To the Israeli Consular Offices in Canada,
I am a Canadian citizen with a sincere interest in Israel and all itspeople. I spent the month of June this year in Israel meeting people fromall over the country, including Jewish settlers and Palestinians living onthe West Bank, a Jewish Israeli family whose 18 year old daughter had diedin a homicide bombing by a Palestinian earlier that month, a ” refusnik ” , aBedouin family leasing land off the Tel Aviv Jersualem highway, etc. etc.
I highly value the communications I receive from Gush Shalom via its emaillist. In my view, its commentary on the recent homicide bombing by theIsraeli military in the Gaza Strip was a fair exercise of freedom ofexpression as were its letters to military personnel involved in thatbombing. Warnining agents of the government that their actions mayconstitute violations of international law is hardly treasonous.
Gush Shalom is no doubt an irritant to the current government. However,offering views opposing those of current office-holders and monitoring thelawfulness of government actions keeps democracy and civil rights alive.Investigating this organization with a view to laying a charge oftreason–the only crime in Israel for which capital punishment may beordered–devitalizes your society and further discredits Israel in the eyesof the world.
Sincerely yours
Janet Kee
103-1516 Charles Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V5L 2T1