A special Seminar at the Canadian Parliament on Canada's responsibility towards Palestine

  • News
  • June 05, 2023
A special Seminar at the Canadian Parliament on Canada's responsibility towards Palestine

The Palestinian General Commission in Canada and the Palestine Law Organization, in collaboration with members of the Canadian Parliament, organized a special event in the Parliament Building entitled: "Taking responsibility: Canada's responsibility to Palestine under international law."

The speakers and deputies participating in the organization of the legal event suffered a strong attack from the institutions of the Zionist lobby, who accused them of anti-Semitism and their "Jewish anti-state" positions, according to their words.

The Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Canada, Mona Abu Amara, affirmed that Canada has a responsibility towards the Palestinian cause. Indeed, the country is recognized as one of the most fervent defenders of human rights and the international rules-based system. However, she wonders why an equivalence is made between a people under occupation and the occupying power.

Abu Amara added: "We hope that Canada will not treat Palestine as an exception to protect this international system, and that it will stop treating Israel as an exception, and the time has come for the international community to assume its responsibilities towards Palestine, and to force Israel to apply the rules of international law, because no occupier will ever decide, he will wake up and stop the occupation if he is not treated according to the law."

The Assembly members urged Canada to take responsibility for the Palestinian issue by ending the occupation and holding Israel accountable to the international community, thereby contributing to the establishment of justice and peace.

In turn, the representative Polaris mentioned the double standards, and that it is unacceptable that what is happening in Palestine continues, saying: "It is strange to note that the principles adopted for Ukraine or any other country do not apply to Palestine and Israel. While the whole world is on the move, the situation in Palestine seems to be put aside."

Polaris added: "I grew up while Palestine is still occupied, and nothing has changed so far. Our position is clear. We must adhere to it and implement it, and vote at the United Nations in favor of Palestine. International law is clear and the position of the Canadian government is clear, and we, as parties, also have a clear position, which is the need to end the suffering of the Palestinian people who are killed every day and lose their land."

He affirmed his party's refusal to send weapons to Israel as long as it occupied Palestine, also calling for a ban on colonial property in Canada.

Six speakers participated in the symposium, moderated by the human rights activist at The "Law for Palestine" Foundation Karen Rodman, and addressed several main axes, the most important of which are: the legal situation in Palestine, including the right to self-determination for the Palestinians and the responsibility of States, including Canada, a topic raised by the UN Rapporteur On Palestine, Francesca Albanese.

The former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Professor Michael Link, lecturer at Western University in London, Ontario, presented a study of the legal foundations and implications of the long-term Israeli occupation, as well as Canada's position and responsibility towards it.

The legal representative of the Gaza victims at the International Criminal Court, Lawyer Triestino Marinello, spoke about the Palestinian quest for justice and accountability before (the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court), as well as about Canada's position and responsibility in this regard.

The head of the Al-Haq Foundation Center, Wissam Ahmed, discussed the Israeli colonization project and the contradictions between Canada's anti-Canadian policies and its favorable applications.

While the professor of international law at Queen Mary University of London, Neve Gordon, discussed the pillars of the apartheid regime, what does it represent in terms of international law and which Canadian entities are responsible for supporting the Israeli apartheid regime?.

For her part, Lara Friedman, President of the Middle East Peace Foundation, spoke about the negative impact of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism and the concerns about it from a legal and political point of view, in addition to Canada's responsibility when it comes to recruiting this definition against the defenders of the Palestinian cause.

The event took place in the presence of the vice-president of the New Democratic Party, Member of Parliament Alexandre Boliris, the president of the Green Party, Elizabeth May, and Mario Beaulieu, of the Bloc Québécois Party, in the presence of a group of members of the diplomatic corps, deputies from various federal parties, speakers, university students and a number of civil society institutions defending the Palestinian cause and members of the Palestinian community.

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