May 19, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Government of Canada
Re: Israel's Legal Rights
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Members of Cabinet,
We write to you today to ask that you acknowledge Israel’s independence and legal rights to act as a sovereign nation in both resolving its own conflicts with its neighbors, settling land issues within its borders, establishing and providing civil and human rights to those who live within its borders.
Today, many countries are attempting to dictate to Israel as to how and when it should resolve the 100 year old conflict with its Arab neighbors and residents. While the reconstituted Jewish state is only 72 years old, the Jewish people have been working to re-establish their historical home in Israel for over 1500 years and were granted this right in April 1920 at the San Remo Conference of the victorious Allied Powers. The resolution was then adopted by all members of the former League of Nations and was a foundational principle in the founding of the United Nations. Arab resistance and intransigence commenced even before the state was proclaimed.
The original land granted under the Mandate system was significantly larger than all of Israel today and included Judea and Samaria, inappropriately referred to as the West Bank. Over many decades Israel has offered land to settle the hostilities to which its neighbors are devoted. Every offer made since the 1948 Declaration of Independence has been rejected by the Arab states which have wanted only that Israel would cease to exist.
Today, there are Arab nations willingly working with Israel and two long-term peace agreements, yet many countries in the world continue to betray Israel and expect this very tiny country to give up more. Suffice it to say, this is not a matter for other countries to dictate.
We call upon the government of Canada to support Israel’s proposal to extend sovereignty in an area already legally its own, granted by the San Remo Resolution and the UN resolution which still has merit under international law, and as such was never abrogated. Israel’s land rights stand firm today. Canada should support its ally and thus peace will come. Israel has a right and obligation to continue to protect and defend all the people in the Land, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Bahai, or any other minority.
Israel’s sovereignty is the only guarantee that can protect its citizens and non citizen residents, and anything less risks more lives from belligerent antisemitic enemies who have never given up their one goal—the demise of Israel.
Israel is not the problem! The initiative to find a peaceful solution has always come from Israel and not the Palestinian Arab Authority (PA) and its terrorist partners, the PLO, Fatah and Hamas. Today it is common knowledge that the PA is paying terrorists to kill Jews, teaching Jew-hatred in its schools, denying Israel’s existence, denying the Holocaust that killed 6,000,000 Jews, and fabricating stories daily about Israel while Israel provides the Arabs with medical and technical assistance, security, funding for services, and access to jobs. More than that—the Israeli Arabs enjoy all the benefits of a democratic society, which is denied the Arabs who live under PA or Hamas rule.
Do not make the mistake of preferring the false PA narrative and discounting Israel’s rights, its historic and legal claims and its democracy. Do not choose a terrorist regime over an ally, and do not succumb to the antisemitic campaigns now being waged against Israel within Canada and globally.
We call on the Government of Canada to recognize Israel’s legal rights and support its democracy by not opposing its sovereign rights.
Respectfully,
Andria Spindel, Executive Director &
Anita Bromberg, President