(Veuillez faire défiler vers le bas pour la version française)
The undersigned, members of the Canadian Jewish community, are raising our voices with grave concern calling on the Government of Canada, as well as political and community leaders across the country, to act immediately to stop the siege and starvation in Gaza, cease the bombing of the civilian population, address the catastrophic humanitarian situation, negotiate an immediate ceasefire and the return of all the Israeli hostages.
As we raise our voice, we also mourn. We are in shock and disbelief at the unspeakable atrocities committed in southern Israel by Hamas militants starting on October 7. The targeted killing of more than 1200 innocent civilians, including children and elderly, and the gruesome images of what was done to them, are horrifying. Taking 200 or more civilian hostages, including children, women and elderly, constitutes a war crime, and their safe return home must be a priority.
We mourn, but we reject the use of our mourning as a reason to commit atrocities on the Palestinian people. The test of our humanity happens at the most difficult times – we do not respond to atrocities by committing atrocities on a larger scale. We recognize that the Palestinian people, and particularly those in Gaza, are people traumatized by a history and ongoing experience of displacement, military occupation and siege at the hands of the Israeli government and military. Civilians anywhere must never be the targets of militant action.
This is literally a moment of life-and-death. The language dehumanizing the Palestinians used by Israeli government officials, as well as other governments and reporters; the Israeli army dropping 6,000 bombs in six days primarily on civilian targets; the total destruction of civilian infrastructure; the complete cutoff of electricity, food, water and other essentials; a collapsed healthcare system; the displacement of more than one million people, half of them children; and the imminent ground invasion – these are the clear contours of a genocide-in-the-making. We must stop it before it proceeds further!
We appeal to Canadian leaders in all spheres of life: do not be a bystander. We call on the Canadian government to use all its resources and influence to stop this! Canada should not enable what’s happening in Gaza. Call for Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza. Call for an immediate ceasefire, and the return of all the Israeli hostages. Engage in a real process to address the long-standing oppression and deprivation of rights of the Palestinian people – that’s the only viable path for a real, just peace.
We are making a special appeal to major Jewish organizations in Canada. This is not the time to push for the Netanyahu government to act “without restraints.” The undersigned members of the Jewish community in Canada do not want to have any part in war crimes committed against the Palestinian people. Not in our name!
This letter was issued on October 19, with the information available at that time.
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