canada.com where perspectives connect

Re: A Small victory for Israel, editorial, Dec. 10

On reading this editorial, I was tempted to ask what the Post's editorial board had been smoking. Canada, opined the Post, has done the right thing by changing its vote on three resolutions at what has become the UN General Assembly's annual "Let's Kick Israel in the Teeth" festival.

But how substantive are these changes in Canada's shameful record of not supporting Israel, and just what do they mean? Of 17 UN resolutions this year, Canada voted against Israel 11 times, down from 12 in 2004. By comparison, the United States voted against Israel zero times, and Australia 4 times. Now examine language from the resolutions on which Canada cast votes against Israel:

- "Any actions taken by Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal." Through this resolution, Canada is effectively agreeing that Israel has no jurisdiction over any part of Jerusalem. (Earlier this year, Canada withdrew all passports that had "Jerusalem, Israel" listed as place of birth.)

- "... the grave impact of the events that occurred in the Jenin refugee camp in April, 2002." Canada is implicitly endorsing the fabricated "Jenin Massacre" that has been discredited as a hoax.

- "... calls upon Israel particularly to cease obstructing the movement of the staff, vehicles and supplies of [UNRWA]." Canada is endorsing free movement of UNRWA after Reuters videos showed ambulances being used to transport terrorists and an admission by UNRWA's secretary-general that many of their paid employees are Hamas members. There is no call for UNRWA to end its involvement in terrorism.

- "... reiterates its calls for the prevention of all acts of violence by Israeli settlers, especially against Palestinian civilians and property." Canada condemns Israeli violence against Palestinians, almost all of which is defensive, with no balanced call for an end to offensive Palestinian violence against innocent civilians.

- "... reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine." Canada endorses the right of Palestinians to their own state with no obligation to end terrorism against Israelis or remove the destruction of Israel from their charter.

Is this a reason to praise the Canadian government? Hardly.

E. Joan O'Callaghan, Director of Communications, Canadian Coalition for Democracies