The Jewish French Union for Peace (JFPP) has criticized the ferocious campaign by the US, the EU and Israel against Hamas after the groupâ??s landslide victory in last weekâ??s legislative elections and called for respecting the democratic choice of the Palestinian people.
…”A media campaign stereotyping Hamas as a threat to the Middle East peace process and no peace partner with Israel has picked up steam since the group came to power in a real democracy,” the Paris-based NGO said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net on Sunday, January 29.
“The same feeble excuses were used to question late Palestinian president Yasser Arafatâ??s peace intentions and give the US-backed Israeli government of Ariel Sharon a pretext to impose his unilateral steps,” it said, referring to Sharonâ??s plan for disengagement from the Palestinians.
…The leftist-leaning Jewish union said the Palestinians have voted for the resistance “which will, no doubt, end the occupation.”
“The Palestinians said no for grinding poverty, desperation, the racist West Bank separation wall and the destruction of their society,” the statement added.
“It is also a vote against Israelâ??s ridicule of the Palestinians and the gangrenous corruption [in the Palestinian Authority] and the loss of hope.”
The union concluded that peace cannot be materialized unless the Israelis and the Palestinians are being treated as equals.
“Justice, the return of the refugees, the release of all prisoners, acknowledging the inalienable rights of the Palestinians and dismantling all settlements are the only way to achieve peace,” it said.
elsewhere…
In a related issue, the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) urged Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper to respect the results of the Palestinian democratic elections and adopt a balanced policy in the Middle East.
“Palestinians are to be congratulated for holding their recent elections in a free, fair, and democratic manner,” CIC Head Mohamed El-Masri said in a statement a copy of which was sent to IOL.
Harper, who is to be sworn in on February 6, has said that his Conservative government would not accept Hamas as long as it continued to support what he termed as terrorism.
“For a nation to be truly democratic, that nation must renounce terrorism,” he added.
The CIC, which is the largest national non-profit and independent voice of Canadian Muslims, said Canada should adopt a “balanced policy” in the region in order to work towards, and ultimately achieve, just peace.
It warned that not recognizing Hamas would be “a serious setback to the peace movement and serve only to escalate the violence.”
CIC recalled that the Irish Republican Army’s political wing proved itself competent to govern without continuing armed violence; likewise, several former Israeli prime ministers were once labelled terrorists.
Hamas should be given the same chance to establish itself in this new phase of Middle East history, it said.
“We believe that bringing Hamas into the legitimate political process and opening constructive dialogue will help to moderate its policies.” [source]
It seems Harper is already moving with Dubya on this one, and they havn’t even sworn him in. Well, there goes indpendent Canadian foreign policy.