Peace will be possible when we acknowledge the wrongs of the past, embrace truth,
and seek forgiveness and reconciliation.
I visited Canada Park this past
weekend and as you will see
from the photographs it is a
beautiful place only a short ride from Jerusalem
off the main highway to Tel Aviv. There are paved
roads and picnic spots and look offs with scenic
views from almost every vantage point.
weekend and as you will see
from the photographs it is a
beautiful place only a short ride from Jerusalem
off the main highway to Tel Aviv. There are paved
roads and picnic spots and look offs with scenic
views from almost every vantage point.
But this park, reforested with bush pine, cyprus and
carob, covers over a
shocking war crime that
has a serious Canadian
Connection.
This place is the site of the biblical Emmaus,
(Luke 24) – Imwas to the Palestinians.
(Luke 24) – Imwas to the Palestinians.
The village of Imwas, and two other villages were
erased from the face of the earth in 1967 and
since then there has been an intentional plan
to erase them from history, as if they never
existed.
erased from the face of the earth in 1967 and
since then there has been an intentional plan
to erase them from history, as if they never
existed.
Today the area is known as
Ayalon Canada Park, and
was established by the
Jewish National Fund
(JNF) in 1973, with funds
from JNF raised in Canada.
There are numerous archaeological
remains from ancient history of this
area which was at times ruled by
the Romans, Byzantines, caliphates,
Crusaders, Ottomans, and the
British, as part of the Mandate in
Palestine. In each era, the native
population changed their religion
and culture to that of their rulers.
remains from ancient history of this
area which was at times ruled by
the Romans, Byzantines, caliphates,
Crusaders, Ottomans, and the
British, as part of the Mandate in
Palestine. In each era, the native
population changed their religion
and culture to that of their rulers.
Imwas, Yalu and Beit Nuba
During the Nakba Catastrophe in 1948, more than
450 villages were destroyed and over 700,000
Palestinians were driven from present day Israel.
Imwas, Yalu and Beit Nuba became part of the
West Bank under the care of Jordan.
450 villages were destroyed and over 700,000
Palestinians were driven from present day Israel.
Imwas, Yalu and Beit Nuba became part of the
West Bank under the care of Jordan.
Two decades later, there was a second
Nakba for these villages.
Nakba for these villages.
In the “Six-Day War”, on June 7, 1967 the Israeli
Forces on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin expelled
the more than 7000 inhabitants of Imwas and the
neighboring villages of Yalu and Beit Nuba.
Forces on the orders of Yitzhak Rabin expelled
the more than 7000 inhabitants of Imwas and the
neighboring villages of Yalu and Beit Nuba.
The villages were destroyed – blown up,
bulldozed razed to the ground. Over I400
homes were destroyed along with public
buildings, places of worship and even
cemeteries.
bulldozed razed to the ground. Over I400
homes were destroyed along with public
buildings, places of worship and even
cemeteries.
This cave was once
an animal shelter attached
to a Palestinian home
These civilian populations of
Imwas, Yalu and Beit Nuba did
not pose a threat to Israel or
the powerful Israeli Army. It
was simply an act of
vindictiveness, and
a way of pushing the border further east.
Imwas, Yalu and Beit Nuba did
not pose a threat to Israel or
the powerful Israeli Army. It
was simply an act of
vindictiveness, and
a way of pushing the border further east.
Signs: Re-writing History
There are numerous signs
and plaques in Ayalon
Canada Park interpreting
the ancient history of the
area, however nowhere in
the park is there any sign
or plaque commemorating
or recognizing the history
of the Palestinian people or the three villages and
their inhabitants.
and plaques in Ayalon
Canada Park interpreting
the ancient history of the
area, however nowhere in
the park is there any sign
or plaque commemorating
or recognizing the history
of the Palestinian people or the three villages and
their inhabitants.
There is a deliberate and concerted effort on
the part of Israel to erase the Palestinian
history, to deny a Palestinian existence
then and now, and the JNF has been the
accomplice of the State in this endeavor.
the part of Israel to erase the Palestinian
history, to deny a Palestinian existence
then and now, and the JNF has been the
accomplice of the State in this endeavor.
This attempt to erase the history is done in
the mistaken belief that if the history is
erased the crimes that were perpetrated
will be erased and forgotten and will not
weigh on the conscience of the present
population.
the mistaken belief that if the history is
erased the crimes that were perpetrated
will be erased and forgotten and will not
weigh on the conscience of the present
population.
They say history is written
by the victors. That may
have been true once, but
not anymore. We now have the
ability to record history from all
sides, in the written word, in
photographs, in audio, in video,
and in the voices of those who
lived through it.
by the victors. That may
have been true once, but
not anymore. We now have the
ability to record history from all
sides, in the written word, in
photographs, in audio, in video,
and in the voices of those who
lived through it.
“Making The Desert Bloom”
A large format book titled “All that Remains”
(The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated
by Israel in 1948), edited by Walid Khalidi, records the
names and details of more than 450 villages that
were destroyed in the Nakba. Since then they
have been paved over, built over, turned into
recreational areas and renamed without any
recognition that within living memory the
native population was driven from their
homes and villages into the refugee
camps on the West Bank and the
surrounding countries.
(The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated
by Israel in 1948), edited by Walid Khalidi, records the
names and details of more than 450 villages that
were destroyed in the Nakba. Since then they
have been paved over, built over, turned into
recreational areas and renamed without any
recognition that within living memory the
native population was driven from their
homes and villages into the refugee
camps on the West Bank and the
surrounding countries.
The JNF has played a major role in covering
up the war crimes of ’48 and ’67 under the
guise of reforestation and “making the desert bloom”.
up the war crimes of ’48 and ’67 under the
guise of reforestation and “making the desert bloom”.
The Israeli narrative that the people “left voluntarily”
is as ridiculous as it is farcical. Another well
documented source of this tragic event is a
book titled “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine”
by Ilan Pappe, an Israeli author and professor
of history.
is as ridiculous as it is farcical. Another well
documented source of this tragic event is a
book titled “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine”
by Ilan Pappe, an Israeli author and professor
of history.
Since 2002, an Israeli NGOcalled Zochrot (Zochrot means
“remembering” in Hebrew)
has tried to promote
acknowledgement and accountability
for the ongoing injustices of the
Nakba, and the idea that the
“Right of Return”, and fair
compensation, is a necessary truth
on a path to peace and reconciliation.
Although Zochrot is a voice in the wilderness
it was nevertheless successful after years of
persistent negotiation with the park, in placing
a sign at the site of the destroyed villages. The
sign simply stated that the villages had once
existed and pointing out simple sites such as:
“In the village a spring and a few water wells
have been preserved”.
(You can read the entire translation in the footnote*)
it was nevertheless successful after years of
persistent negotiation with the park, in placing
a sign at the site of the destroyed villages. The
sign simply stated that the villages had once
existed and pointing out simple sites such as:
“In the village a spring and a few water wells
have been preserved”.
(You can read the entire translation in the footnote*)
But within a short time the
signs were torn down and
disappeared. The park
authorities suggested it
was the work of metal thieves
– a likely story!
signs were torn down and
disappeared. The park
authorities suggested it
was the work of metal thieves
– a likely story!
A Native of Beit Nuba
I first became aware of Canada Park some
years ago when I met Ismail Zayid a well
known Halifax doctor, now retired. Ishmael
was born and grew up in the village of Beit
Nuba. He and his family were driven out in
1967 and exiled in Jordan, never allowed to
return to their native village. Never again
can he sit by his parent’s fireplace and
remember the past and never will he sit
there with his children and grandchildren
in the place where they belong – the place
that belongs to them.
I wrote to Ismail that I had visited the place
and left my footprints in the soil and he sent
me this reply:
years ago when I met Ismail Zayid a well
known Halifax doctor, now retired. Ishmael
was born and grew up in the village of Beit
Nuba. He and his family were driven out in
1967 and exiled in Jordan, never allowed to
return to their native village. Never again
can he sit by his parent’s fireplace and
remember the past and never will he sit
there with his children and grandchildren
in the place where they belong – the place
that belongs to them.
I wrote to Ismail that I had visited the place
and left my footprints in the soil and he sent
me this reply:
Dear Mel,
Thank you for this very interesting report
and your personal statement.
Your footprints in Beit Nuba will be a mark
for a call for justice to eliminate the crimes
and oppression that we, in Beit Nuba, and
elsewhere, sustained and continue to endure.
Thank you so much for your principled stand.
Kindest regards.
Ismail Zayid
Thank you for this very interesting report
and your personal statement.
Your footprints in Beit Nuba will be a mark
for a call for justice to eliminate the crimes
and oppression that we, in Beit Nuba, and
elsewhere, sustained and continue to endure.
Thank you so much for your principled stand.
Kindest regards.
Ismail Zayid
The Canadian Connection
Canada Park was built with millions of dollars
(initially $15 million and later additions of
millions for additions and Improvements)
donated by Jewish Canadian families,
individuals and organisations to the
Jewish National Fund (JNF).
(initially $15 million and later additions of
millions for additions and Improvements)
donated by Jewish Canadian families,
individuals and organisations to the
Jewish National Fund (JNF).
These families and Jewish organisations in
Canada were largely unaware of the history
of the area at the time. It was simply proposed
to them by JNF that they could adopt a park
in Israel, to be named “Canada Park”. John
Diefenbaker, the former Canadian prime minister,
formally opened the park in 1975. But as the history
became known, many of the donors
felt uncomfortable, and the name was
subsequently changed to “Ayalon Canada Park”
Canada were largely unaware of the history
of the area at the time. It was simply proposed
to them by JNF that they could adopt a park
in Israel, to be named “Canada Park”. John
Diefenbaker, the former Canadian prime minister,
formally opened the park in 1975. But as the history
became known, many of the donors
felt uncomfortable, and the name was
subsequently changed to “Ayalon Canada Park”
The park was built with taxdeductible dollars and from
a Canadian perspective every
tax deductible dollar has to
be replaced with a real tax
dollar, so in effect the Canadian
public paid for this park. The
Canadian public today would
be ashamed and outraged to
learn that that they paid for a
park to cover up this shocking
war crime.
Erik Ader
Erik Ader a retired diplomat from the
Netherlands felt shame and outrage when
he discovered how his father’s brave deeds
had been used to conceal the mass displacement of
Palestinians. His father Bastiaan Jan Ader was
a clergyman and a resistance fighter in the
Netherlands when it was under Nazi occupation,
credited with saving the lives of more
than 200 Dutch Jews.
Netherlands felt shame and outrage when
he discovered how his father’s brave deeds
had been used to conceal the mass displacement of
Palestinians. His father Bastiaan Jan Ader was
a clergyman and a resistance fighter in the
Netherlands when it was under Nazi occupation,
credited with saving the lives of more
than 200 Dutch Jews.
As a tribute to Bastiaan, the Jewish National Fund
planted more than 1,000 pine trees in his memory.
planted more than 1,000 pine trees in his memory.
Decades later, Erik learned that the forest had been
planted over the ruins of Bayt Nattif, a village destroyed
by Zionist forces during the Nakba (Arabic for catastrophe),
the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine, and as a response,
donated 1000 olive trees to the village of Farata, a
Palestinian village under Israeli occupation in the
West Bank.
planted over the ruins of Bayt Nattif, a village destroyed
by Zionist forces during the Nakba (Arabic for catastrophe),
the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine, and as a response,
donated 1000 olive trees to the village of Farata, a
Palestinian village under Israeli occupation in the
West Bank.
He said:
“I decided to donate 1,100 olivetrees to Farata via the
international Olive Tree
Campaign. I saw the situation
in the occupied West Bank
where settlers continue with
impunity to terrorize
Palestinian villagers, on the
one hand, and, on the other hand, I saw the scam of the
JNF abusing my father’s name to cover up human
rights abuses.”
When his story was publicized, the commemoration
stone for his father at the JNF forest over the ruins
of Bayt Nattif was desecrated, in the same way as
the signs were vandalized signs in Canada Park
(“metal thieves”). The full story is worth reading here:
stone for his father at the JNF forest over the ruins
of Bayt Nattif was desecrated, in the same way as
the signs were vandalized signs in Canada Park
(“metal thieves”). The full story is worth reading here:
A Responsibility
to Truth for Canadians
To continue to have
Canada’s name
associated with the scene
of this crime is an insult to
all Canadians and therefore
I call on the decent and ethical
Jewish families and individuals
who contributed to the building
of this park to make the following happen:
*Pay back the deducted tax dollars,
*Insist that The JNF and the Israeli Authorities remove
“Canada” from the name of this park.
Place permanent and durable (theft proof)
signs in the park recognizing the Palestinian history.
*Insist the JNF pay for the planting of 10,000
(at least) olive trees in the Palestinian Occupied
Territories , to replace the ones destroyed the
the IDF and the Settlers
Canada’s name
associated with the scene
of this crime is an insult to
all Canadians and therefore
I call on the decent and ethical
Jewish families and individuals
who contributed to the building
of this park to make the following happen:
*Pay back the deducted tax dollars,
*Insist that The JNF and the Israeli Authorities remove
“Canada” from the name of this park.
Place permanent and durable (theft proof)
signs in the park recognizing the Palestinian history.
*Insist the JNF pay for the planting of 10,000
(at least) olive trees in the Palestinian Occupied
Territories , to replace the ones destroyed the
the IDF and the Settlers
This might be the beginning of the path to truth and
responsibility and a process to enable the families
of the Nakba and their descendants to return, which
is their human right as confirmed by UN General
Assembly Resolution 194.
responsibility and a process to enable the families
of the Nakba and their descendants to return, which
is their human right as confirmed by UN General
Assembly Resolution 194.
Peace will be possible when we acknowledge the
wrongs of the past, embrace truth, and seek
forgiveness and reconciliation.
wrongs of the past, embrace truth, and seek
forgiveness and reconciliation.
Mae / Dec 22 2016
*Footnote: The sign placed
by Zochrot, which was
destroyed by ‘metal thieves’:
by Zochrot, which was
destroyed by ‘metal thieves’:
The civil administration –
Judea and Samaria
The Ayalon-Canada Park has an abundance
of historical sites.
From Tel Ayalon-known as Ayalon, a city in the land
of the Binyamin tribe, through the Aked ruins in which
you can find the remains of a Maccabees fortress to
the valley of springs that contains the remains of a
water carrying system from the roman city Amaos-Nikopolis.
In the site there are relics from the Byzantine period and
relics of a crusaders fortress. In the time of the
Mamelukes, in the year of 1288, the tomb of
Sheikh Ibn-Jabal was built. The village of Deir Ayub
that ruled the way towards Jerusalem existed in the
park’s area until the Independence war. The villages
of Amoas and Yalo also existed in the area of the
park until 1967. In the village of Amoas 2000 people
resided, they have been living in Jordan and
Ramallah ever since. Near the ruins of the village
a grave yard has been preserved. In the village
of Yalo 1700 people resided, they have been living
in Jordan and Ramallah ever since. In the village
a spring and a few water wells have been preserved.
Judea and Samaria
The Ayalon-Canada Park has an abundance
of historical sites.
From Tel Ayalon-known as Ayalon, a city in the land
of the Binyamin tribe, through the Aked ruins in which
you can find the remains of a Maccabees fortress to
the valley of springs that contains the remains of a
water carrying system from the roman city Amaos-Nikopolis.
In the site there are relics from the Byzantine period and
relics of a crusaders fortress. In the time of the
Mamelukes, in the year of 1288, the tomb of
Sheikh Ibn-Jabal was built. The village of Deir Ayub
that ruled the way towards Jerusalem existed in the
park’s area until the Independence war. The villages
of Amoas and Yalo also existed in the area of the
park until 1967. In the village of Amoas 2000 people
resided, they have been living in Jordan and
Ramallah ever since. Near the ruins of the village
a grave yard has been preserved. In the village
of Yalo 1700 people resided, they have been living
in Jordan and Ramallah ever since. In the village
a spring and a few water wells have been preserved.
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