[R-G] The Canada-Israel "Public Security" Agreement

[Anthony Fenton]

The Canada-Israel "Public Security" Agreement
Ottawa & Tel Aviv collaborate in counter-terrorism & Homeland security
by Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research, April 2, 2008

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8530

Canada and Israel have signed a far-reaching public security  
cooperation agreement.

The agreement, described as a "Partnership", involves a "Declaration  
of Intent" by the two governments. The Declaration was signed in Tel  
Aviv on March 23:

     "Today, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety  
Canada and Avi Dicter, Minister of Public Security of the Government  
of the State of Israel, signed a Declaration of Intent to enhance  
cooperation in the area of public safety.

     “The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing the security  
of Canadians – both through our actions at home and with our  
international partners.” said Minister Day. “Today’s declaration  
demonstrates the longstanding cooperation between Canada and Israel on  
public safety issues, and we welcome this increased cooperation in  
order to improve our countries’ capacity to protect our citizens.”

     This declaration will allow Canada and Israel to better enhance  
cooperation in the areas of organized crime, emergency management,  
crime prevention, and other related public safety concerns. The  
declaration seeks to establish a more structured framework for the  
continued cooperation on public safety issues between Canada and Israel.

     “The Declaration of Intent is an opportunity for Canada and  
Israel to strengthen their commitment to safeguarding their citizens  
and respective national interests from common threats,” said Minister  
Dicter." ( http://www.ps-sp.gc.ca/app_support/xml/ps_news_e.xml)


Stockwell Day and Avi Dicter
shake hands upon signing the Declaration

Cheney Mission to the Middle East Shrouded in Secrecy

Canada's Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day was in Israel on the  
same day as Vice Cheney Dick Cheney.

Coincidentally, a US mission led by Secretary of Homeland Security  
Michael Chertoff was also in Israel on official business, as guest of  
Israel's Minister of Public Security, Avi Dicter. There are no reports  
on Canada-US-Israeli consultations during these official visits. In  
all likelihood, officials from the respective departments/ministries  
of US Homeland Security, Israel's Public Security and Canada's Public  
Safety had meetings behind closed doors.


Dick Cheney in Tel Aviv, March 23


Michael Chertoff and Avi Dicter

Terms of Reference of the Partnership

Israel's Ministry of Public Security carries out public security, law  
enforcement activities. It is also in charge of the operation of  
Israel’s prisons, which are in large part used to detain Palestinians.

Canada's Ministry of Public Safety, established in 2003, is a copy and  
paste version of US Homeland Security. Public Safety Canada has a  
close bilateral relationship with US Homeland Security.

Public Safety Canada works closely with several government agencies  
including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), The Canadian  
Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Correctional Service Canada  
(CSC) and The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Officials from  
these agencies have no doubt been consulted regarding the terms of  
reference of the Israel-Canada declaration.

The terms reference of the Canada-Israel Declaration are extremely  
broad. They include issues of immigration and ethnic profiling, the  
management of borders, intelligence and the exchange of information,  
emergency preparedness, correctional services, prisons, law  
enforcement  and counter-terrorism.

The Declaration of Intent involves the setting up of a close bilateral  
cooperation arrangement at the ministerial level. A management  
committee has been set up under the helm of  the Deputy Minister of  
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada, and the Director  
General of Public Security of the State of Israel.

Senior Israeli and Canadian officials respectively from Israel's  
Ministry of Public Security and from various Canadian federal  
departments and agencies (including the RCMP, CSIS and CBSA), which  
are under the jurisdiction of Stockwell Day's ministry  would carry  
out "an approved program of work".

The programme would be implemented by a Senior Coordinator from each  
country, namely, the Assistant Deputy Minister (Strategic Policy) for  
Canada's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and  
the Deputy Director General of Israel's Ministry of Public Security of  
the State of Israel;

The agreements requires the two countries to "[b]uild on their shared  
commitment to facilitate and enhance cooperation to protect their  
respective countries' population, assets and interests from common  
threats".

What type of border security and control of immigrants is involved?

How does this impinge upon Canada's immigration procedures?

The agreement appears to be built upon a much broader agreement  
between Canada and the US in the area of Homeland Security.  However,  
it also replicates the pattern of a February 2006 agreement reached  
between US Homeland Security and Israel's Ministry of Public Security

The Israel-Canada agreement has been in the pipeline since Israel's  
Public Security Minister Avi Dicter's October 2007 visit to the US and  
Canada. Avi Dicter met Stockwell Day last October in Toronto "with the  
intention on establishing cooperation on homeland security" and  
counter-terrorism.

Nature of the Agreement

Israel is not part of North America. Canada and Israel do not share a  
common border. So what is the underlying agenda?

Will Canada assist Israel in policing its border with Lebanon, Syria  
and the Palestinian territories?

Conversely, will Israeli officials assist Canada in ethnic profiling  
of people (including biometric applications, which is mentioned in the  
agreement) who visit Canada from the Middle East?

Will Israeli officials have access to confidential files of Canadians?

What type of cooperation is envisaged in the areas of prisons and law  
enforcement? Interrogation techniques? Are Israeli consultants going  
to help us reorganize our correctional services?

The agreement would allow officials from the State of Israel, a  
country on record for its numerous human rights violations acts  
directed against the people of Palestine and Lebanon, to play a role  
in Canadian public security. In this regard, will Israeli officials  
assist the RCMP and CSIS in the profiling of Canadians citizens who  
are Muslims. This ethnic profiling is already applied at Canadian  
airports.

Will Israeli officials assist their Canadian counterparts in dealing  
with individuals and/or organizations in Canada involved in supporting  
the rights of Palestinians. Will Israeli officials assist their  
Canadian counterparts in the domestic "war on terrorism", which in the  
post 9/11 period has led to numerous arbitrary detentions on trumped- 
up charges.

At the same time,  the Declaration establishes a de facto complicit  
relationship whereby Canadian officials (RCMP, etc) would contribute  
to assisting Israel in its domestic police and border activities (e.g.  
Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank), not under the auspices of the  
United Nations, but directly in cooperation with Israeli police and  
security officials.

In fact, Canada's "contribution" to the policing of Israel's borders  
with Gaza and the West Bank is already part of a 300 million dollar  
aid package in support of the "peace process". According to Public  
Safety Canada,  "a significant component [of the 300 million will be]  
devoted to security, including policing and public order capacity- 
building. This five year commitment will go towards the creation of a  
democratic, accountable, and viable Palestinian state that lives in  
peace and security alongside Israel." (Marketwire, Ottawa, March 24,  
2008)

Following his meeting with his counterpart Avi Dicter, Stockwell Day  
had meetings on the 24th of March in the West Bank with President  
Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, where issues pertaining  
to Canada's peace package, including police training and capacity  
building were discussed. "I was pleased to meet with Palestinian  
Authority President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad to discuss public  
safety issues of mutual interest," said Minister Day. Stockwell Day  
also visited a West Bank prison as well as a police training center in  
Jericho. (Ibid)

Under the Declaration of Intent, Canada cannot exercise "neutrality"  
with regard to the Palestinian process. Canada would act as a partner  
of Israel in all issues of public security in the occupied  
territories. Moreover, Canadian support channelled to the US-Israeli  
sponsored Palestinian regime of Mahmoud Abbas will be used to repress  
Hamas, which is the duly elected government. It will contribute to  
worsening the situation in the occupied territories.

Counter-terrorism and Homeland Security

The issue of "counter-terrorism" is not mentioned explicitly in the  
Declaration of Intent. The terms of reference, however, suggest that  
the "war on terrorism" is an integral part of the agreement.

In early February 2007, Minister Avi Dicter addressed the public  
security committee of the Canadian House of Commons:  "Iran is the  
largest terrorist state in the world" Dichter said. In his discussion  
with Canadian MPs, Dichter "laid out what he believes to be the  
guidelines for Canadian-Israeli security cooperation in the future,  
possibly similar to the agreement that the minister signed a day later  
in Washington DC." (Jerusalem Post, 7 February 2007)

"The Canadian MPs echoed their American compatriots in addressing the  
former Shin Bet head as a world expert in the field of terror rather  
than as a visiting minister of a foreign government, asking him at one  
point what specific steps the parliament could take to prevent terror  
attacks on Canadian soil. In his answer, Dichter reiterated the  
importance of strengthening border security and use of proper  
investigative methods with suspects." (ibid)

During a followup official visit of Israel's Minister of Public  
Security Avi Dicter to Canada in late October 2007,  meetings of  
Israeli and Canadian officials were held behind closed doors to  
discuss a blueprint for cooperation in the areas of homeland security  
and counter-terrorism. The meetings chaired by Stockwell Day were held  
in Toronto on October 29, 2007.  A so-called "Arrangement Paper" was  
to be drafted with a view to defining  "the actions of the competent  
structures at ministerial, central and subordinate/local levels for  
preventing and fighting home land securities issues":

     "The parties have agreed to intensify future cooperation by  
identifying ways of direct communication in order to maximize the  
exchange of information, technology and operational activity. For the  
same reason it has been agreed to accelerate negotiations for the  
signing of an Arrangement Paper between the two Ministries on  
cooperation in home land security and counter terrorism issues which  
falls within the responsibility of the respective Ministries.
     ...
     Negotiations on the arrangement paper mentioned above will take  
place as necessary. The signing of the arrangement paper will be held  
on an occasion and place coordinated in advance between the Ministries.

     The two Ministers agreed that by early November three work teams  
will be established in order to promote the cooperation between the  
two ministries on the following subjects: • Counterterrorism and Crime  
• Emergency preparedness • Border crossing security, focusing on  
biometric identification"

     (Official communique of Israel's Ministry of Public Security,
     http://www.mops.gov.il/BPEng/MOPS+News/DicterWithCanadianMinister_30_10_07.htm 
  )

The "Arrangement paper" refers to the draft text of The Declaration of  
Intent, which was signed in Tel Aviv on March 23, 2008. The two  
governments chose to sign the agreement during a week of intense  
diplomatic activity in Tel Aviv, involving the concurrent visits of  
the Vice President of the US, the US Secretary of the Department  
Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice  
and other senior officials.

The final text of the Declaration of Intent remains vague. "Counter- 
terroism" and the "Homeland" are not explicitly mentioned in the final  
text of the Declaration signed on March 23.

Legal Implications

The text of the Declaration of Intent states that ":{it] is not  
intended to create legally binding obligations, under either domestic  
or international law. Yet, at the outset, it violates several  
fundamental principles of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

The Canada-Israel Public Security agreement has barely been mentioned  
by the Canadian media.

It has not been the object of a debate in parliament. Why has this  
issue not been brought to the forefront of public debate?  Why has the  
parliamentary opposition remained mum on the subject?

It should be forcefully challenged in Canada's courts.

ANNEX

FULL TEXT of AGREEMENT

http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2008/nr20080323-1-eng.aspx

Public Safety Canada March 23, 2008

Declaration of Intent Between the Department of Public Safety and  
Emergency Preparedness of Canada and the Ministry of Public Security  
of the Government of the State of Israel

The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada  
and the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of  
Israel, declare their intent:

1. To prioritize and manage cooperation in the following areas within  
the responsibility of the Ministries:

1. Border management and security, including biometric applications;

2. Correctional services and prisons;

3. Crime prevention;

4. Critical infrastructure protection;

5. Emergency management;

6. Illegal immigration;

7. Law enforcement cooperation;

8. Money laundering;

9. Organized crime;

10. Terrorist financing; and

11. Trafficking in persons.

2. To achieve the following objectives:

1. Build on their shared commitment to facilitate and enhance  
cooperation to protect their respective countries' population, assets  
and interests from common threats;

2. Integrate and coordinate of the identification, prioritization, and  
implementation of cooperative efforts between themselves in the area  
of public safety;

3. Manage the delivery of approved cooperative activities within the  
scope of this Declaration;

4. Establish of clear lines of communication and points of contact  
between themselves as part of an ongoing process of dialogue and  
partnership in pursuing common goals;

5. Share knowledge, experience, expertise, information, research, and  
best practices;

6. Identify and share public safety concerns on the basis of threats,  
risk assessments, priorities, vulnerabilities, and consequences; and

7. Facilitate technical exchange cooperation, including education,  
training, and exercises.

3. To establish a Management Committee that would:

1. Be comprised of the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Emergency  
Preparedness of Canada, and the Director General of Public Security  
for the Government of the State of Israel;

2. Meet annually and as needed to develop and approve a program of  
work, consistent with the scope and objectives of this Declaration,  
for that upcoming year;

3. Evaluate and approve progress and results of activities carried out  
under this Declaration from the previous year;

4. Identify officials from the Ministry of Public Security of the  
Government of the State of Israel and from the department and agencies  
for which the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of  
Canada is responsible, to carry out, within specific timeframes, each  
of the items in the approved program of work;

5. Be supported by a Senior Coordinator, namely, the Assistant Deputy  
Minister (Strategic Policy) for the Department of Public Safety and  
Emergency Preparedness of Canada, and the Deputy Director General for  
the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of  
Israel; and

6. Have the Senior Coordinators ensure the delivery of the approved  
program of work and recommend new activities for the Committee's  
approval.

4. To bear respectively the costs that they each incur for performing,  
managing, and administering its activities under this Declaration;

5. To ensure the appropriate protection of all information, knowledge,  
expertise, etc. that is exchanged between them against any  
unauthorized access, alteration, publication, or dissemination; and

6. To protect any information, knowledge, expertise, etc. that is  
exchanged between them against disclosure to any third party with the  
same degree of care as they each exercise with their own information,  
knowledge, expertise, etc. of a similar nature;

It is understood that:

This Declaration is not intended to duplicate or supersede any  
existing arrangements between any departments and/or agencies of the  
Government of Canada and the Government of Israel; and

This Declaration is not intended to create legally binding  
obligations, under either domestic or international law.

     Signed in duplicate at Tel Aviv, this 23rd day of March, 2008,  
which corresponds to the 16th day of Adar b'5768, in the English,  
French, and Hebrew languages with all texts being equally valid.

     FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OF  
CANADA

     FOR THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE  
STATE OF ISRAEL


  Global Research Articles by Michel Chossudovsky