?
by Edward C. CorriganThere is a recent news reports that Hollywood producers are
going to boycott
Penelope Cruz and her
husband Javier Bardem
, both Oscar winners,
for their signing an
open
letter condemning
“the genocide
perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation army.” The Spanish letter criticized Israel’s
2014 attack on Gaza and was also
signed by 100 “leading figures in the film industry, including
director Pedro Almodovar.”
Supporters of Israel frequently attack supporters of the Palestinians
and critics of Israel’s military actions. The threat of boycotts and
black-listing are common. The problem for Israel’s supporters is
that more and more celebrities and public figures are speaking out
in support of the Palestinians. These include actor Ed Asner, who
is active with Jewish Voice for Peace, British comedian Russell
Brand, musician Elvis Costello, actors John Cusack, Mia Farrow,
Jane Fonda, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, world renown
physicist Stephen Hawking, actor Dustin Hoffman, singer Annie
Lennox, singer Rihanna, actor Mark Ruffalo who plays the Hulk,
actor Vanessa Redgrave, actor Meg Ryan, comedian Rob
Schneider, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor , TV Host Jon Stewart,
sports star Amare Stoudemire, actor Emma Thompson, Pink Floyd
front man Roger Waters and singer Stevie Wonder. This list of
Palestinian supporters is far from complete. Israel, of course, also
has its supporters amongst celebrities. However, if the supporters
of Israel want to boycott every supporter of the Palestinians they
will soon run out of leading actors.
Other prominent supporters of the Palestinians and critics of
Israel’s treatment include former US President Jimmy Carter,
Nelsen Mandela, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and noted author
Alice Walker. British MP Jeremy Corbyn who is widely expected
to win the leadership of the British Labour Party is also a strong
supporter of the Palestinians. The Vatican has now officially
recognized the State of Palestine.
The United Nations General Assembly has long supported the
rights of the Palestinians by overwhelming majorities. The
supporters of Israel in these votes are only a handful. Canada and
the United States are almost always in Israel’s camp. There is also
a statement released on August 18, 2015 signed by over 1,000
Black activists, scholars and artists “supporting Palestinian
freedom and equality” and supporting Boycott, Divest and
Sanction (BDS) against Israel.
In Europe the support for the Palestinians is growing stronger every
day. Also growing in Europe is support for the BDS Israel
movement and calls for sanctions over Israel’s “Jewish only
settlements” in the Occupied Territories.
Many Jews are also supportive of human rights for the
Palestinians. Two Jewish organizations that support BDS in North
America are the Jewish Voice for Peace and Independent Jewish
Voices (Canada). There are many Israelis who also do not support
the right-wing policies of the Netanyahu government. There is a
list of more than a thousand Israeli academics and writers that are
considered anti-Zionist by supporters of Zionism in Israel
Many Academics around the World, including many in the United
States and Canada, have long spoken out on the issue of equal
rights for the Palestinians and have been very critical of Israel’s
military actions. Many leading academic organizations, including
those in Britain and Ireland, have declared their support for the
BDS campaign. The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) has
long been a supporter of the Palestinians and a critic of Israel’s
policies. Virtually every university in North America has an active
pro-Palestinian presence. Many student unions and academic
associations have passed resolutions in support of BDS.
Human rights activists in South Africa draw comparisons between
the racist apartheid system in South Africa and the discriminatory
system towards the Palestinians in Israel and its Occupied
Territories. Some South Africans say that the system of apartheid
in Israel is worse than the racist regime in South Africa.
One NDP Member of Parliament from Quebec left the NDP over this issue. Sana Hassainia wrote on her web site, “My decision to leave the NDP was precipitated, among other things, by the party's positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." -
Supporters of Israel try to portray these critics as marginal and
even “anti-Semitic” but these claims are becoming harder and
harder to seen as believable. However, the rise in support for
Palestinians in Canada and the United States has the supporters of
Israel in a panic mode.
The federal election in Canada is occurring on October 19, 2015.
The question is who do you vote for if you are concerned about
human rights for the Palestinians and that they deserve equal
treatment and the right to live in dignity?
In Canada this issue is complicated. There are no really good
choices among the three main political parties.
The NDP gives lip service to Palestinian rights but almost always
The NDP gives lip service to Palestinian rights but almost always
does not let anyone who actually criticizes Israel or support’s BDS
to run for the NDP. There are at least five NDP candidates who
have been banned or come under attack for their views on the
Palestinian issue. One NDP Member of Parliament from Quebec
left the NDP over this issue. Sana Hassainia wrote on her web site,
“My decision to leave the NDP was precipitated, among other
things, by the party's positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
Libby Davis, the Deputy Leader of the NDP, decided not to run this
time around. No doubt the treatment given to her over comments
she made opposing the Israeli Occupation played a factor in her
decision. Gone are the days when New Democrat MPs like Derek
Blackburn, Howard McCurdy, Svend Robinson and Ian Waddell
could openly be supportive of the Palestinians.
This pattern of refusals is more evidence of censorship and anti-
democratic behavior in Tom Mulcair's Federal NDP. Perhaps the
NDP should adopt the slogan "no Palestinian, Arab or Muslim or
non-Zionist Jew or person concerned about Palestinian human
rights should apply." This NDP purge is symptomatic about a
much larger problem in Canadian politics.
The Liberals are no better. Justin Trudeau has said he was opposed
to BDS at a lecture at McGill University. He also implied support
for BDS was anti-Semitic. On the plus side Justin Trudeau has
spoken out against the Conservative scare tactics against the
Muslim Community and he resisted calls not to speak to a Muslim
youth organization. At one time there were a number of Liberal
MP’s who supported human rights for the Palestinians. They
included Yvon Charbonneau, Marcel Prud’homme, and Ian
Watson. Pierre Debane, who is Palestinian, served in Prime
Minister Trudeau’s cabinet. However, these few voices posed little
threat to the pro-Israeli narrative that dominated Canada’s political
culture at the time.
On a personal note I was black listed by the federal Liberals under
Stephane Dion and not allowed to run for a Liberal nomination
because of my support for Palestinian human rights. I was cleared
by the Ontario Liberal Party and allowed to run for a provincial
nomination a few years earlier. The “official reason” for my being
banned was that I distributed an email which supported the call for
a meeting between Liberal Leader Dion and over thirty Arab and
Muslim organizations and which included 5 Jewish organizations
to discuss issues on the Middle East.
I was a past president of a Federal Liberal Riding Association and
a former member of City Council. Also a Certified Specialist in
Citizenship and Immigration law. Actually I was approved by 2
out of the 3 members of the so called review committee and all of
my publications were vetted and approved by a lawyer. I was given
this information by someone directly involved with the review
process. However, the Zionist member of the Review Committee
sent my case to the higher echelons and I was black-listed. I was
told that this person had a virtual veto on approving candidates and
no one who had criticized Israel was allowed to run. Many other
individuals who are sympathetic to the Palestinians have been
Belanger.
Also of interest is another article by Linda Belanger.
The Conservatives are just plain horrible. At one time MP's like
Bob Corbett were very good on the issue. Bob Stanfield and even
former Prime Minister Joe Clark were not that bad. Stanfield wrote
a good report on the Middle East for Joe Clark. Harper is just plain
horrible as are most of his associates like Jason Kenney and John
Baird. They all think, or at least argue, that any criticism of Israel
is anti-Semitic. They are silent on the issue of racism against
Palestinians and voice no criticism on Israel’s many attacks on the
Palestinians. The Conservatives frequently publicly attack
Muslims and stoke fears of Islamic terrorism and Sharia law here at
home and in the Middle East.
Elizabeth May is not perfect but the Green Party is at least letting
people like Paul Manley who the NDP banned run for them.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
cancelled an invitation to Elizabeth May after she made some
strong comments in support of Israel and against the Palestinians.
Elizabeth May, however, is clearly more democratic and open
minded on the issue of Palestinian rights than the other federal
party leaders.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
I encourage people to make donations to Paul Manley and to other
progressive candidates who are supportive of human rights for the
Palestinians. I have given $100 to Paul Manley and $100 each to
two Liberal Candidates who are friends. I have also made a
donation to Linda McQuaig, a prominent author and journalist,
who running for the NDP and is pro-Palestinian and excellent on
the environment and economic issues. It only costs $25 to make a
$100 donation to a candidate or political party up to $400. It is easy
to find a suitable candidate on the net or Party website. My $400
donation will cost me only $100 once I get the deduction off of my
income that is to be paid.
Now is the time to get involved. Strategic voting to defeat the
Harper Conservatives is, in my opinion, the best option.
Supporting the Green's, in my opinion, is also a smart decision if
you support human rights for the Palestinians and a real peace
process in the Middle East.
The Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community and their friends in
The Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community and their friends in
Independent Jewish Voices and in the wider community need to
get engaged in Canada's political process and volunteer, get signs,
make donations and vote based on the issue of Palestinian human
rights. The supporters of Israel usually vote on who supports Israel
the strongest. They also donate money and get involved
organizationally. Supporters of Israel also vote. Israel’s supporters
also attack anyone who has criticized Israel in the past, even if
those criticisms are widely shared and justified.
There are over 1 million Muslims, around 300,000 Arabs and
maybe as many as 100,000 Palestinians in Canada yet the
Canadian mainstream political establishment ignores them or at
least takes them for granted. There is no political penalty for
supporting Israel and denigrating the Palestinians. This fact has to
change before there will be improvement on the Palestinian issue
in Canada. Not to act is to ensure that nothing will change on the
question of rights for the Palestinians.
Edward C. Corrigan is certified as a specialist by the Law Society
of Upper Canada in Citizenship, Immigration and Immigration
and Refugee Law.
Like this posting help us in our time of need!
I'll be damned if I'm going to vote for any of the three major parties. Maybe some Marxist-Leninist splinter group.
ReplyDelete