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NDP statement on Israel and Palestine: Stop Selling Arms to Israel.
10-21-2023
NDP earlier on October 13 had issued the following statement on the Israel and Palestine Genocide
NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson issued the following statement:
"Today is a devastating and terrifying day. Hamas’ call for a Day of Rage is awful. Israel’s order to displace 1.1 million innocent Gazans is reprehensible. The region is spiralling, and Canada must act now to save lives.
I am alarmed by what we are witnessing from the siege of Gaza. Children, women, and the elderly are indiscriminately attacked. The use of white phosphorus is a war crime and now, Israel’s demand to move over 1.1 million people south is both illegal & impossible. I fear for the people who cannot flee, including thousands of wounded. We are watching potential war crimes in real time.
We condemn Hamas’ call to arms today, which will inevitably lead to more violence. We reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist violence by Hamas that killed thousands. These attacks have caused unimaginable pain and trauma for Jewish communities globally and made many Jewish Canadians feel unsafe. This must end.
Palestinians are suffering at a scale we have never seen as a result of the siege of Gaza. Canada must, today, insist for the respect of international law, of humanitarian principles, and urge Israel to rescind the evacuation order, as the United Nations has called for. Anything less would be a betrayal of our values.
New Democrats continue to call for immediate release of all hostages, the protection of all civilians, an end to the siege and bombardment of Gaza, and for humanitarian aid to reach civilians urgently and without restriction.
We condemn all acts of antisemitism and all anti-Palestinian racism including any glorification or calls for the killing of innocent people, Israeli or Palestinian.
Thank you to all Israelis and Palestinians working to preserve life – medical workers, humanitarians, human rights advocates, ordinary people doing what they can – in the face of such horror. We see you and we stand with you."
Since Oct 13 NDP is no pushing Ottawa to stop selling arms to Israel.
The statement reads:
Canadians are deeply troubled by the marked escalation of violence in Gaza and in occupied East Jerusalem, after weeks of increased tension over the forced eviction of Palestinians from their homes, Israeli police raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and blocking Palestinian access to popular meeting spots in Sheikh Jarrah.
The NDP is deeply concerned by the ongoing and escalating violence. We offer our deepest condolences to all families of Palestinians and Israelis who lost their lives - many of them killed by indiscriminate bombings. Civilians’ lives must be protected and all violence, incitement to violence and provocations must be condemned.
When there is escalation, it is always civilians that end up paying the ultimate price or living in fear. Urgent de-escalation is needed to prevent further loss of life. Both Palestinians and Israelis have the right to live safely and in security.
Canada must also play a stronger role in pushing for de-escalation and for a just and peaceful resolution.
In the past, the NDP has called on Canada to stop selling arms to countries that violate Human Rights and International Laws such as Saudi Arabia, Libya, Turkey and Sudan and now, it is time for Canada to stop the selling of Canadian arms to Israel until the end of the illegal occupation.
Join Jagmeet Singh in calling on Justin Trudeau to stop the selling of arms to Israel until the end of the illegal occupation.
Canada can play an active role in helping build a just and sustainable solution for Palestinians and Israelis
NDP is counting on you to add your name to the Stop Selling Arms to Israel by signing this petition.
https://www.ndp.ca/peace
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