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Harper's Resumption Of Canadian Aid To Fatah Repeats Past Mistakes

Naresh Raghubeer and David Harris - 7/15/2007

Ottawa, Canada - According to published reports, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to announce a resumption of aid to Palestinians President Mahmoud Abbas when he meets with Jordon's King Abdullah this week.

"If the Prime Minister resumes funding to Abbas and his Fatah Party, it will be a repetition of past mistakes," said Alastair Gordon, President, Canadian Coalition for Democracies. "We hope that Prime Minister Harper recognizes the connection between Mahmoud Abbas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a designated terrorist group in Canada, the connection between Abbas' Fatah party and specific acts of terrorism, Fatah's rampant corruption that has diverted aid destined for the Palestinian people to Fatah leaders, Fatah's targeted killing of Arabs who cooperate with Israel, and Fatah's failure to end PA-sanctioned hate and incitement against Israel and Jews."

The Canadian Coalition for Democracies has called for a resumption of aid to the Palestinians when the following conditions have been met: (1) the Palestinians have removed all hate and incitement against Jews and Israel from their education system and controlled media, (2) the Fatah/PLO and Hamas charters have been changed to eliminate the call for the destruction of Israel and the de-legitimization of Israel and Jews, (3) militants have been disarmed, and (4) all acts of terrorism against Israel have ended for a period of at least two years, with the understanding that any resumption of terror will immediate end the flow of aid. Prime Minister Harper must not accept any declarations of convenience from Fatah or Hamas - only meaningful action will be believed.

"If a Canadian citizen were to send money, directly or indirectly, to the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, he or she could be charged and imprisoned under our anti-terror legislation," added Gordon. "Yet in 2003, Fatah asked the leaders of the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades to join the Fatah Council, recognizing it officially as part of the organization. Our government should not be forcing its citizens to fund an illegal terrorist entity or its sponsors."