Letter regarding Israel's attack on Gaza and international law

January 19, 2009

Dear Prime Minister Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister Cannon:

We the undersigned academics and educators express our condemnation of Israel's attack on Gaza. With over 600 dead, including 100 children, we call on the Canadian government to demand an immediate cessation of Israeli hostilities. As per the position of UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Palestine, Richard Falk, the attack constitutes a war crime in that it is completely disproportionate to the threat posed, and violates international humanitarian law on at least three grounds: Collective punishment, Targeting Civilians, Disproportionate military response. We call on the Canadian government to implement sanctions against the Israeli government until it ceases its attack against the people of Gaza and fully
complies with international law.

Sincerely,

Raja Abboud, University of British Columbia
Gamal Abdel-Shehid, York University
Walid Abou-Salem, University of Toronto
Diana Abraham, York University
Yasmeen Abu-Laban, University of Alberta
Mary Louise Adams, Queen's University
Laurie Adkin, University of Alberta
Greg Albo, York University
Harris Ali, York University
Mehrunnisa Ali, Ryerson University
Tariq Amin-Khan, Ryerson University
Rachad Antonius, Université du Québec à Montréal
Paul Antze, York University
Sedef Arat-Koç, Ryerson University
Hugh Armstrong, Carleton University
Sylvat Aziz, Queen's University
Carl Baar, York University
Feyzi Baban, Trent University
Susan Babbitt, Queen's University
Abigail B. Bakan, Queen's University
Patricia Balcom, University of Moncton
Deborah Barndt, York University
Elena Basile, York University
Gregory Baum, McGill University
Ray Bazowski, York University
Pierre Beaudet, University of Ottawa
Marta Berbes, York University
Jody Berland, York University
Davina Bhandar, Trent University
Ann Bigelow, University of Western Ontario
Malcolm Blincow, York University
Glenda Lynna Anna Tibe Bonifacio, University of Lethbridge
Marion Boulby, Trent University
David Bourgeois, St. Mary's University
Derek Brown, Brandon University
Annette Burfoot, Queen's University
Bill Burgess, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Mike Burke, Ryerson University
Doris Buss, Carleton University
Paula Butler, Trent University
Duncan Cameron, Simon Fraser University
David Camfield, University of Manitoba
Dominique Caouette, Université de Montréal
Anna Carastathis, Université de Montréal
Bill Carroll, University of Victoria
Julian Castro-Rea, University of Alberta
John Chamard, Saint Mary's University
Debra Chapman, Wilfrid Laurier University
Norman Cheadle, Laurentian University
Peter Chidiac, University of Western Ontario
Sally Chivers, Trent University
Rustum Choksi, Simon Fraser University
Aziz Choudry, McGill University
Tanya Chung Tiam Fook, York University
Andrew Clement, University of Toronto
David Clipsham, York University
Lynne Cohen, University of Ottawa
Janet Conway, Brock University
Kendra Coulter, University of Windsor
Rebecca Coulter, University of Western Ontario
Deborah Cowen, University of Toronto
Bob Cox, York University
Jen Cypher, York University
Dia Da Costa, Queen's University
Edwin E. Daniel, University of Alberta
Mary Ellen Davis, Concordia University
Radhika Desai, University of Manitoba
Rita Dhamoon, University of the Fraser Valley
Karen Dubinsky, Queen's University
Peter Eglin, Wilfrid Laurier University
Marie-Eve Desrosiers, Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa
Tim Di Muzio, Trent University
Ivar Ekeland, University of British Columbia
Ashraf El Damatty, University of Western Ontario
Munir El-Kassem, University of Western Ontario
Christo El Morr, York University
Bruce Erickson, York University
Jamey Essex, University of Windsor
Bryan Evans, Ryerson University
Randa Farah, University of Western Ontario
Hani Faris, University of British Columbia
Leesa Fawcett, York University
Matt Feagan, Ryerson University
Sue Ferguson, Wilfrid Laurier University
Peter Fitting, University of Toronto
Honor Ford-Smith, York University
Scott Forsyth, York University
Margot Francis, Brock University
Myron Frankman, McGill University
Gail Fraser, York University
Gavin Fridell, Trent University
Bernd Frohmann, University of Western Ontario
Richard Fung, Ontario College of Art & Design
Mark Gabbert, University of Manitoba
Grace-Edward Galabuzi, Ryerson University
Judith Garber, University of Alberta
Dina Georgis, University of Toronto
Liette Gilbert, York University
Luin Goldring, York University
Kanishka Goonewardena, University of Toronto
Rachel Gorman, University of Toronto
Kevin Gould, Concordia University
Janice Graham, Dalhousie University
Julie Guard, University of Manitoba
Shubhra Gururani, York University
André Habib, Université de Montréal
Laam Hae, York University
Judy Haiven, St. Mary's University
Larry Haiven, St. Mary's University
Budd Hall, University of Victoria
Evelyn Hamdon, University of Alberta
Bernie Hammond, University of Western Ontario
Paul Handford, University of Western Ontario
Elizabeth Hanson, Queen's University
Jens Hanssen, University of Toronto
Sumi Hasegawa, McGill University
Gita Hashemi, York University
Danny Heap, University of Toronto
David Heap, University of Western Ontario
Tania Hernandez, York University
Alan Hunt, Carleton University
Adrienne Carey Hurley, McGill University
Esam Hussein, University of New Brunswick
Maggie Hutcheson, York University
Pablo Idahosa, York University
Nancy Jackson, University of Toronto
Amina Jamal, Ryerson University
Radha Jhappan, Carleton University
Fred Judson, University of Alberta
Ilan Kapoor, York University
Ali Kazimi, York University
Roger Keil, York University
Jennifer Kelly, University of Alberta
R.M. Kennedy, Centennial College
Mohammad Ali Khalidi, York University
Aliya Khan, McMaster University
Shahnaz Khan, Wilfrid Laurier University
Punam Khosla, York University
Samantha King, Queen's University
Catherine Kingfisher, University of Lethbridge
Paul Kingston, University of Toronto
Carla Klassen, University of Toronto
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