RSS Feeds

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Settlements Home page  back Print  Send To friend Canadian federal court makes landmark ruling re labeling of settler products Dr. Ashrawi: Ruling of Canadian federal court is an important first step for Canada and beyond PLO Department of Public Diplomacy and Policy info@dci-plo.ps via mailchimpapp.net FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2019 Dr. Ashrawi: Ruling of Canadian federal court is an important first step for Canada and beyond We welcome the ruling of Canada`s federal court on the illegality of labeling wine originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as products made in Israel. This is an important first step for Canada and beyond, as this landmark ruling is an affirmation of the supremacy of the law and Canada’s obligation to respect international law, which considers settlements illegal and does not recognize them as part of Israel. In light of this important ruling, the Palestinian leadership calls on the Canadian government to act in accordance with Canadian and international laws and amend, without delay, the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Bill C-85), which affords products originating from illegal Israeli settlements tariff free status, in flagrant violation of Canada`s obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and United Nations Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016). This ruling now clearly demonstrates that the agreement also violates Canadian law and values. Further, we call on all other states, particularly the European Union, Israel`s largest trading partner, to apply EU and international laws to its agreements with Israel. It is long overdue for the EU to take the minimal step of properly labeling products originating from Israel`s illegal settlements and to ensure that its partnership agreements do not further enable or favor the continued looting of Palestinian natural resources and the profiteering from the commission is a war crime, as defined in the Rome Statute. Israel`s illegal settlement regime is the embodiment of its colonial agenda in Palestine and its determined efforts to deny the Palestinian people their inalienable rights to self-determination and freedom. The obligation of all states to respect international law and the Palestinian people’s national rights is absolute. Such respect can only be ensured by practical steps that deny Israel and complicit companies the ability to profiteer from the colonial occupation and the flagrant violations of international law. Accountability is the shortest and most assured path to justice. Links to the latest articles in this section Palestinian killed while protesting settlement expansion Netanyahu repeatedly dismisses US objections to building beyond Green Line ‘The settlers brought caravans and put them on a hill next to us’