Canada makes an about-face on Mideast

Canada makes an about-face on Mideast
Martin wrestling with Arab and Israeli interests at U.N.
By Haroon Siddiqui
December 04, 2005

What do we have in common with Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu?

Thanks to Paul Martin's pro-Israeli shift, Canada has joined them, the United States and Israel in opposing United Nations resolutions on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

In overturning long-standing Canadian policy, Martin has also broken away from the overwhelming consensus of the international community, including Europe.

He has taken a position even Tony Blair won't.

Over the past year, Ottawa has changed Canada's position on three resolutions. On Thursday, it flipped on three more.

The biggest was on an annual resolution urging Israeli withdrawal from territory occupied since 1967.

The General Assembly voted 156 for and 6 against, with nine abstentions: Canada, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Uganda and Vanuatu.

Canada said the resolution should have had a clear condemnation of suicide bombing.

Canada reversed itself on two more resolutions of routine support for U.N. organs working on behalf of Palestinian rights.

On both, only eight states were opposed — Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the United States. Canada said the money is best spent elsewhere.

As it had last year, Canada also voted against a resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from the Syrian Golan Heights. The vote was 106 for and just six against — Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and the United States.

Canada said the resolution put the onus on one, not both parties. But the Assembly put the greater burden on the party engaged in the illegal occupation.

U.S. ambassador John Bolton dismissed the votes as "purely symbolic" and useless. Which they are — because Israel ignores them, with the American veto in the Security Council.

The votes in New York capped a fortnight of hectic activity on the Arab-Israeli file in Canada.

On Nov. 13, Martin told the North American gathering of the United Jewish Communities in Toronto: "Israel's values are Canada's values." And he pledged to "eliminate the ... annual ritual of politicized anti-Israel resolutions."

The Canadian Arab Federation and the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations criticized him on Nov. 22 at an Ottawa reception. Faraj Nakhleh, president of the federation, said:

"Canada does not share common values with some countries, like Israel, who disregard international law, whose human rights record is clearly questionable and who constantly disregard UN resolutions.

"U.N. resolutions are not a buffet where we can pick and choose what suits us.

"Why are U.N. resolutions regarding the Palestinian-Israeli issue not implemented?"

To be fair to Martin, he has also said he is "a very strong supporter" of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader. Canada has committed $36.7 million to the Palestinian Authority, and plans a Canada Centre for Peace and Democracy for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Martin also wants to expand trade to the 300-million-strong Arab market. That, says Hussein Ameri, head of the Arab Council, is a priority with Arab Canadians more than the U.N. votes.

Martin is trying to please both the Jewish and Arab constituencies, one of which is well established and influential, while the other has twice the numbers and potential votes. That's good domestic democratic politics.

But Canada does end up with an awkward stance:

We did not join the illegal U.S. war on Iraq since the U.N. had not approved it, yet we support the United States and Israel, which undermine the U.N. and the rule of international law.

We want a peaceful, political solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute, yet we skewer the Arabs for "politicizing" it by bringing it to the forum meant to affect just such an outcome.

Similar inconsistencies mark Martin's approach to the Israeli wall/fence.

Last year, Canada voted against it at the U.N., condemning its intrusion into the West Bank. But later, it abstained on a vote to refer the issue to the World Court, saying the issue is political, not legal.

The problem of Palestine is political, but must the Palestinians be deprived of as many political tools as possible?

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...st969907621513

Finally Martin stands up for what's right instead of getting bullied/pressured by the Arab despots who drive these incessant anti-Israel motions. If they are concerned about rights, let them look no further than their own backyards. We don't have anything to learn from the likes of Syria, Saudi Arabia etc...

That may explain this:

"For too long the Liberal Party has taken our communities for granted; it is time for the traditional leadership of Canada's Muslim communities to cut their ties with the tainted record of the Federal Liberal Party and demonstrate solidarity with Jack Layton and his New Democrats," said Niaz Salimi President of the MCC.

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Martin's decision stinks.

He must need the Jewish money in his campaign coffers. He is pandering to the Jewish Lobby just like they do in the U.S. and pretty soon, (If the U.S. is any example) .... they will be running our foreign policy and steering us towards wars in the middle east. Every damn one of the Neo-Cons who paraded America towards the war in Iraq was a Jew with dual loyalties.

Look at the AIPAC spying scandal in the states.
Look at the Jack Abranoff bribery scandal in the states and where he was buying 15 or 20 law makers.

From what I've seen in the US, the Israeli's have no loyalties except unto themselves.

Their country has no natural resources at all. It doesn't even have any water. It had to build a fence or barrier in order to steal the water from the Palestinian's and thus built the barrier along the water table.

What does Israel supply to the world except damn weapon systems? They even sell them to China and whoever.

Any money Israel made ..... they made off the backs of Gentiles.

I remember when Mossad was found to be counterfeiting Canadian Passports.

This action of Martin and The Clowns will only further hinder our relationship with the Muslim world and there are more then a billion Muslims and a mere 14 million Jews in this world. It is time we realize that all the Israeli's will do is hang us all out to dry.

We are gonna spend zillions of dollars on security and give up more of our personal freedoms just to please the Israeli's.

Even today .... they are threatening to bomb Iran. Imagine that? A punny country like Israel, with a population of 8 million is suggesting that they would plunge the world into another world war?

I think we Canadians watch too much of the History Channel and too many re-runs of Hogan's Hero's and Anne Frank, and allow the Israeli's to continue playing the hallocaust "victim" charade year after year. It's been 60 damn years since the end of WWII. It's time we moved on.

What amuses me most is that Israel would insist that Palestinians forget what happened to them over the past 50 years, but the Israeli's never forget anything themselves.

Enough of my rant for today!

Calm

good post Dot.Calm.

A very good rant,my friend..and I agree with every single word.

Your rant is right on calm.

I'd take offense to your post if you weren't so transparant. Israel has made enormous contributions to the world in social sciences, literature, art, medical research and technology FAR in excess of their tiny population. You don't see Israelis capturing Canadians abroad and cutting off their heads, do you? Only the most morally bankrupt would seriously advocate support for people who's only contribution to the world in the past 50 years has been the suicide bomber.

Who put them in that position, MMMikey? Who took away their wealth and their governments? Who tried to take away their pride? Don't sit there and deride an entire people because their reaction to what we did to them was negative. You know better than that.

Ya, it's really unfair Rev. Kind of like demonizing an entire people because their reaction to the aggression of their neighbours.

No no MMMike,

Israel has received enormous contributions of cash from the U.S. every year they've been in existance. Seems to me the total is around $60 billion dollars, in cash and military hardware. Israel is armed to the teeth, including nuclear weapons. It is obvious that Israel has the U.S. by the short hairs and are running that country. Israel has started so many so-called pre-emptive wars that were nothing but land grabs. The latest land grab scam is the apartheit wall. The world can see it Mike. Why can't you?

I don't know how anyone can cry only for the innocent poor Palestinians or only for the innocent poor Israeilis. The Palestinians have a lot of blood on their hands since they chose not to accept the creation of Israel, but rather fight a battle they couldn't win. The Israeilis have certainly also suffered, but their hands are bloody too. I don't know why people insist on painting one side as perfect and the other side as evil.

Juan, I'm not Jewish. If I were, I don't know if I would be offended or flattered by your thought that some 16 million of us can actually control the world. Maybe you could remind me... who started the wars in '48, '67, '73?

The following is written by Jews who were there when the wars started. Why would they lie?



--

Yes Juan. If it's on the internet it must be true. You disregard volumes of accepted history to grasp at the stories from the people with a political agenda? Telling....

What accepted history is that, MMMikey?

Hi! MMMike

I never claimed that Jewish folks were trying to rule the world.

I've studied Middle East historical facts for quite some time. Anytime yuh wanna discuss (as opposed to name calling), you just let me know, eh?

Ariel Sharon Said:
“Every time we do something, you [Shimon Peres] tell me America will do this and will do that... I want to tell you something very clear: Don’t worry about American pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it.”

Yitzhak shamir Said:
“Neither Jewish morality nor Jewish tradition can be used to disallow terror as a means of war... We are very far from any moral hesitations when concerned with the national struggle. First and foremost, terror is for us a part of the political war appropriate for the circumstances of today...”

When people state their views about U.S. foreign policy or concerning the plight of Africa .... they are not claimed to be "Transparent" or "Racist". But, God forbid if anyone chooses to discuss Israeli foreign policy .... because they are God's chosen people, it leaves the rest of the world "Transparent". If a link to a news story or opinion is posted, Israeli supporters simply claim the writings to be anti-semetic.

Your the typical Israeli supporter .... always hiding and looking for profit behind the hallocaust guilt trip.

Other Sources:

Let Us Rethink Our ‘Special Relationship’ with Israel
By Professor Charles L. Black, Jr.
September 1989
--

USS Liberty (How Israel tried to kill everyone on this ship and blame it on Egypt to get US to side with them.)
--

The Origin of the Palestine-Israel Conflict published by Jews for Justice in the Middle East
--

When Victims Rule
A Critique of Jewish Pre-eminence in America
--

Zionist quotes
--

More Zionist quotes
--

List of UN Resolutions against Israel 1955-1992.
--

US Vetoes of UN Resolutions Critical of Israel 1972-2004
--

More than 2,000 years ago the first known acts of what we now call terrorism were perpetrated by a radical offshoot of the Zealots, a Jewish sect active in Judea during the 1st century ad.
--

Past Zionist-Jewish Terrorism -
Some Historical Facts
--

From the Irv Rubin Bust to the Stern Gang: The Rich History of Jewish Terrorism
--

The Bombing of the King David Hotel
--

Vladimir Jabotinsky: Father of Jewish Terrorism
--

The word "terrorist" was invented by the British to describe the
Jewish Irgun and the Stern Gang and its killers, two of whom
became prime ministers of Israel.
--

Jewish Militants: Fifteen Years, and More, of Terrorism in France
--

Failure of US to respond to Jewish Terrorism proved "War On Terror" is a fraud.
--

Jewish Terrorism
--

Irgun was a Zionist paramilitary group that existed in the early 20th century
--

The world couldn't care less that Israel is an open society, an island of sanity and freedom in a sea of repression.

The attutude of a large part of the world- the Muslim world especially- is that they are sorry about the Holocaust - sorry the Germans didn't do a better job. Just look at the Durban Conference a few years ago.

Israel must be armed to the teeth to defend itself, simple as that.

If it weren't for Palestinian aggression, the wall would not be necessary.

As for pre-emptive wars, the only one I remember is the 1967 Six Day War. You should read a little history. Israel is a tiny country, and Egypt was massing a huge army on her borders. It is a little late to start fighting when you are already over run.

In fact, the negative European reaction to the pre-emptive strike by Israel in 1967, caused Israel to hold back 6 years later, before the Yom Kipper War. She was almost over run in that war.

Ask yourself these questions:

Would you rather be an Arab in Israel, or a Jew in any Arab country?

In light of your answer, who has the more decent society?

Certainly neither side is innocent. If the Israelis were innocent, they would have long since ceased to exist.

The Palestinian people are not to blame. They have been propagandized, terrorized, bombed, shot, robbed, and mistreated both by Israel and by their own militants and leaders.

But, its a war for survival for Israel, the free, democratic Jewish state.

There already is a Palestinian State......it is called Jordan. The Palestinian leadership has turned its nose up at creating a new Palestinian State that did not include the territory of Israel.

Hi! Colpy

The 1967 War With Egypt .... Was for water.

Ariel Sharon
"People generally regard 5 June 1967 as the day the Six-day war began,' he said. `That is the official date. But, in reality, it started two- and-a-half years earlier, on the day Israel decided to act against the diversion of the Jordan."

The reason Israel entered Lebanon was for water.

And maybe you could answer this question ...

Are Christians in high level positions in the government of Israel?

Calm

Hey!

Don't believe there are any Christians or Muslims in high office in Israel. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

But there are Arab members in the Knesset.

What's your point?

Hi! Colpy

Well, maybe we should apply the same standards in Canada as the Jewish folks do in Israel?

And maybe you could answer this question .....

Is there any other country on the face of this earth that demands to be a religious state? That full citizenship is only given or recognized to those who are of the Jewish faith?

Calm

Are you kidding? Have you tried to get citizenship for Saudi Arabia lately? Don't worry about it, you can't unless you are of a certian religious group. Until recently they wouldn't even allow tourists because they didn't want us polluting their muslim utopia (the numbers they allow now are very limited). They will let you come and work there if you have skills they need, but you better be quiet about your religion if you do. This is true in several states, not just Israel, though I don't see how comparison changes the fact that it's wrong.

Really, I don't know why people are so shocked at the notion that Jews needed their own country after the second world war. Before the creation of Israel, where were Jews considered equal citizens? And please, don't say the US or Canada because that is laughable.

Hi! Tracy

I find it quite comical that Jewish folks are left defending their claims to have a Jewish state by comparing themselves to other Arab states in the region.

Calm

You've obviously studied Middle East historical facts through a certain lense, Paranoid. You give the impression that Israel wears the goat horns, while the poor Palestinians and surrounding Arab countries are victimized. I say nay, nay.

Btw, please point out where in my posts I called you names. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings good buddy!

I truly believe that both sides are to blame for the current gong-show in the Middle East. Both sides, when you get right down to it, will go to any lengths, no matter how extreme, to achieve their goals. However Istrongly support Israel for a good reason.

Israel is willing to do whatever it takes to survive and exist as a country.

"Palestine" is willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate Israel and, to judge from their propaganda, the Jewish people.


Given the choice, I'll support Israel any day.

You're the one who asked for the comparison, I just obliged. I even pointed out that comparisons don't serve any real purpose. When something is wrong, it's wrong. The fact that other nations do the same thing doesn't change that.

I'm not Jewish btw, I'm agnostic. I have a profound distaste for pretty much all organized religions. I think they cause more harm than good and the Middle East would be a prime example of that.

What I can't quite fathom is that when Jewish folks only represent less then 2% of the American population, just how do they garner such influence in decision making?
Just how do they manage to be at the pinacle of power?

Jewish Influence Within U.S. Government
http://www.jewishtribalreview.org/27govt2.htm

I bet yuh that the folks in New Orleans wish they were Jewish!
The U.S paid each settler who was relocated from Gaza this past summer, the equivalent of a million bucks a piece.

A Quarter of a Million Dollars Per Settler
By Charley Reese
July 25, 2005
--

And, this is how Israel treats Christians.

Israel's Christian problem
By Robert Novak
April 01, 2004
--

The Pope Also Wants a Letter From Bush
By Akiva Eldar
April 29, 2004
--

And, this is what a respectable U.S. Senator said about Israel leading the U.S. into the Iraq war.

Senator Hollings Is Right It's all about Israel
By Justin Raimondo
May 21, 2004
--

Sen. Hollings Floor Statement
Setting the Record Straight
on his Mideast Newspaper Column
May 20 2004
--

I think you're being pretty naive if you think it's only the Jews in America that influence foreign policy in support of Israel. A lot of Christians also support Israel over the Palestinians, and that sentiment could only get stronger after the US suffered it's first suicide attacks at the hands of muslim extremists.

There is no doubt that Zionists wield an inordinate amount of power in the U.S. and the world. The link below is not meant to be a rush into anti-semitic fervor. I don't agree with everything in the link but a lot of it is true. Judge for yourself.

http://tinyurl.com/cfmco[/quote]