Mr. Netanyahu’s Visit is Canada’s Opportunity to Uphold International Law and Human Rights.

1. Canadians of all backgrounds would support the application, without bias, of such a position as it would be consistent with Canada’s stated support for “freedom,  democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
2. It would encourage the achievement of a genuine, just and durable peace for all the peoples of the Middle East.
3. It would be in Canada’s interest to have a stable, prosperous and peaceful Middle East with positive and growing relations between Canadians and the peoples of the Middle East on multiple levels including economic, business, educational, cultural, scientific and other levels.
4. On a practical level, Canada’s recent and continued inconsistency in upholding international law in some cases, while disregarding it in Israel’s case, is leading to unforeseen consequences. Already, Canada finds itself unexpectedly uncertain of securing a spot on the U.N. Security Council this year; this continuing dilution of the primacy of law may continue producing such unexpected consequences.

This visit represents an opportunity for Canada to call for:

1. the end and reversal of illegal settlements by Israel in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank
2. the immediate end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza that continues causing a humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip.
3. an end to oppressive and illegal Israeli government policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian Territories.

“Canada needs to act with respect to its own role and responsibility towards international justice and its applicability to all parties equally,” stated Mark Khoury, Vice-President of NCCAR.