Fine words, but now action
This statement from three Prime Ministers, including Justin Trudeau, is welcome and so very much needed, but it should not have taken nearly three weeks and the extra courage of two friends (Australia and New Zealand) to state the simple, vital truth that 'the Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding.'
We should have been pressing that point with Israel repeatedly over the 19 days since the International Court of Justice ruled plausible genocide was underway in Gaza. Should have been backing that up with concrete actions consistent with the court's provisional measures.
The dithering and equivocating, trying to say yes and no at the same time, has been a disgrace. Law is clear here. Human rights concerns are clear here. Thus Canada's voice needs always to be clear here: comply with ICJ, prevent and end genocide, free hostages, int'l law governs.
Nonetheless, calls for Israel not to 'go down the path' of an offensive in Rafah and to provide 'rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief'; renewed call for immediate humanitarian ceasefire; stating that ICJ ruling is binding; all matter a great deal. But it is not enough…
A late night statement with 2 allies is one thing. Now it is all about the follow through. There must be meaningful and concrete action consistent with those words, and it must be sustained.
Repeatedly now, at all levels of government, we need to hear Canada unequivocally demand: do not launch a military offensive against Rafah. And while we're at it: stop attacking hospitals and ambulances.
Canada’s diplomacy, including Justin Trudeau & Melanie Joly, ambassadors, interventions with other states, efforts at the UN and other multilateral bodies, all must align with everything we have endorsed in this statement, the court ruling & international law.
We have to halt the arms shipments, all arms shipments, to Israel. Lethal, non-lethal, weapons, components, parts, everything. Today, not tomorrow. And we should push all other countries to follow suit.
We should restore our UNRWA funding, press other governments to do similarly, and more widely substantially boost the level of humanitarian assistance we are providing to Gaza. And demand the ceasefire needed to allow that relief to flow. Today, not tomorrow.
We have to stop empty assertion that Israel has the right to defend itself, in accordance with international law, unless we are prepared to call out the endless examples of blatant violations of both international human rights & international humanitarian law by the IDF.
We should pull out all the stops and spare no effort to ensure the evacuation from Gaza of citizens, permanent residents and refugees seeking resettlement to Canada. And do away with racist double standards making it tougher for Palestinian refugees to get here.
We should enthusiastically champion the ICC investigation into genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, which stands to hold both Israeli and Hamas/armed groups leaders, officials, soldiers and fighters accountable for crimes under international law.
We must raise wider concerns about grave human rights violations in the West Bank and move quickly to impose sanctions on those fomenting extremist settler violence.
And yes, absolutely, we must continue to insist that all hostages held in Gaza be immediately and unconditionally released, and reunited with their families; and to condemn all int'l law abuses by Hamas and other armed groups.
With this statement we have begun to line up behind international law, which for too long has been pushed to the sidelines for Palestinians. Words matter, very much. Actions, though, show the truth and strength of our convictions. Actions make the difference in the end.
