Letter to Prime Minister Carney
On May 19, Prime Minster Carney together with the leaders of Great Britain and France issued a joint statement on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. They write:
We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions,” their statement read. “If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”
Since dawn on Friday at least 66 Palestinians have been killed as Israel kept up its attacks across Gaza, including recent strikes on Khan Younis in the south and the central Nuseirat refugee camp. UN chief Antonio Guterres has said the limited aid that Israel has allowed into Gaza amounts to a “teaspoon” when much more is needed, and he called for “rapid, reliable, safe and sustained aid access.”
Since Israel has continued its egregious actions, I wrote to the Prime Minister encouraging the Canadian Goverment to take the strong actions promised.
Here is the text of my email. I encourage you to prayerfully consider doing the same. Here are the email address for Prime Minsiter Mark Carney, and Anita Anand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
| mark.carney@parl.gc.ca |
anita.anand@international.gc.ca
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
Thank-you for your joint statement together with the leaders of France and Great Britain on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
I am grateful for your strong words condemning the egregious actions of the Israeli government in Gaza, where the UN says 14,000 babies are at risk of imminent death.
Thank-you, too for calling out members of the Israeli government for their abhorrent language threatening the Palestinian people with forced displacement. Ethnic cleansing, as we all know, is in violation of international humanitarian law, as are the illegal settlements in the West Bank.
In your statement you speak of taking concrete actions, “if Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid” as well as put a halt to the illegal settlements.
Prime Minister, the time for action is now. I applaud your “elbows up” stance against the impunity of the state of Israel. It is time to go beyond words and postures to consequential actions. We not only need sanctions and the suspension of Canada’s trade deal with Israel. We need an iron clad two-way arms ban, clear recognition that the illegal settlements are war crimes and recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Canada, France and Great Britain have drawn a line in the sand and said no to the horrors playing out in Gaza. I implore you to take meaningful actions if that line continues to be crossed.
I call upon you as a person of faith and goodwill to intervene to help bring an end to the brutal occupation so a just peace can begin.
Rev. Vida Jaugelis
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church