Breaking News: Prominent Canadian human rights group calls for UN Ambassadors to vote against Canada's campaign for UN Security Council seat
Photo Credit: (The TImes of Israel/Google Images)
Written by: Aidan Jonah
Today, Just Peace Advocates Canada released a letter calling for United Nations Ambassadors to reject Canada’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, due to their consistent support for Israeli apartheid against Palestine.
The group describes itself as: “A Canadian based independent human rights organization promoting Just Peace/Paix Juste through the rule of law and respect for human rights in Canada and around the world for the Palestinian people and those that stand in solidarity for the human rights of the Palestinian people.”
Canada has been campaigning for a seat on the UN Security Council since the beginning of 2020. Trudeau has visited countries around the world, focusing on African countries, which have 54 of the 193 votes. As Wendell Adjetey wrote in The Globe and Mail, nearly half of the world’s dictatorships are in Africa.
The 2020 United Nations Security Council election will be held on June 17, during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Canada’s support for Israeli apartheid & against Palestinian human rights
The Canadian government for at least a decade and a half has consistently isolated itself against world opinion on Palestinian rights at the UN. Since coming to power - after the dubious record of the Harper government - the Trudeau government has voted against more than fifty UN resolutions upholding Palestinian rights that were backed by most member states.
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law. In December 2016, the Trudeau government backed a Conservative motion condemning BDS. In January 2019, Justin Trudeau condemned the BDS movement yet again, at a town hall.
In December 2019, Canada "sided with Israel by voting No" on most UN votes on the Question of Palestine Three of these were Canada’s votes on Palestinian Refugees, on UNRWA and on illegal settlements, each distinguishing Canada as in direct opposition to the “Yes” votes of Ireland and Norway.
The Canadian government has refused to abide by 2016 UN Security Council Resolution 2334, calling on member states to “distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied in 1967.” On the contrary, Ottawa extends economic and trade assistance to Israel’s illegal settlements.
Canada has repeatedly sided with Israel. Ottawa justified Israel’s killing of “Great March of Return” protesters in Gaza and has sought to deter the International Criminal Court from investigating Israeli war crimes. In fact, Canada’s foreign affairs minister announced that should it win a seat on the UNSC, it would act as an “asset for Israel” on the Council.
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