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Letter to Premier Clark
8-13-2014
The Honourable Christy Clark
Premier, Province of British Columbia,
Dear Premier Clark,
On behalf of our congregation at the Shia Muslim Community of BC (Az-Zahraa Islamic Center) in Richmond, we would like to express our disappointment regarding your recent letter directed to The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in which you encouraged support for Israel and stated your position as a friend of Israel.
The position you have taken seems unfathomable given what we have seen over the last few weeks. Over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed including 852 innocent civilians of whom 249 are children, over 6,200 Palestinians have been injured including 1,949 children, 24 medical facilities have been damaged and 136 schools, including multiple UNRWA schools, have been damaged. Your statement not only alienates members of British Columbia’s Arab and Muslim communities as well as countless other BC citizens but seems unfairly biased and clearly unjustifiable given the Israeli government’s disproportionate and indiscriminate military operation in Gaza. In a crisis where, according to the United Nations High Commisioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, war crimes may have been committed by the Israeli Defence Forces, our concern is primarily a humanitarian one.
We, at the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre, condemn any attacks directed at any civilian population, whether in the form of rockets being fired indiscriminately from Gaza at Israeli civilians or in the form of punitive and unforgiving air strikes on Gaza and its civilian population from Israel. We call on our elected representatives to stand for peace; putting “families first” by standing in solidarity with the innocent children and civilians who have been killed, injured, and affected during this crisis. We demand that our elected representatives condemn the targeting of civilians and attacks on densely populated civilian areas.
In addition to calling for an immediate ceasefire, we also call upon our elected representatives to support a fair and just peace process that will address underlying grievances including the lifting of the Israeli and Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip, ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, and ensuring the long-term security of both Israelis and Palestinians.
We, at the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre, as a leading member of British Columbia’s Muslim communities, look forward to working with you to improve the prosperity of all British Columbians as we work and pray for the safety, security, and prosperity of all peoples and communities around the world.
Sincerely,
Mahmood Jaffer
Director of Public Relations & Communications
Cc: Hon. Linda Reid, MLA - Richmond East
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