Canada Must Strongly Oppose Illegal Israeli AnnexationsAfter 40 years of the illegal annexation of East Jerusalem and 53 years of illegal military occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced its intention to annex large portions of the West Bank starting in July, with full backing from the Trump administration. Israeli control of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law, which is clear in its emphasis on the "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force." Despite numerous UN resolutions urging Israel to end its occupation, Israel has chosen to continue on the path of settler-colonialism, apartheid, land seizure and forcible displacement of Palestinians. Indeed, annexing territory without granting full citizenship rights to the three million Palestinians in the West Bank constitutes apartheid; Palestinians would be left in nominally autonomous and disconnected enclaves under Israeli rule. We call on the Trudeau government to condemn the annexation and take action against it. Canada must abide by its stated commitment to international law and the rules-based order by pledging meaningful steps against Israel's unilateral annexations. This must include the imposition of sanctions, such as suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement and prohibiting all trade with illegal Israeli settlements. If recent history is any indication, verbal rebukes are insufficient, and only concrete action can ensure that Israel is deterred from its imminent violations of international law. To add your name and/or organization to this
appeal's growing list of supporters, contact the
Palestinian Canadian Community Centre --
Palestine House at palestiniancanadians@gmail.com (June 24, 2020)
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