[R-G] (Canada) Double-Standard Middle East Policy

[Anthony Fenton]

  Double-Standard Middle East Policy
by Reem Bahdi
http://www.embassymag.ca/page/view/double_standard-3-11-2009
Published Mar. 11, 2009 	

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon travelled to the Middle East  
and met with Palestinian and Israeli leaders earlier this month.

According to his department's press releases, the minister confirmed  
Canada's backing for President Mahmoud Abbas and encouraged him to  
renew peace efforts with Israel.

Minister Cannon also met with several Israeli leaders, discussed a  
range of co-operation initiatives and took the opportunity to restate  
what has now become a familiar refrain: "Canada-Israel relations are  
strong and are founded on our support for Israel since its creation in  
1948 and on our shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights and  
the rule of law."

Various sources told me that Minister Cannon had been scheduled to  
visit Ramallah. A few days before his expected arrival, news of the  
impending visit had become an open secret amongst Palestinians. But  
the visit was cancelled shortly before the arrival date and Minister  
Cannon met President Abbas in Jordan instead. He did, however, visit  
Israel.

The fact that Canadian leaders rarely take the time to visit the  
Palestinian areas or understand their needs does not escape notice in  
Ramallah. Nor do Palestinians disregard that our government is prone  
to making statements asserting political support for Israel while  
offering Palestinians aid that many observe ultimately works to  
support (Israeli) military security at the price of (Palestinian)  
human security.

A Canadian official in Ramallah commented to me several years ago that  
the international community's aid response to Israel/Palestine over  
the last few years is like that of a zoo keeper who opens up the cages  
every now and then to throw in some the food while reinforcing the  
cages' iron bars.

In Jordan, Minister Cannon reiterated Canada's offer of $300 million  
in aid to President Abbas over five years. How this will break down  
remains unclear. Minister Cannon reaffirmed $4 million in aid to Gaza  
humanitarian relief, but delegated the bulk of the funding to efforts  
aimed at propping up President Abbas' ailing government. For example,  
a Department of Justice lawyer confirmed that the department is on the  
verge of signing a contract with CIDA which would give the Canadian  
Justice Department $20 million to provide training and other support  
to the Palestinian Attorney General's Office.

Such support is controversial in part because Palestinian priorities  
at this point in time are clearly humanitarian in nature. One  
Palestinian analyst questioned me: "We thought you had new legislation  
that ensured poverty reduction is given priority in international  
development. We are surprised to see aid to the Prosecution and  
similar ideas being rushed through so quickly. Is it political?"

Others pointed to the disconnect between our political statements,  
which stress justice and building the rule of law, and the way in  
which Palestinians experience the rule of law. For Palestinians, law  
is largely an instrument of oppression.

While in Ramallah, I arranged a visit to an Israeli Military Court as  
part of my work on Juvenile Justice. Palestinians within the West Bank  
and Gaza charged by Israelis appear before military courts that  
provide virtually no due process rights and are presided over by a  
military judge. Israelis who commit crimes are tried before regular  
Israeli court with full due process rights. A recent review of the  
Israeli military court system found that almost 100 per cent of the  
accused are found guilty and that the average hearing lasts  
approximately two minutes.

I watched a teenager being brought into the court room. Contrary to  
international norms, his legs were bound in chains. I was surprised to  
learn of the charges against him—throwing stones. In an era where,  
according to some, white phosphorous can be dropped in droves from the  
sky without violating the rule of law, it seemed absurd that this boy  
should be shackled and made to stand before a military authority for  
throwing stones in an act of resistance and defiance against military  
occupation.

He was a thin boy, barely taller than my own 11-year-old son and  
slighter in build. His mother, who happened to be sitting next to me  
at the back of the court room, told me that he was not yet 16 and had  
two years to finish his tawjihi (high school) diploma.

We waited together for the child to be sentenced. A plea bargain  
brought him four and a half months and a 500-sheckle fine in addition  
to time already served. She teared up. He would lose his year in  
school and she now had to cobble together money for a fine from  
relatives who shared her home in Jalazon Refugee Camp.

The defence attorney, a weary looking Palestinian lawyer, tried to  
comfort her by noting that most boys get harsher sentences that can  
range into several years for the same stone-throwing offence. "It's a  
good thing this is his first time charged," he said, mustering a smile.

How can Canada talk about supporting the rule of law while ignoring  
such Israeli practices? I am asked this question by all manner of  
Palestinian citizens.

President Abbas, meanwhile, is discussing the prospects of a unity  
government with Hamas. Hamas appears to have gained popularity  
following Israel's military operation, Operation Cast Lead, which was  
launched on Dec. 27. If it comes to pass, a Palestinian unity  
government will be formed by the end of March. Minister Cannon  
announced that funding to Palestinians will support Abbas's  
government. Presumably the funding will not be delivered if President  
Abbas enters into a unity government agreement with Hamas because  
Canadian law considers Hamas a terrorist organization.

Members of Abbas's government are far more realistic about their  
future than the press releases issued by Foreign Affairs Canada. I  
bumped into a high-ranking member of the Palestinian Authority on my  
last day in the region. Warmly reprimanding me for not calling during  
my brief visit to Ramallah, the official commented in passing that the  
next time we meet, he may be out of office.

"Perhaps then," he said, "we can work together on something important  
that doesn't involve government delusions."

Professor Reem Bahdi teaches access to justice and tort law at the  
Faculty of Law at the University of Windsor. She has lived and worked  
in various capacities in Ramallah for over 13 years.

editor at embassymag.ca