The Canadian National Newspaper: Stephen Harper irresponsibly supports US-Israeli aggression in Lebanon

By insisting that Hezbollah disarm first, while saying nothing about Israeli troops moving deeper into Southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government is allowing the invader to dictate the terms of a ceasefire, which can only lead to more violence in the Middle East. Respected Canadian, Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calls the Israeli aggression "A possible war crime," in violation of international humanitarian and criminal law. Ms. Arbour indicates further that "Canadians would never agree to the needless slaughter of Lebanese civilians or the persecution of Palestinian people by Israel, and yet that is exactly what our [unrepresentative] government appears to want.

Two democratic elections were held in Lebanon and Palestine. Hezbollah won 35 seats and Hamas, a majority government. Both parties enjoy popular support, not just because they stand up to Israel, but for providing food, medicine, education and social services. Unfortunately this was not the kind of democracy the U.S., Israel and Canada among others, had in mind. They declared them "terrorists" and refused to recognize their legitimacy as representatives of the electorate. To add insult to injury, Israel imposed an embargo on the Palestinian people witholding $50 million in taxes and custom duties, while the U.S., EU, Canada and Norway cut funding to the Hamas led government, amounting to a total of $1Billion in annual aid. As a result of this embargo, the World bank predicts that the poverty rate in Gaza and the West bank will exceed 67% by the end of 2006.

According to the Mandela Institute for Human Rights, Israeli prisons continue to hold 10,073 Palestinian prisoners including political representatives, women and children. Many are abused, tortured, held without sentence and deprived of necessary medical care.

Double standards abound. We are constantly reminded of the 2004 UN resolution on Lebanon, calling for Hezbollah (with no air force or navy), to disarm, while the 1967 and 1973 Security Council resolutions for Israel to vacate Arab occupied lands on the West Bank to allow for the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes, is ignored. In the meantime, Israel has no plans to end construction of a 670 km wall which infringes on Palestinan land in the West Bank, despite the International Court of Justice ruling that it is only legal to build the barrier inside Israel.

With the help of $5 billion U.S. annual funding, Israel has been able to build the fourth largest army in the world. Their unlimited weaponry, includes nuclear arms however, unlike Iran, they refuse to sign on to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NNT) which would subject Israel to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency. In their attacks on the Palestinians they have violated the U.S.. Arms Export Control Act with the use of internationally prohibited weapons such as vacuum bombs and white phosporous.

In Southern Lebanon there are approximately 400,000 landmines planted by the Israeli Defence Forces during an occupation that ended in 2000 but they refuse to provide a map to the UN. The current bombing of southern Lebanon has destroyed the Beirut airport, displaced 500,000 people and left over 700 men, women and children dead. The Israeli forces are now using weapons containing illegal, depleted uranium, an extremely toxic substance, according to Dr. Doug Rokke, advisor to the U.S. Senate and the Centers for Desease Control. Sunday's bombing of Qana has horrified surrounding Middle Eastern countries and deepened their hostility towards the U.S. Syria' s ambassador to the UN, Bashar Jaafari accused Washington of being complicit in an "Israeli holocaust".

Despite agreeing to a 48 hour halt after the Qana massacre, Israel has resumed air strikes into Southern Lebanon. They have broadened their ground offensive claiming to ready the territory for a multinational force. The interpretation from Lebanon's neighbour Syria, seems much more plausible.

"The U.S. and Israel want to impose their solutions at gunpoint, as part of their wider plan to reshape the region and turn Lebanon into an Israeli protectorate. They want to make separate deals, but Syria has always been for a comprehensive peace agreement."

Mohamed Agha, editor in chief of state run Syria Times:

The US continues to accuse Syria and Iran of backing Hezbollah, while ignoring their own military support for Israel's plan to set new borders, unilaterally, if necessary. The unacceptable aggression and occupation by Israel needs to be stopped. The Canadian Action Party (CAP) has been the only registered federal political party to take a stand against the Israel's belligerent attack of Lebanon. Connie Fogal is the leader of CAP indicates that "a Canadian Action Party government would do everything in our power to bring permanent peace to the Middle East. A fair and just settlement must be reached for both sides." Hezbollah cannot reasonably be expected to lay down their arms, until Israel and the U.S. recognize that the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians and Lebanese civilians is a prolonged act of terror, precipitating the need for Hezbollah and Hamas. Ms. Fogal further indicated that "We would work to eliminate U.S. power mongering within the UN by making sure that if the U.S. continues to supply weapons to Israel they must relinquish their veto power over the UN Security Council. A Canadian Action Party government would work tirelessly until the Security Council has fair and equal representation from other countries in the Middle East."

If Canadians, together with all the people of the world, desire peace we must direct our elected officials to embrace a balanced approach towards all countries. It is imperative that international laws be enforced fairly, equally and without prejudice toward all countries, or peace will continue to elude the Middle East and other parts of the world.