“It isn’t anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish or even anti-Israel to condemn the way Israel treats non-Jews in the Occupied Territories.”
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The Muslim Council of Calgary
5615 – 14th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2010
Muslim Council of Calgary Declares “Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Wrong”
CALGARY – As Israeli Apartheid Week 2010 - an annual and world-wide educational event promoting justice in the Middle East - draws to a close, the Muslim Council of Calgary (MCC), the elected representative body of the city’s 60,000 mainstream Muslims, is asking Canada to reconsider it’s current policy of unconditional support for Israel.
“Canada’s political leaders just don’t get the point”, said MCC Chairman Mr. Nagah Hage. “It isn’t anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish or even anti-Israel to condemn the way Israel treats non-Jews in the Occupied Territories.” “Asking them to obey international laws, to treat non-Jewish people with respect and to show a little humanity is what a real friend would do.” MCC Spokesperson David Liepert added, “The amazing thing is that despite the hundreds of Israeli and literally thousands of Palestinian deaths, despite the decades of Palestinian suffering and oppression and Israeli’s living in constant fear, the majority on both sides just want to live in peace.” “A real friend would help them find a way.”
Objective observers have criticized Israel for tactics including collective punishment and mass detention - both of which are recognized war-crimes according to the Fourth Geneva Convention - as well as the large number of civilian casualties during their ferocious assault on Gaza last year. By promoting equality and freedom for all peoples except Palestinians, Canada’s political leaders have squandered their human-rights credibility, both here and abroad.
“The Jewish religion, the Christian and the Muslim religion all command their followers to seek peace over war, and to treat others with respect and kindness”, declared Calgary’s Senior Imam Jamal Hammoud. “God put us here for a good purpose; to know each-other, not to fight with each-other.” “If Canada truly loved Israel, we would tell them that.”
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CONTACT: David Liepert, Spokesperson, 403.650.4025
Nagah Hage, MCC Chairman, 403.615-9994
